Top 20 Greatest Ever Music Festivals

#20: Hellfest (2006-)

The variety and diversity of festival lineups can often differ depending upon where you go and what time of year. France’s Hellfest retains one creative hallmark to its history, however: energy. Then again, this open air fest also boasts genre variety even within these parameters, since hard rock and metal bands from all walks of life take over the stages at Hellfest. From modern examples of the genre to a stage devoted to only the most extreme of acts, Hellfest prides itself upon covering the scope of heavy music for the contemporary festival-goer. Heck, the 2025 lineup alone boasts artists as diverse as Judas Priest, Scorpions, Muse, Linkin Park and Turnstile!

#19: Rock in Rio (1985-)

What’s in a name? There’s actually been a little controversy regarding this music festival that’s been running, in one form or another, since 1985. That’s because certain years of Rock in Rio…well, actually haven’t taken place in Rio de Janeiro, but cities such as Madrid, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal and even Las Vegas! Despite this, many legendary acts have recorded and released live sets that took place at a Rock in Rio stage, including a notable one from Iron Maiden back in 2001. It should also be said, however, that the “Rock” aspect of Rock in Rio doesn’t always have to be taken literally, since artists like Ed Sheeran and Travis Scott have also performed there over the years.

#18: Download Festival (2003-)

There’s a lot of wonderful heritage to be discovered behind the Download Festival in the U.K., specifically with how it’s served as a major stage for hard rock and metal acts since approximately 1980. It was known as the Monsters of Rock Festival at that point, since adopting the Download moniker in 2003. Titles matter little with regards to just how many important bands have conquered Download over the years, however, as evidenced by the triumphant performances of Black Sabbath, Metallica or Guns N’ Roses. The spirit of rock lives within Download, as generations of fans take their kids to experience what meant so much to them back in the day.

#17: PinkPop Festival (1970-)

It isn’t exactly a common occurrence that a music festival takes its name from a religious celebration, and it’s this little bit of trivia that makes The Netherlands’ PinkPop Festival so interesting. This diversely unique fest generally is scheduled around Pentecost weekend, a Christian celebration associated with the Easter holiday. Groups from rock, pop, alternative and electronic music genres can be seen on PinkPop stages, while a separate festival, titled PinkPop Classic was debuted in 2007 to appeal to fans of classic rock. This eclecticism has enabled PinkPop to not only survive, but thrive for over fifty years.

#16: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (1970-)

What do you normally think of when the visual of a typical music festival pops into your head? Throngs of sweaty and exhausted rock fans, screaming their lungs out in front of a packaged stage? Blissed EDM-heads dancing away the night to heavy midnight beats? There are no incorrect answers, but it’s also important to note how important the jazz genre has been to the live music festival aesthetic. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is just one longstanding avenue where this iconic music genre takes shape for diehard devotees; an outlet for jazz to come alive. Meanwhile, jazz adjacent jam bands a la Dave Matthews have also played this fest over the years, alongside diverse guests like Santana, The Roots and Pearl Jam.

#15: Rocklahoma (2007-)

The spirit of the Sunset Strip lives on within the hearts and minds of everyone that attends the Rocklahoma Festival over in the United States. This is a place where hair metal never dies, where the hairspray continues to threaten our ozone layer and where the heavy hooks pull some of the genre’s biggest heritage acts. It isn’t only glam rock that embodies the Rocklahoma stage, however, since this festival has also brought in Korn, Alice Cooper and Avenged Sevenfold over the years. Who are we kidding, though? When we think of Rocklahoma, we primarily think of witnessing Winger, Ratt, Vixen and Twisted Sister tearing it up like it’s 1985.

#14: 70000 Tons of Metal (2011)

Whoever said that a proper music festival needed to take place on the ground? The 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise bucks that idea by holding its fest on the water, as heavy metal acts from all walks of life ride the waves. The five day trip at sea challenges even the most diehard festival goers to rise up to its level, partying for nearly a week straight as bands like Blind Guardian, Kreator, Cannibal Corpse and more turn a cruise ship into a destination for devastation. 70000 Tons of Metal provides a truly unique experience for those who decide to take the plunge, placing attendees closer than ever to their favorite bands, while also including all of the amenities of a pleasurable vacation.

#13: Isle of Wight Festival (1968-70, 2002-19, 2021-)

It could be argued that the genesis of music festivals as a whole could be traced back to the various counterculture movements of the late 1960s. The Isle of Wight Festival, as a result, deserves to be mentioned alongside other famous examples like Woodstock, despite its rather scattershot history. Still, the Isle of Wight Festival’s legacy remains secure since its 2002 resurrection, with modern day lineups remembering the event’s old-school pedigree. Bob Dylan, The Who and Jimi Hendrix all performed at the Isle of Wight back in the day, while current incarcerations have seen Green Day, Pet Shop Boys and The Prodigy bring their talents to a legendary festival stage.

#12: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (2002-)

Music fans from all around the United States and even the world have converged upon the town of Manchester, Tennessee in order to attend the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. These same fans can also often be relied upon to support Bonnaroo’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, which is refreshing given that so many music festivals can become havens for abandoned garbage. It isn’t only about the music when it comes to Bonnaroo, however, since this festival has also routinely showcased other aspects of the arts, from comedy and theater to screenings of independent short films.

#11: Wacken Open Air (1990-)

There’s only one word that metal fans need to hear when it comes to the definitive, all-encompassing music festival: Wacken. This event may be localized to Germany, but fans from all around the world have made the pilgrimage to Wacken since this metalfest debuted back in 1990. The festival is so big that it even has its own theme song, “We Are the Metalheads,” performed by Doro Pesch and members of the festival’s co-founders, Skyline. A 2014 documentary, titled “Wacken,” has also showcased just how big a deal this festival has been for so many generations, as heavy metal fans descend upon this otherwise unassuming German town to take over with proud and unrepentant heavy metal thunder.

#10: Farm Aid (1985-)

The 1980s were definitely a halcyon decade for well-intentioned benefit shows and songs, designed to promote awareness for certain global issues. Farm Aid has remained one of the most remembered of these festivals, a la Live Aid, and has routinely helped out American farmers with their charitable donations. Meanwhile, performers that have taken the Farm Aid stage have included Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp all three of which actually helped organize the fest back in 1985. Since then many blues, rock and country artists have returned time and time again to Farm Aid, thrilling audiences with some truly amazing performances.

#9: Reading & Leeds Festivals (1955-)

It’s more than a little impressive how the Reading and Leeds Festivals have been an ongoing tradition in the United Kingdom since 1955. The festivals have essentially served as historical bookmarks with regards to prevailing musical trends of the day. This can be seen with how more recent iterations of Reading and Leeds have incorporated more and more hip-hop within its multi-stage weekend lineups. This isn’t to say that Reading and Leeds haven’t also seen a wide variety of musical acts run through its grounds, either, from classic rock pioneers to groups from the jazz, pop and folk ends of the spectrum.

#8: US Festival (1982-83)

The US Festival may have only enjoyed a two year run back in 1982 and 1983, but the intentions of its creator, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, certainly seemed to be noble. Both US Festivals were designed to stand in contrast to what Wozniak felt as a sense of ‘70s selfishness, and sought to embrace cultural togetherness along with burgeoning technology. Both years lost money, unfortunately, but the 1983 iteration was notable for how each day of the festival was split into genres. Rock, country, new wave and heavy metal were all afforded their time to shine, with some memorable performances arising in the wake of this decision. This included landmark sets from Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot and Mötley Crüe.

#7: Newport Folk Festival (1959-)

The city of Newport, Rhode Island may reside within a tiny U.S. state, but it has a huge reputation when it comes to the world of popular music festivals. The area has been home to the landmark Newport Jazz Festival since 1954, in addition to the Newport Folk Festival that’s run since 1959. The latter proved to be the site of one infamous moment in music history, when Bob Dylan performed an electric set on July 25th, 1965. The decision was met with a polarizing response, but also served as a turning point in Dylan’s career. The musical icon didn’t return to the Newport Folk Festival stage for another thirty-seven years.

#6: Montreux Jazz Festival (1967-)

So, you may be familiar with how Deep Purple’s iconic “Smoke on the Water” references the Swiss town of Montreux within its lyrics. This isn’t exactly by accident, since this area has been something of a musical mecca for years, primarily for lovers of jazz. The Montreux Jazz Festival has been running since 1967, and has seen all kinds of jazz trends come and go. Groups from the worlds of bebop, hard bop, jazz-rock and fusion have all appeared at Montreux. Artists as diverse as Miles Davis, Nina Simone and Chick Corea have played alongside rock groups such as Yes. This has enabled the Montreux Jazz Festival to remain an epitome of cool for generations of musical obsessives.

#5: Monterey International Pop Festival (1967)

The Woodstock Festival wasn’t conceived in a vacuum. It enjoyed a number of festival predecessors that laid the groundwork for what would become known as the counterculture boom of the late sixties. The Monterey International Pop Festival was held back in ‘67, and included a who’s who of musical talent for this amazing era. Otis Redding’s performance at Monterey Pop proved particularly revelatory for a generation that was hungry for new music. Elsewhere, psychedelic rock ruled this festival, prodding the audience with electrified riffing and an infectious, yet uplifting sense of righteous aggression. Groups like Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and particularly Jimi Hendrix set the stage (literally) on fire.

#4: Lollapalooza (1991-)

Here’s a question: have you ever had the feeling that you were watching history? The Lollapalooza Festival has been an ongoing party since 1991, when it debuted as an alternative voice to a lot of the mainstream rock that had been ruling radio. The festival still retains this left-of-centre spirit today, even if the grunge and indie rock styles that were prevalent back in the nineties have shifted and progressed. Gen X-ers who were perhaps there at the very first Lollapalooza may or may not recall being part of a new, alternative movement, but they may at least be able to nostalgically look back at seeing some awesome bands.

#3: Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (1970-)

It’s known colloquially simply as “Glastonbury,” a moniker that should be easily recognized by anyone that’s visited this long-running music festival over the years. Despite this, it’s important to note that a lot of the fan experience here isn’t only relegated to watching live music, but also enjoying all of the various dance, comedy and theater shows that take place over the weekend. Elsewhere, recorded LPs taken from classic Glastonbury lineups have also been released over the years, documenting just some of the amazing performances. The 1972 triple album “Glastonbury Fayre,” for example, contains out-there recordings of U.K. prog and psych from Hawkwind, Gong and the Pink Fairies. It’s just a snapshot of how Glastonbury has been an iconic festival for multiple decades.

#2: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (1999)

It seems unfair to single out the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival solely for the memes and jokes that have arrived in the wake of its genesis back in 1999. There’s just a certain aspect of its iconography that makes it ripe for parody, such as how many fans take the template of its lineup organization and play around with their own musical dream teams. Kidding aside, it’s also important to recognize the influence of Coachella as a tastemaker festival year after year, since its lineup often brings together the hottest young talent alongside established classics. It’s the music that keeps us coming back after all, and Coachella definitely delivers on that front.

#1: Woodstock Music & Art Fair (1969)

It’s definitely the biggest no-brainer on this list, but the Woodstock Music and Art Fair simply has to be our number one pick. It was a cultural touchstone that brought together political sentiment, personal freedom and a love of music in a way that felt codified for one special weekend back in 1969. Let’s forget, for a moment, all about the cynical cash-grabs that defined the sequel installments in ‘94 and ‘99, and remember how the original Woodstock, though not perfect, helped define a generation. A place where music and art collided, where peace, love (and some other things) were passed around, and a legend was born.

What are some of your road stories from the festival circuit? Let us know some memories in the comments!