The U.S. music festival scene has exploded in recent years, offering an eclectic mix of genres, immersive experiences, and unforgettable performances aligning great headlining artists. As we approach the summer of 2025, the festival circuit is more vibrant than ever, with new events emerging and established ones raising the bar in creativity and production.
Whether you’re into rock, hip-hop, EDM, country, or indie, these top 2025 festivals are sure to deliver unforgettable memories and a soundtrack to match.
Join us as we explore the 21 must-attend music festivals across the United States.
1. SXSW Conference & Festivals (Austin, TX)
Dates: March 10-17, 2025
Genres: diverse (rock, hip-hop, electronic, indie)
The 2025 SXSW, or South by Southwest, has already passed, but since it’s a classic of its kind, we decided to include it on the list. This is a festival like no other, as it celebrates the convergence of music, film, technology, and interactive media.
SXSW features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. It is known for its innovative spirit, emerging talent, and cutting-edge ideas, making it a major hub for discovering new trends in entertainment and tech.
Website: https://www.sxsw.com/
2. Big Ears Festival (Knoxville, TN)
Dates: March 27-30, 2025
Genres: eclectic (jazz, classical, indie, rock)
Big Ears presents extraordinary performances and arts experiences to connect more than 40,000 locals and visitors of all ages throughout the Knoxville community each year. It brings together a diverse range of genres, including experimental, jazz, classical, rock, and electronic music, alongside visual arts, film screenings, and other cultural events.
Famous for its avant-garde programming and intimate, immersive atmosphere, Big Ears attracts both renowned and emerging artists, creating a unique space for boundary-pushing creativity and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
This year’s lineup features Rufus Wainwright, Josh Johnson, Arooj Aftab, Esperanza Spalding, Les Claypool’s Bastard Jazz, Sam Bush Band, Steve Roach, and Taj Mahal, among other artists.
Schedule and Lineup: https://bigearsfestival.org/lineup/
Passes: https://bigearsfestival.org/passes/
Website: https://bigearsfestival.org/
3. Ultra-Music Festival (Miami, FL)
Dates: March 28-30, 2025
Genre: EDM
The Ultra-Music Festival is one of the largest and most iconic electronic dance music (EDM) festivals, gathering top DJs and music fans all over the world. Celebrated for its high-energy performances, stunning light shows, and massive stage productions, this annual event has become a mecca for EDM lovers. It features multiple stages with different genres of electronic music, creating an unforgettable experience for attendees.
This year’s lineup includes Afrojack, Anyma B2B Solomun, Carl Cox, Dom Dolla + John Summit, Martin Garrix, Richie Hawtin, Tiesto, Zeds Dead, and many more.
Lineup: https://ultramusicfestival.com/lineup/
Tickets: Sold out.
Website: https://ultramusicfestival.com/
4. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Indio, CA)
Dates: April 11-13 and April 18-20, 2025
Genres: diverse (rock, pop, hip-hop, electronic)
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, commonly known as Coachella, is a famous annual festival that celebrates a diverse mix of music genres, including rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, and electronic, while also featuring large-scale art installations and immersive experiences.
With its emblematic desert backdrop, Coachella draws massive crowds and famous headliners, making it a cultural phenomenon that has become synonymous with fashion, creativity, and trendsetting.
Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott will headline the event this year. Other artists on the bill include Charli XCX, FKA twigs Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Kraftwerk, Mustard, Tyla, Japanese Breakfast, Arca, Gel, and many more.
Lineup: https://www.coachella.com/lineup
Passes: https://www.coachella.com/passes
Website: https://www.coachella.com/
5. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (New Orleans, LA)
Dates: April 24-May 4, 2025
Genre: jazz
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is not just about music. It is a 10-day cultural feast in which thousands of musicians, cooks, and craftspeople welcome 400,000 visitors each year.
The Louisiana Heritage Fair effectively showcases unforgettable music on multiple stages, delicious Louisiana cuisine in two large food areas, and craft artisans from the region and around the world demonstrating and selling their work.
Here’s the lineup and the tickets for this year’s musical adventure.
Website: https://www.nojazzfest.com/
6. Stagecoach Festival (Indio, CA)
Dates: April 25-27, 2025
Genre: country
The Stagecoach Festival is one of the largest country music events in the U.S., featuring performances by top country, bluegrass, and rock artists. It takes place at the same location as the Coachella Festival in Indio, California, with the beautiful desert in the background.
The festival offers a vibrant, fun atmosphere with live music, dancing, food, and a celebration of country culture, attracting thousands of fans each year.
Once on-site, don’t miss the Ferris Wheel, Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse, and Diplo’s HonkyTonk.
Lineup: https://www.stagecoachfestival.com/lineup/
Passes: https://www.stagecoachfestival.com/passes/
Website: https://www.stagecoachfestival.com/
7. Sonic Temple Festival (Columbus, OH)
Dates: May 8-11, 2025
Genres: hard rock, metal
Yes, hard rock and metal deserve their place on this list. Sonic Temple Festival showcases a diverse lineup of hard rock, metal, and alternative bands, with past headliners including big names like Metallica, Tool, and Deftones. The festival features high-energy performances, art installations, and a vibrant atmosphere for rock enthusiasts to enjoy over a couple of days.
On stage this year, fans will once again see top performer Metallica, but also Korn, Linkin Park, Alice Cooper, and Rob Zombie.
Lineup: https://sonictemplefestival.com/lineup/
Passes: https://sonictemplefestival.com/passes/
Website: https://sonictemplefestival.com/
8. Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, NV)
Dates: May 16-18, 2025
Genre: EDM
Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) is a massive electronic dance music (EDM) festival held annually, with its main event in Las Vegas. Known for its colorful atmosphere, elaborate stage designs, and immersive experiences, EDC features top DJs and producers from around the world. The festival blends electrifying music, dynamic art, and dazzling light shows, creating an unforgettable celebration of EDM culture.
Lineup: https://lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/lineup/
Tickets: https://lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/tickets/
Website: https://lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/
9. Bottlerock (Napa Valley, CA)
Date: May 23-25, 2025
Genres: rock, indie, hip-hop, and electronic dance music
Bottlerock Festival combines live performances from popular rock, pop, and indie artists, but it’s more than that. This great event also features renowned chefs and sommeliers performing demonstrations and competitions. Thus, the festival attracts music lovers and wine enthusiasts alike, creating a laid-back yet vivid atmosphere set against the beautiful backdrop of Napa’s vineyards.
Lineup: https://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/lineup/
Tickets: https://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/tickets/
Website: https://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/
10. Movement Festival (Detroit, MI)
Dates: May 24-26, 2025
Genre: EDM
The Movement Festival in Detroit is an iconic electronic music festival celebrating techno and other electronic genres. Held annually over the Memorial Day weekend, it takes place at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit, the birthplace of techno music.
The festival features performances from top DJs and producers, offering a high-energy atmosphere with a focus on electronic music’s roots and culture.
Lineup: https://movementfestival.com/pages/lineup
Tickets: https://movementfestival.com/pages/tickets
Website: https://movementfestival.com/
11. CMA Fest (Nashville, TN)
Dates: June 5-8, 2025
Genre: country
CMA Fest began in 1972 as Fan Fair, which, at the time, had drawn 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. CMA has since become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts tens of thousands of fans from many countries. It is also the longest-running country music festival in the world.
Get ready for amazing live performances, meet-and-greets, exclusive artist experiences, and more.
Lineup: https://cmafest.com/lineup/
Passes and tickets: https://cmafest.com/tickets/
Website: https://cmafest.com/
12. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (Manchester, TN)
Dates: June 12-15, 2025
Genres: rock, hip-hop, electronic, folk
Here’s a multi-day event renowned for its eclectic lineup. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival features a diverse mix of genres including rock, pop, hip-hop, electronic, and more. In addition to music, the festival offers art installations, comedy performances, and a vibrant community atmosphere, attracting music lovers and creative souls from all over the world.
Among the big names on stage this year are Avril Lavigne, Luke Combs, and Hozier.
Lineup: https://www.bonnaroo.com/lineup
Tickets: https://www.bonnaroo.com/tickets
Website: https://www.bonnaroo.com/
13. Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI)
Dates: June 19-21, June 26-28, July 3-5, 2025
Genres: diverse
Milwaukee’s Summerfest is held annually along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. It spans three weekends, offering diverse performances across multiple stages, from big-name acts to local talent. Visitors also enjoy food, drinks, and attractions in a lively, family-friendly atmosphere.
Check out this impressive lineup.
Tickets and promotions: https://www.summerfest.com/ticket-info/
Website: https://www.summerfest.com/
14. Newport Folk Festival (Newport, RI)
Dates: July 25-27, 2025
Genres: folk, americana, indie
The Newport Folk Festival is an iconic music event celebrated for its rich history of showcasing folk, Americana, and roots music. Since 1959, it has attracted legendary performers like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Johnny Cash. In this festival, you’ll find an intimate atmosphere, a strong community vibe, and a dedication to preserving folk traditions.
Lineup: https://newportfolk.org/lineup
Tickets: All 2025 tickets are sold out.
Website: https://newportfolk.org/
15. Lollapalooza (Chicago, IL)
Dates: July 31-August 3, 2025
Genres: rock, hip-hop, pop, EDM
Lollapalooza Chicago is a famous annual music festival held in Grant Park, featuring a diverse lineup of rock, pop, hip-hop, electronic, and alternative acts. Since its inception in 1991, it has become one of the largest music festivals in the U.S. Known for its sprawling stages and iconic performances, Lollapalooza offers a mix of established stars and emerging talent across multiple genres.
Lineup: https://www.lollapalooza.com/lineup
Tickets: Sold out.
Website: https://www.lollapalooza.com/
16. Hard Summer (Los Angeles)
Dates: August-2-3, 2025
Genres: diverse (electronic, techno, alternative dance, EDM, hip-hop, dance-punk, dubstep, house)
Hard Summer Festival is a high-energy electronic music festival held annually in Southern California. Top DJs and producers across genres like EDM, hip-hop, and trap gather in Hollywood Park in Inglewood. With large-scale production, art installations, and a diverse crowd, the festival is a major summer event for electronic music lovers.
Lineup: https://www.hardsummer.com/lineup/
Tickets: https://www.hardsummer.com/tickets/
Website: https://www.hardsummer.com/
17. Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA)
Dates: August 8-10, 2025
Genres: diverse (rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, dance, jam, soul, funk)
Outside Lands celebrates music, food, wine, beer, art, and everything we love about the Bay Area. Held annually in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, it spotlights a diverse lineup of artists across various genres, creating a vibrant and immersive cultural experience.
Lineup: https://sfoutsidelands.com/lineup/#/
Tickets: https://sfoutsidelands.com/tickets/
Website: https://sfoutsidelands.com/
18. Shaky Knees (Atlanta, GA)
Dates: September 19-21, 2025
Genres: indie, folk, country, rock
Indie, alternative, and electronic rock artists are featured at the Shaky Knees festival in Atlanta, Georgia. My Chemical Romance, Blink-182 and Deftones will headline this event’s 12th edition. If you love energetic crowds in a great atmosphere, this is your place.
Lineup: https://www.shakykneesfestival.com/lineup
Tickets: https://www.shakykneesfestival.com/tickets
Website: https://www.shakykneesfestival.com/
19. Riot Fest (Chicago, Il)
Dates: September 19-21, 2025
Genres: punk rock, metal, and others
Founded in 2005 in Chicago, Riot Fest is a multi-day music festival specializing in punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop. Carnival rides, amazing food vendors, and sideshow performers add to the atmosphere of this independent music fest.
Lineup: https://riotfest.org/chicago/lineup/
Tickets: https://riotfest.org/chicago/tickets/
Website: https://riotfest.org/
20. Austin City Limits Music Festival (Austin, TX)
Dates: October 3-5 and 10-12, 2025
Genres: diverse (rock, indie, country, electronic)
The ACL Music Festival is a classic in the U.S. It features eight stages where musical groups from genres including rock, indie, country, folk, electronic, and hip-hop perform. It is produced by Austin-based company C3 Presents, which also organizes Chicago’s Lollapalooza.
Starring in this year’s edition: Blink 182, Chris Stapleton, and Dua Lipa.
Lineup: https://www.aclfestival.com/lineup
Tickets: https://www.aclfestival.com/tickets
Website: https://www.aclfestival.com/
21. Electric Daisy Carnival (Orlando, FL)
Dates: November 7-9, 2025
Genre: EDM
Under the Electric Sky, people come together to celebrate life, love, art, and music. From the stages and the sound to the pyrotechnics and the performers, so many unique elements go into bringing this world to life.
Lineup: Not available yet.
Tickets: https://orlando.electricdaisycarnival.com/tickets/
Website: https://orlando.electricdaisycarnival.com/
As you can see, the U.S. music festival scene is brimming with diversity and excitement, offering something for every type of music lover. These festivals not only showcase top-tier talent but also provide unforgettable experiences, blending music, art, and culture. EDM, rock, hip-hop, or indie fans, the top 21 festivals highlighted here promise to deliver a year of thrilling performances and lasting memories for festival-goers across the country.
