TOP 50: The Best Music Festivals in the World 2022

The world's best music festivals span Glastonbury, Tomorrowland, Coachella, Primavera Sound, UMF and many more, across the continents of Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Whatever your genre – EDM, rock, hip-hop, pop or metal – there's something tailor-made for everyone.

Here are the 50 best on the planet right now, in no particular order.

Dekmantel

A hive of forward-thinking electronic music, Dekmantel has cemented itself as the festival of choice for those looking to experience new trends.

It's a brand that steers clear of headline grabbing names and gimmicks, instead encouraging and rewarding risk-taking. As a result, Dekmantel has become many DJs' favourite festival to play.

When & where: 3-7 August 2022; Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dekmantel Festival Guide & Mailing List

Primavera Sound

It should come as no surprise to see the jewel in Barcelona's crown on this list. Year after year the festival pulls together an incredible lineup unencumbered by genre boundaries, uniting alternative favourites and discerning music fans from across the globe in the beachside Parc del Fòrum.

When & where: 2-4 & 9-12 June 2022; Barcelona, Spain

Primavera Sound Guide / Book Primavera Sounds 2022

Let It Roll

Let It Roll is pretty much the mothership of drum and bass music. A former military airbase outside of Prague might sound like the perfect place for three days and nine spectacular stages at 170bpm. And that would be because it is.

When & where: 4-6 August 2022; Milovice, Czech Republic

Let It Roll Guide & Waiting List

Coachella Music & Arts Festival

Is there really anything we could tell you about Coachella that you don't already know? It's a great big melting pot (California in April is more than hot enough) of fashion, A-list music, giant art structures and super grammable moments wherever you look. If this list were numbered, Coachella would definitely be circling the top spot.

When & where: 15-17 & 22-24 April 2022; Indio, California

Coachella Guide / Book Coachella 2022

Tomorrowland

13 years after its debut, and the competition from other dance festival heavyweights is stronger than ever – but Tomorrowland is still holding its own as the leader of the pack. Other than each year's huge main stage designs, and lineups that consistently feature almost every DJ you've ever heard of, the real power of Tomorrowland is in the small details, finely tuned to create an all-consuming sense of magic.

When & where: 22-24 & 29-31 July 2022; Boom, Belgium

Tomorrowland Guide & Waiting List

Afro Nation 

Afro Nation brings star-studded lineups ranging from dancehall, bashment, Afrobeats and R&B to beautiful beaches for a weekend of pure heat, both in temperature and vibe. 

When & where: 1-3 July 2022; Portimão, Portugal / 24-26 March 2022; Puerto Rico

Afro Nation Portugal Guide / Book Afro Nation Portugal 2022

Afro Nation Puerto Rico Guide / Book Afro Nation Puerto Rico 2022

Bilbao BBK Live

Up in in the enchanting woodlands and lush greenery of Mount Cobetas – aka Kobetamendi – you'll find Bilbao BBK Live. Merging the intimacy of the verdant setting with lineups that boast generation-defining musical talent from several genres, it's no surprise that the festival has fans flocking back to the mountain each summer.

When & where: 2-9 July 2022; Bilbao, Spain

Bilbao BBK Live Guide / Book Bilbao BBK Live 2022

Montreux Jazz Festival

Held every year since 1967, there is no older festival on this list. What's more, few others anywhere in the world can boast such an impressive alumnus of previous performers, from Miles Davis, B.B. King and Nina Simone through to David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Queen. To this day the Lake Geneva shoreline is a hub for creative talent from across the globe, performing in venues throughout the Swiss city.

When & where: 12th July 2022; Montreux, Switzerland

Montreux Jazz Festival Guide & Waiting List

ADE: Amsterdam Dance Event

ADE is one of those festival giants that a lot of people won't have heard of, particularly if they're not into electronic music.

But for five days each October, the entirety of the dance music industry descends on Amsterdam's music venues, conference halls, bars and streets, bringing with it huge showcases, panel talks, technology demos and fully-fledged festivals. Amsterdam Music Festival is probably the biggest, while DGTL, Dockyard and Paradise are among the brands that are always heavily involved.

When & where: 19-23 October 2022; Amsterdam, Netherlands

ADE: Amsterdam Dance Event Guide & Waiting List

Hellfest Open Air Festival

Hellfest claws its way from extreme metal to punk rock, passing by every gnarled and innovative sub-genre in between. Other than maybe the UK's Download Festival, its pace-setting high-point of the metal and rock calendar has no close competition.

When & where: 17-19 June 2022; Clisson, France

Hellfest Open Air Guide & Waiting List

Rolling Loud Portugal

Rolling Loud's Florida flagship festival has seen the hip-hop brand become North America's biggest rap music festival of the past few years. Its debut edition in Portugal looks to cement the title of Europe's too.

When & where: 6-8 July 2022; Portimão, Portugal

Rolling Loud Portugal Guide & Waiting List

The Governors Ball Music Festival

Rival to Panorama, Gov. Ball was the original Randall's Island festival, giving NYC its first marquee music festival. Heading into an tenth edition in 2021, the island will once again become alive with some of the most influential names in hip-hop, rock and electronic music, all set out against the backdrop of the city's iconic skyline.

When & where: 10-12 June 2022; NYC, USA

The Governors Ball Music Festival Guide & Mailing List

Les Eurockéennes

One of the biggest festivals that France has to offer, Les Eurockéennes is not known simply for its rich history and consistently strong lineups, but also for its longstanding links to charitable and community causes. What's more, you'd be hard pushed to find many more naturally beautiful settings than the lakeside nature reserve that it calls home.

When & where: TBA July 2022; Belfort, France

Les Eurockéennes Guide & Waiting List

SXSW: South by Southwest

The world’s biggest new music showcase festival is like a Rorschach test: with 1000+ artists performing over a week, it means something different to everyone (and if you’re taking it on, you’re probably a bit crazy). SXSW turns Austin into a musical playground, with shows crammed into every nook and cranny in the city. It’s an experience like no other.

When & where: TBA March 2022; Austin, USA

Sónar Festival

Like Dekmantel, the Sónar brand has become a byword for experimental and pioneering electronic music. Despite editions in cities as far apart as Hong Hong and Reykjavík, Barcelona is still its flagship event, turning the coastal city into a hub of creativity every June.

When & where: 15- 18th June 2022; Barcelona, Spain

Sónar Festival Guide & Waiting List

Snowbombing

If skiing by day and dancing by night is your thing, there are plenty of snow sports festival options in Europe, but none with quite the same clout as Snowbombing.

An avalanche of outdoor and indoor venues hosts the most impressively A-list lineup you'll find on the slopes, and the crowd can be relied upon to lay on everything from bright pink snowsuits to group-coordinated fancy dress.

When & where: 4-9 April 2022; Mayrhofen, Austria

Snowbombing Guide and Waiting List

Splendour in the Grass

Australia's answer to Glastonbury, Splendour in the Grass is all about huge, diverse lineups minus the rain, mud and trekking. And who doesn't fancy that?

Beyond the music, Splendour also lays out a programme of dance and circus workshops, art installations and a range of food and craft markets.

When & where: 22-2 July 2022; North Byron Parklands, Australia

Splendour in the Grass Guide & Mailing List

Mad Cool Festival

Despite only being a few years old, Mad Cool has risen at such a rate that it's impossible to ignore. Its lineups now read like the rock 'n' roll hall of fame, where legitimate headline acts fill most of the poster.

When & where: 6-10 July 2022; Madrid, Spain

Mad Cool Festival Guide / Book Mad Cool Festival 2022

Rampage

An established favourite for the drum and bass scene, Rampage transforms its home in the Antwerp Sportspaleis into a high-octane rave, soundtracked by some of the genre's biggest stars and heaviest hitters.

When & where: 18-20 March 2022; Antwerp, Belgium

Rampage Guide / Book Rampage 2022

Creamfields

The flagship festival of the iconic Cream brand, which became famous through its legendary Liverpool club nights back in the 90s, Creamfields is the UK's premier electronic music weekend.

Attracting over 70,000 people and over 300 of the world's hottest dance acts performing across 30 stages over the four-day weekend, its lineups are as diverse as they are top-tier.

When & where: 25-28 August 2022; Daresbury, UK

Creamfields Guide & Waiting List

Roskilde Festival

One of the largest music festivals in Europe, Roskilde dates back to 1971 when two high school kids decided to emulate hippy festivals like Isle of Wight and Woodstock. Fast-forward to the present and you’ve got a fiercely independent, well-respected festival with its own aura and traditions continuing to host performances by the most uncompromising and influential artists in the world.

When & where: 25 June - 2 July 2022; Roskilde, Denmark

Fuji Rock

Despite the name, Fuji Rock hasn't actually been held at Mount Fuji for more than 20 years. But that hasn't stopped crowds topping 100,000 from making their way to the Japanese giant for two decades. And when the lineup and location are this spectacular, who can blame them?

When & where: TBA August 2022; Naeba Ski Resort, Japan

Fuji Rock Festival Guide & Mailing List

Hot 97 Summer Jam

No festival has been more integral to the development of hip hop than Hot 97 Summer Jam. Giving a platform to the freshest names, as well as providing fans with an opportunity to see the superheroes of rap, the festival has hosted its fair share of classic moments, with performers bringing out huge special guests having become the norm. Anyone who’s anyone has played Summer Jam.

When & where: TBA; East Rutherford, USA

Hot 97 Summer Jam Guide & Waiting List

Rock in Rio

Few festivals can claim the history and mythology that surrounds Rock in Rio, with the sheer size and scale of the earliest editions changing the landscape of live music across the globe. With editions now held in both Lisbon and the spiritual home of Rio de Janeiro, circumstances have aligned to make 2022 the year that both cities will host the iconic event in the same summer.

When & where: 18-19 & 25-26 June; Lisbon, Portugal / 2-4 & 8-11 September 2022; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rock in Rio Lisboa Guide / Book Rock in Rio Lisboa 2022
Rock in Rio Brasil Guide / Book Rock in Rio Brasil 2022

Glastonbury

Glastonbury sets the bar when it comes to worldwide music festivals. It hosts the biggest names in music on its famous Pyramid Stage, but it's the other side of Glastonbury that really sets it apart. 

From the immersive world of shenanigans that is Shangri-La, to the flame throwing Arcadia spider and the hidden, underground Piano Bar, every corner of Glastonbury is full of surprises just waiting to be discovered.

When & where: 22-26 June 2022; Pilton, UK

Glastonbury Festival Guide & Mailing List

Rock en Seine

Fast approaching its twenty year lifespan, Rock en Seine has welcomed premier artists from the rock, indie, and alternative realm in what is now widely considered as France's most impressive rock music festival. Who are we to argue?

When & where: 25-28 August 2022; Saint-Cloud, France

Rock en Seine Guide / Book Rock en Seine 2022

Rock am Ring & Rock im Park

Rock am Ring, at over 35 years old, is one of the longest-standing festivals in the world. And its younger sister, Rock im Park, is no youngster either. With shared lineups between Nuremberg and the iconic Nürburgring, they've built up peerless reputations in the rock music world.

When & where: 3-5 June 2022; Mendig and Nürnberg, Germany

Rock am Ring Guide & Mailing List / Rock im Park Guide & Mailing List

Isle of Wight Festival

Isle of Wight Festival is renowned for exclusive, legendary headliners – Fleetwood Mac, The Stone Roses, Bruce Springsteen – and eclectic lineups that pay homage to its own incredible history. Now over 50 years on from the original edition, IOW is as strong as ever.

When & where: 16-19 June 2022; Isle of Wight, UK

Isle of Wight Festival Guide & Waiting List

Pitchfork Music Festival

For some people, online music publication Pitchfork has become gospel when it comes to identifying musical trends and talent. Regardless of any perceptions you may have of the site or its most devout followers (*cough* posey hipsters *cough*), there's no denying they know how to curate a lineup of the most exciting alternative acts in the world.

When & where: TBA 2022; Chicago, USA

Pitchfork Music Festival Guide & Waiting List

Boomtown

Even if you 100% mean it, describing a festival as 'totally unique' usually just sounds like lazy writing. But in the case of Boomtown – a throwback carnival of music and street performance set in a purpose-built wild-west town in the English countryside – the phrase is as justified as it'll ever be.

When & where: 10-14 August 2022; Winchester, UK

EXIT Festival

Titans of dance are scattered with the occasional note of indie and pop or even heavy metal at Serbia's EXIT Festival, held in the immense Petrovaradin Fortress on the banks of the Danube.

When & where: 7-10 July 2022; Novi Sad, Serbia

EXIT Festival Guide & Waiting List

Time Warp

19 hours from start to finish, Time Warp is a high-power shot of techno, stuck straight in your arm as you're still trying to figure out how to get round six rooms and every one of your favourite DJ/producers. Since Germany's early days of 90s rave culture, Time Warp has carried the beacon for second-stage techno parties like no one else.

When & where: 2 April 2022; Mannheim, Germany

Time Warp Guide and Waiting List

Sziget Festival

There aren’t too many festivals that have their own island, but Sziget isn’t most festivals. The week-long behemoth set on Obuda Island between Buda and Pest has everything you could ever want in a festival, and more of it than you’d ever need. Offering the biggest names across all genres, this festival is the real life, 3D equivalent of your favourite streaming service.

When & where: 10-15 August 2022; Budapest, Hungary

Sziget Festival Guide / Book Sziget Festival 2022

Osheaga Music and Arts Festival

While some might argue with the assertion, we feel fairly comfortable in saying that Osheaga is the best music festival that Canada has to offer. Held on an island in the middle of Montreal's St Lawrence river, the huge three-day affair is a multi-genre extravaganza featuring some of the world's very biggest acts. 

When & where: 29-31 July 2022; Montreal, Canada

Osheaga Festival Guide & Mailing List

Lollapalooza

Originally conceived as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction by frontman Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza has since gone on to become a global festival empire. Both the flagship event in Chicago and the satellites spread across South America and Europe now play host to enormous lineups that span rock, pop, rap, EDM and more, on an almost unparalleled scale. 

When & where: 28-31 July 2022; Chicago, USA + other dates worldwide

Lollapalooza Guide & Waiting List

Reading & Leeds Festival

Reading and Leeds are the type of riotous events that Bank Holidays are made for, providing a platform for rising and established indie bands, metal groups, next generation dance, hip hop and alternative pop acts. If they ain’t playing here, they ain’t worth seeing

When & where: 26-28 August 2022; Reading & Leeds, UK

Reading Festival Guide & Mailing List
Leeds Festival Guide & Mailing List

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Growing out of the institutional public television music program of the same name, Austin City Limits is two weekends of the most respected names across a wide range of genres. Bringing local tastes into its lineup curation, the festival is one of the only to meld the rock, hip-hop and electronic world with the somewhat insular Americana world, giving it a unique flair. 

When & where: TBA October 2022; Austin, USA

Austin City Limits Music Festival Guide & Waiting List

Estereo Picnic

A true trailblazer for the festival scene in South America, the Colombian giant has spent the last decade bringing international superstars to the country's capital city. Whether it's rock giants, rap royalty, or dance music behemoths, the lineups frequently boast huge headliners, with plenty of room to celebrate and champion local, national, and continental talent.

When & where: 25-27 March 2022; Bogotá, Colombia

Estereo Picnic Guide / Book Estereo Picnic 2022

Best Kept Secret

While having a festival set in a safari park sounds a bit intimidating, I can say with 100% certainty that no lions will eat you while you're having your moment in front of the main stage. Well, let's say 95% certainty.

BKS exploded onto the scene in 2013, and quickly started racking up the awards. If you a look over its past lineups, it's not hard to see why. 

When & where: 10-12 June 2022; Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands

Best Kept Secret Guide / Book Best Kept Secret 2022

Distortion

'Controlled chaos' is the only way to describe Distortion. The festival is a celebration of street life and new dance music, so what else could it be other than a massive, 100,000 person strong street party?

Split into three parts – Distortion Club, Distortion Ø and Street Parties – Distortion is a multi-facetted experience with varying degrees of premeditation. It's kind of like that movie The Purge, but instead of legal murder, it's all about legal partying. 

When & where: 1-5 June 2022; Copenhagen, Denmark

Distortion Guide and Waiting List

EDC: Electric Daisy Carnival – Las Vegas

While it's probably fair to say that Europe led the way in terms of electronic music for a good while (despite its mostly American origins), the States have taken things to a whole new level over recent years when it comes to festivals.

EDC is a prime example of this. Huge scale production, bombastic beats and an enormous crowd of dance music fans all losing their collective shizz.

When & where: 2022 Dates TBA; Las Vegas, USA

EDC Las Vegas Guide and Waiting List

Dimensions Festival

One of our favourite Croatian music festivals, Dimensions steers clear of the crowded Zrće beach, instead taking itself to the beautiful Garden Resort in Tisno. Here it showcases an underground electronic and urban lineup across the stunning setting.

When & where:  1-5 September 2022; Tisno, Croatia

Dimensions Festival Guide & Waiting List

Outlook Origins Festival

Dimensions' sibling festival shares the same stunning location and passion for the electronic underground, but where it deviates is its full-blown commitment to celebrating soundsystem culture. That means reggae, dubstep, drum & bass, jungle, grime and garage are served up on a scale unrivalled anywhere in Europe.

When & where: 28 July - 2 August 2022; Tisno, Croatia

Outlook Origins Festival Guide & Waiting List

Awakenings Festival

Awakenings' flagship festival is the largest open-air techno festival in the world, bringing those at the very top of the scene, as well as a fresh dose of the hottest breakthrough talent, to the lush green site just north of Amsterdam.

Spread across eight stages, it's no wonder Awakenings has commandeered the title of the Dutch techno mecca.

When & where: Dates TBA 2022; Spaarnwoude, Netherlands

Awakenings Festival Guide & Waiting List

Rock Werchter

Established in 1979, Rock Werchter has won countless awards over the last four decades, including several for its absolutely huge lineups. 

When & where: 30 June - 3 July 2022; Werchter, Belgium

Way Out West

Some festivals have a great lineup, others have a great setting. When you combine the two, you're onto something. That's Way Out West in a nut shell.

Add in the Stay Out West concept, which keeps the party going well into the wee hours of the night throughout the clubs of Gothenburg, and you have a reliably great festival. It may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the bigger budget festivals, but it's always a great time. 

When & where: 11-13 August 2022; Gothenburg, Sweden

Way Out West Guide & Mailing List

UMF: Ultra Music Festival

The Ultra brand may be known around the world, but its Miami showpiece still feels like the holy grail for EDM and big-room house fans. There are not many festivals that see 165,000 people pack into a city park every year to party, transforming it into a dancefloor like no other.

When & where: 25-27 March 2022; Miami, USA

Ultra Music Festival Guide & Mailing List

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Few festivals mean more to their community than New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals. Dating back to 1970, the festival is a complete cultural experience reaching well beyond the music. A rigid, stuffy affair this is not: Jazz Fest has expanded its purview over the years, growing alongside one of the most vibrant cities in the world. 

When & where: 29 April -8 May 2022; New Orleans, USA

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Guide and Waiting List

DGTL Amsterdam

At the forefront of the underground, DGTL balances its uncompromising passion for cutting edge sounds and visual arts with its equally impassioned green initiatives. The concept has clearly worked as the festival has struck a chord with the dance community, resulting in added editions in São Paulo, Barcelona and Tel Aviv. 

When & where: 16-17 April 2022; Amsterdam, Netherlands

DGTL Amsterdam Guide and Waiting List

More like this:

• Top 25 Music Festivals in Europe
• TOP 20: Music Festivals in the USA
• Top 25 Music Festivals in the UK