Grab Your Wristbands
From Lollapalooza to BottleRock, here's your go-to guide to the top fests every music lover should go to in 2024-2025
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When it comes to seeing your favorite bands and artists live this year, there’s a good chance they’re playing at a music festival in a city near you. Aside from well-known events like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, there’s no shortage of other multi-day fests around the country, from BottleRock in Napa, to a relatively new fest in Iowa with some of the biggest acts in music.
Whether you’re looking for the best in country music at Stagecoach, or an afternoon of stellar tunes in the middle of Sin City, these are some of the best music festivals fans should know about this year (along with where to score tickets in advance).
Music Festivals 2024-2025 Guide
From a wine-drenched weekend in Napa to a country lover’s musical paradise, here’s your guide to some of the best music festivals — including some of our staff’s favorites we’ve previously attended — that deserve to be on your radar in the next year and beyond.
Governors Ball Music Festival (Gov Ball)
When: June 7 – 9, 2024
Where: New York City
What to Expect & Lineup: Everyone from Post Malone and Rauw Alejandro to The Killers and 21 Savage to SZA and Peso Pluma will headline this year’s GovBall in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York. (Check out our complete GovBall guide.)
Where to Stay: You can’t go wrong with a stay at the 1 Hotel, the Ace Hotel, the Bowery Hotel, or the Ludlow. Check our list of the best hotels in New York, and book your stay on Hotels.com or Booking.com.
Where to Buy Tickets: GovernorsBall.com, Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek
When: June 13 – 16, 2024
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
What to Expect & Lineup: This year’s Bonnaroo headliners include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, and Fred Again.., with sets from Maggie Rogers, Cage the Elephant, Dominic Fike, and more. Didn’t get tickets in time? No sweat – livestream the fest with a free trial over on Hulu.
Where to Stay: Nashville is an hour away (when the fest isn’t happening), so why not camp on-site if you can? Several pass options are sill available on Bonnaroo’s site (but remember to order that tent beforehand).
Where to Buy Tickets: Bonnaroo.com, Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub
Lollapalooza
When: August 1 – 4, 2024
Where: Chicago, Illinois
What to Expect & Lineup: On the heels of its own docuseries, Lollapalooza is still having a moment all these years later. This year sees a stacked lineup, including Tyler, the Creator, SZA, The Killers, Future and Metro Boomin, Blink-182, and Melanie Martin.
Where to Stay: Check sites like Hotels.com and Booking.com for availability.
Where to Buy Tickets: StubHub, Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek
Hinterland
When: August 2 – 4, 2024
Where: Saint Charles, Iowa
What to Expect & Lineup: Some of the hottest names in music performing about a half hour south of Des Moines, from Noah Kahan and Lizzy McAlpine, to Hozier and Vampire Weekend.
Where to Stay: Stay at the Surety Hotel in downtown Des Moines. If you have some extra time, walk a block over to the Farmer’s Market in the morning, grab a co*cktail at Bartender’s Handshake for happy hour, then book a reservation at Harbinger for dinner. The perfect Midwestern weekend does exist.
Where to Buy Tickets: AXS, StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek
Outside Lands
When: August 9 — 11, 2024
Where: San Francisco, California
What to Expect & Lineup: Outside Lands returns once again to San Francisco for its 16th year, with headliners that include Tyler, the Creator, The Killers, and Sturgill Simpson.
Where to Stay: Check Hotels.com, Airbnb, or Booking.com for available rooms near the Outside Lands festival grounds.
Where to Buy Tickets: SFOutsideLands.com, Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek
Life Is Beautiful
When: September 2024
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
What to Expect & Lineup: Blocks and blocks of live music in downtown Sin City. While fans will have to wait a little longer for this year’s lineup, the 2023 Life Is Beautiful bill included huge names from Yeah Yeah Yeahs to The Killers, Kendrick Lamar to Odesza.
Where to Stay: The sleek Fontainebleau, the Venetian, or anywhere near the Vegas Strip – after all, the fest is right in the middle of the action.
Where to Buy Tickets: Check LifeIsBeautiful.com for updates.
(Editor’s Note: Rolling Stone owns a majority stake in the Life Is Beautiful festival.)
Austin City Limits Music Festival
When: October 4 – 13, 2024
Where: Austin, Texas
What to Expect & Lineup: It might not be as spread out over the city as SXSW, but the Austin City Limits Music Fest is no doubt another treasure for any music fan looking for a great time in a city that’s never short on live tunes. This year’s lineup includes Chris Stapleton, Blink-182, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, and that’s only the first night.
Where to Stay: There’s no shortage of hotels near the festival – or within walking distance across the bridge from the grounds. Where you end up, you can’t go wrong with Hotel Saint Cecilia or the Austin Proper.
Where to Buy Tickets: ACLFestival.com, StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek
BottleRock Music Festival
When: May 23 – 25, 2025
Where: Napa Valley, California
What to Expect & Lineup: It’s a wine-lover’s dream music festival. Why? Right in the middle of Napa, you might spot music fans sipping on some of the hottest wines in the area, from Jam to Realm Cellars. The 2024 lineup will be tough to top: Pearl Jam (with surprise guest Bradley Cooper), Norah Jones, Stevie Nicks, and Ed Sheeran, along with celeb appearances from Cameron Diaz to — in previous years — Guy Fieri, and even a secret DJ set in a speakeasy from the manager of local rock-loving Cliff Lede winery. Is it 2025 yet?
Where to Stay: There’s no bad place in town, from the Silverado Resort to the Archer. Check on Hotels.com or Booking.com to reserve your stay in advance.
Where to Buy Tickets: Check BottleRockNapaValley.com for updates.
Coachella
When: April 11 – 13 & April 18 – 20, 2025
Where: Indio, California
What to Expect & Lineup: The music festival season kickoff has its share of parties, amazing weather, and incredible tunes. The 2025 lineup hasn’t been revealed yet, but 2024 featured Lana Del Rey (with a surprise appearance from Billie Eilish), Doja Cat, Sabrina Carpenter, and No Doubt, to name a few.
Where to Stay: Coachella weekend can be competitive when it comes to booking your stay, but sites like Hotels.com, Booking.com, or Airbnb are good places to check availability.
Where to Buy Tickets: Check Coachella.com for updates.
Stagecoach Music Festival
When: April 26 – 28, 2024; 2025 Dates TBD
Where: Indio, California
What to Expect & Lineup: One of the best country music festivals in the world, Stagecoach 2024 treated fans to performances from Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and Morgan Wallen. It’s safe to say the 2025 festival will be just as fun.
Where to Stay: Driving back to Palm Springs? Try Casa Cody, the Ace Hotel, Korakia (because you’ll want to extend your stay), or anywhere that’s available. If you really want to have the Stagecoach experience, you could head over to the Joshua Tree area and stay at the Pioneertown Motel. (Just make sure to stop at Pappy & Harriet’s for food and some more live music.)
Where to Buy Tickets: Check StagecoachFestival.com for updates.
