When: June 1-4
Where: Barcelona, ES
More Info: Here

Primavera Sound is one of the most preeminent festivals worldwide. With editions now taking place across the globe, it comes back to its home, Barcelona, for the flagship fest in early June (and actually kicks off with a few events in the days before that). On top of the Barcelona homecoming, it heads to Madrid’s Arganda Del Rey from June 8-10 and Porto’s Parque de Cidade from June 7-10. All three versions share a similar lineup, albeit with slight differences here and there.

Regardless, the lineup is absolutely stacked from top to bottom. Even for one of the biggest festivals on the planet, it still manages to go above and beyond expectations. The headliners alone include Pet Shop Boys, Kendrick Lamar, Depeche Mode, Blur, Halsey, New Order, Calvin Harris, and Rosalía. There are some huge names in the second and third lines, as well: Turnstile, Skrillex, Caroline Polachek, The War On Drugs, Four Tet, Pusha T, the list goes on.

When: June 9-11
Where: Queens, NY
More Info: Here

When it comes to quintessential New York music festivals, Governors Ball is at the top of the list. Whereas previous iterations have taken place at Queens’ Citi Field, this year’s edition heads to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the first time. Featuring a view of the iconic Unisphere monument, verdant greenery, and plenty of shade from the festival grounds’ trees, Governors Ball attendees will be getting a more opulent experience than they may be used to.

Across three stages and more than 60 artists, Governors Ball brings an eclectic lineup to the five boroughs area once again. Lizzo, Odesza, and Kendrick Lamar anchor down the top billing, and acts like three of the most popular “Lils” (Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, and Lil Nas X), Rina Sawayama, HAIM, and Sofi Tukker anchor the second line. No matter what type of music fan you are, there’s certainly something you’ll enjoy.

When: June 22-24, June 29-July 1
Where: Milwaukee, WI
More Info: Here

Celebrating its 55th anniversary, Milwaukee’s Summerfest comes back for two full weekends of delicious local eats, VR experiences, and, as you would expect, plenty of live music. Summerfest, fortunately, is as sunny as its name suggests, taking place on the lakefront with idyllic views and photogenic moments worth celebrating. The festival grounds are also just a short, 10-minute drive from the Mitchell International Airport, making it a convenient trip for out-of-towners.

As is the case every year, Summerfest appeals to a broad spectrum of music fans. Across 12 stages of live music, this year’s headliners include Eric Church with Elle King, Zach Bryan, Imagine Dragons with AJR, Dave Matthews Band, Odesza with Bonobo, Zac Brown Band with Marcus King, and James Taylor & His All-Star Band with Sheryl Crow. There are two TBA headlining slots on the festival poster, as well, so you may be in for an exciting surprise.

When: June 23-25
Where: Bridgeview, IL
More Info: Here

Cole Bennett has become one of the most prominent music video directors as of late. Known for working with SoundCloud rappers like the late Juice WRLD and Lil Tecca and, recently, Bowser (yes, THAT Bowser), the Chicago native has bridged the gap between video director and straight-up entrepreneur. His multimedia company, Lyrical Lemonade, has developed such a fervent following that it even has its own music festival, which kicked off in 2018 and amassed huge crowds.

It returns to the Windy City area, this time at SeatGeek Stadium, with yet another star-studded roster of veterans like Future and Lil B and du jour artists such as GloRilla and Ice Spice. As the poster teases, a “very special Chicago guest” will also make an appearance of some kind.

When: June 24-July 1
Where: Roskilde, DK
More Info: Here

Roskilde isn’t just a beautiful destination in Denmark; it’s also home to the biggest music and arts festival in Northern Europe. Named after the city itself, Roskilde Festival is held every year just south of the Danish town. In fact, it was originally created by two high school students and a single promoter. Now, it’s blossomed into the Nordic countries’ largest music fest, attracting about 130,000 visitors and 180 acts.

The non-profit festival features big-name headliners like Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X, Caroline Polachek, Burna Boy, Blur, Rosalía, Queens Of The Stone Age, Central Cee, and many more. Aside from the top billing, there is still plenty to be excited about. Fever Ray, Rina Sawayama, Denzel Curry, Alice Glass, Japanese Breakfast, and Weyes Blood are all on the bill, too, securing the still-coveted second line.

When: June 2-4
Where: Philadelphia, PA
More Info: Here

Every year, hip-hop group The Roots bring together their musical (and non-musical) friends and collaborators together for their titular picnic. Held at the Mann in Fairmount Park, the Philly festival boasts all kinds of performances. Ms. Lauryn Hill is slated to perform The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in its entirety for the seminal album’s 25th anniversary. There’s a Soulquarians Icons set featuring Roy Ayers and the Isley Brothers. There’s also J. Period’s Live Mixtape show including Busta Rhymes, Eve, and The Roots’ very own Black Thought.

If you’re in the mood for something other than music, then there’s a Dave Chapelle stand-up set at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday night. Back at the main festival venue, there’s even a podcast stage with Charlamagne Tha God, Off the Record with DJ Akademiks, People’s Party with Talib Kweli, Angela Yee’s Lip Service, and, of course, Questlove Supreme.

When: June 3-4
Where: Lexington, KY
More Info: Here

In the parlance of horse racing, a railbird is someone who’s known for hanging eagerly right at the rails. They watch each horse kick dust clouds under their hooves as they make their way toward the finish line. So, it would only make sense that a music festival in Lexington, Kentucky, the de facto horse racing capital of the country, would be named after one of its core slang terms. There may not be any actual horse racing going on, but there’s plenty of live music to check out and premium bourbon to drink.

At the Infield at Red Mile, a one-mile racecourse made of red clay, attendees can head over to the Rickhouse to drink bourbon from distilleries like Bulleit, Blackwood, and Elijah Craig, to name just a few of the myriad providers. Musically speaking, the two headliners are Zack Bryan on Friday and Tyler Childers on Saturday. The lineup may be country/singer-songwriter-heavy, but there’s also Weezer, Jenny Lewis, and Bully for those who may want something more on the alt-rock side of things.

When: June 10-11
Where: Manchester, UK
More Info: Here

Over the course of two days, Parklife is known for delivering a stacked lineup of some of the best artists in hip-hop, electronic, dance, and pop music. Held at Manchester’s roughly 600-acre Heaton Park, tens of thousands of attendees head to the festival grounds for a 48-hour-long party. Just make sure you bring a credit card; it is a purely cashless event.

Lineup-wise, there’s all kinds of exciting stuff on the bill. Indie-pop provocateurs The 1975, big beat pioneers The Prodigy, virtuosic rapper Little Simz, and zeitgeisty DJ Fred Again.. are all at the top of the poster. There’s also the classic hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan and East Coast rapper Nas with their NY State of Mind performance, plus Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge’s NxWorries super duo. Whomever you end up catching at Parklife, it’s bound to be a fun time.

When: June 15-18
Where: Austin, TX
More Info: Here

Once known as Austin Terror Fest, Oblivion Access Festival is a four-day-long celebration of underground music and culture writ large. As its former name implies, Oblivion takes place in Austin, a city officially registered as the Live Music Capital of the World. The Red River Cultural District, which hosts Oblivion, is rife with vibrant nightclubs and other live music venues. Grab-and-go restaurants line the streets, so attendees can get a quick snack after listening to some soundscapes, noise-rock, or whatever their musical (and culinary) appetites are craving.

If you’re into avant-garde and underground music, then Oblivion has a lot to offer. Duster, Clipping., Spirit Of The Beehive, RXK Nephew, Midwife, MSPAINT, City Of Caterpillar, and Drug Church are just a small handful of the names on the bill. Those last few names alone would make for a killer hardcore set. Drone metal band Earth will also be performing Earth 2 in full to commemorate the record’s 30th anniversary.

When: June 21-25
Where: Pilton, Somerset, UK
More Info: Here

Alongside staples like Coachella and Lollapalooza, Glastonbury is a household name when it comes to music festivals. The only way you haven’t heard of Glastonbury is if you live under a rock, and, even then, there’s still a decent chance you have. Taking place across five days at Pilton, Somerset’s Worthy Farm, attendees can catch some of the biggest names in music. Its lineup transcends eras and genres to bring together approximately 210,000 ardent music fans. To put it in perspective, that’s more than twice the capacity of Wembley Stadium.

For this year’s Glastonbury, the headliners include Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, Wizkid, and Lil Nas X. Going down the alphabetically organized poster, other artists on the bill are Fever Ray, Christine And The Queens, Carly Rae Jepsen, Black Country, New Road, Rina Sawayama, Phoenix, The War On Drugs, Yaya Bey, Thundercat, and… [catches breath], you get the picture. “Stacked” is an understatement.

When: June 9-18
Where: London, UK
More Info: Here

Meltdown, the longest-running artist-curated music festival, returns for its 28th edition. Previous curators have included Grace Jones, Robert Smith, David Bowie, Nile Rodgers, and Elvis Costello. This time around, Christine And The Queens will handle the lineup duties, and the French indie-pop musician is bringing a fairly eclectic mix of artists into the fold.

At London’s Southbank Centre, artists such as Warpaint, Let’s Eat Grandma, serpentwithfeet, and even Sigur Rós with the London Contemporary Orchestra are on the itinerary. As is the norm, the curator themself performs, so Chris will take the stage just in time for his new album, Paranoïa, Angels, True Love, a continuation of the ideas Chris laid out on last year’s Redcar les adorables étoiles. Given that the first day of the festival is the same day that the new album comes out, it couldn’t be more serendipitous.

When: June 15-18
Where: Manchester, TN
More Info: Here

When Bonnaroo first started out in 2002, it was known primarily as a jam-band affair. The main headliners were Widespread Panic and Trey Anastasio, if that indicates how much the Manchester, Tennessee, festival has changed in the two-plus decades since. These days, Bonnaroo is one of the most popular fests in the country, featuring an incredibly eclectic lineup that appeals to music fans of all kinds. Taking place at Great Stage Park, a nearly 700-acre farm 65 miles southeast of Nashville, Bonnaroo’s four-day festivities include parades, yoga classes, a 5K running race, a village market, and, naturally, music.

Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, and Foo Fighters take the coveted headlining slots, and just underneath them are plenty of big names, as well. Paramore, Lil Nas X, AFI, Baby Keem, Korn, Tyler Childers, Pixies, and Girl In Red are all here, too. If you’re in the mood for some Warped Tour throwbacks, country-fried folk music, or nü-metal mosh pits, then Bonnaroo has them all.