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From iconic cultural touchstones to modern-day music celebrations, these festivals have shaped music history! Join us as we count down the most influential, longstanding and important music festivals that have thrilled audiences with stellar lineups. Our countdown includes legendary events that defined generations and continue to bring fans together through unforgettable live music experiences!
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00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:12long-standing, influential, or otherwise important music festivals that have
00:16thrilled audiences with stellar lineups of artists.
00:2820. Hellfest
00:31The variety and diversity of festival lineups can often differ depending upon where you go
00:42and what time of year. France's Hellfest retains one creative hallmark to its history,
00:47however – energy. Then again, this open-air fest also boasts genre variety even within
00:54these parameters since hard rock and metal bands from all walks of life take over the
00:58stages at Hellfest. From modern examples of the genre to a stage devoted to only the most
01:09extreme of acts, Hellfest prides itself upon covering the scope of heavy music for the
01:14contemporary festival-goer. Heck, the 2025 lineup alone boasts artists as diverse as Judas Priest,
01:22Scorpions, Muse, Linkin Park, and Turnstyle.
01:3319. Rockin' Rio
01:43What's in a name? There's actually been a little controversy regarding this music festival
01:50that's been running in one form or another since 1985. That's because certain years of
01:55rock in Rio, well, actually, haven't taken place in Rio de Janeiro, but cities such as
02:02Madrid, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal, and even Las Vegas.
02:1019. Rockin' Rio
02:12Despite this, many legendary acts have recorded and released live sets that took place at a
02:18Rockin' Rio stage, including a notable one from Iron Maiden back in 2001. It should also
02:25be said, however, that the rock aspect of Rockin' Rio doesn't always have to be taken literally,
02:30since artists like Ed Sheeran and Travis Scott have also performed there over the years.
02:4318. Download Festival
02:54There's a lot of wonderful heritage to be discovered behind the Download Festival in the UK.
03:00specifically with how it's served as a major stage for hard rock and metal acts since approximately 1980.
03:07It was known as the Monsters of Rock Festival at that point, since adopting the Download moniker in 2003.
03:20Titles matter little with regards to just how many important bands have conquered Download over the years, however.
03:27as evidenced by the triumphant performances of Black Sabbath, Metallica, or Guns N' Roses.
03:33The spirit of rock lives within download as generations of fans take their kids to experience what meant so much
03:41to them back in the day.
04:00It isn't exactly a common occurrence that a music festival takes its name from a religious celebration, and it's this
04:07little bit of trivia that makes the Netherlands Pink Pop Festival so interesting.
04:12This diversely unique fest generally is scheduled around Pentecost weekend, a Christian celebration associated with the Easter holiday.
04:21Heyo, now listen what I say.
04:28Groups from rock, pop, alternative, and electronic music genres can be seen on Pink Pop stages, while a separate festival
04:36titled Pink Pop Classic was debuted in 2007 to appeal to fans of classic rock.
04:42This eclecticism has enabled Pink Pop to not only survive, but thrive for over 50 years.
04:55Number 16.
04:57New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
05:06What do you normally think of when the visual of a typical music festival pops into your head?
05:12Throngs of sweaty and exhausted rock fans screaming their lungs out in front of a packaged stage?
05:18Blist EDM heads dancing away the night to heavy midnight beats?
05:22There are no incorrect answers, but it's also important to note how important the jazz genre has been to the
05:29live music festival aesthetic.
05:38The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is just one long-standing avenue where this iconic music genre takes shape
05:46for die-hard devotees, an outlet for jazz to come alive.
05:50Meanwhile, jazz-adjacent jam bands a la Dave Matthews have also played this fest over the years, alongside diverse guests
05:58like Santana, The Roots, and Pearl Jam.
06:01Yeah, you got the spell on me, baby. Turning my heart into snow, yeah.
06:08Number 15. Rocklahoma
06:18The spirit of the Sunset Strip lives on within the hearts and minds of everyone that attends the Rocklahoma Festival
06:24over in the United States.
06:26This is a place where hair metal never dies, where hairspray continues to threaten our ozone layer, and where the
06:34heavy hooks pull some of the genre's biggest heritage acts.
06:37It isn't only glam rock that embodies the Rocklahoma stage, however, since this festival has also brought in Korn, Alice
06:44Cooper, and avenged Sevenfold over the years.
06:53Who are we kidding, though? When we think of Rocklahoma, we primarily think of witnessing Winger, Rat, Vixen, and Twisted
07:00Sister, tearing it up like it's 1985.
07:09Number 14. 70,000 Tons of Metal
07:13Imagine you, all your friends, together with metalheads from over 80 nations and 60 metal bands, all on one cruise
07:23ship.
07:24Whoever said that a proper music festival needed to take place on the ground?
07:27The 70,000 tons of metal cruise bucks that idea by holding its fest on the water, as heavy metal
07:34acts from all walks of life ride the waves.
07:37The five-day trip at sea challenges even the most die-hard festival-goers to rise up to its level,
07:43partying for nearly a week straight as bands like Blind Guardian, Creator, Cannibal Corpse, and more turn a cruise ship
07:51into a destination for devastation.
07:54My name is Julia, I'm from Victoria, BC, and this is my sixth time on the cruise.
07:59I'm Vincent, I came from Quebec, and this is my sixth time on the cruise.
08:03The best experience of any heavy metalhead's life.
08:06That's the best festival that I've ever been. I've been to Europe and the US and everything, but this one
08:12is the top.
08:1370,000 Tons of Metal provides a truly unique experience for those who decide to take the plunge, placing attendees
08:20closer than ever to their favorite bands, while also including all of the amenities of a pleasurable vacation.
08:2770,000 Tons of Metal, the original, the world's biggest heavy metal cruise. See you on board.
08:35Number 13. Isle of Wight Festival
08:38Ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball. So old and bright, I must have played
08:45them all.
08:45It could be argued that the genesis of music festivals as a whole could be traced back to the various
08:51counterculture movements of the late 1960s.
08:54The Isle of Wight Festival, as a result, deserves to be mentioned alongside other famous examples like Woodstock, despite its
09:01rather scattershot history.
09:08Still, the Isle of Wight Festival's legacy remains secure since its 2002 resurrection, with modern-day lineups remembering the event's
09:16old-school pedigree.
09:18Bob Dylan, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix all performed at the Isle of Wight back in the day, while current
09:24incarcerations have seen Green Day, Pet Shop Boys, and The Prodigy bring their talents to a legendary festival stage.
09:39Number 12. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
09:50Music fans from all around the United States, and even the world, have converged upon the town of Manchester, Tennessee,
09:57in order to attend the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
10:00These same fans can also often be relied upon to support Bonnaroo's commitment to sustainability and the environment, which is
10:08refreshing given that so many music festivals can become havens for abandoned garbage.
10:13Bonnaroo is a big city. In terms of the overall impact, we've diverted over 3 million pounds of waste from
10:18the landfill.
10:18It isn't only about the music when it comes to Bonnaroo, however, since this festival has also routinely showcased other
10:25aspects of the arts, from comedy and theatre to screenings of independent short films.
10:31I've performed at a lot of music festivals and toured with some festivals, and this is one that was on
10:36my bucket list, and I've put in for it for many years, and this is the first time I've came,
10:39so it's a big deal.
10:41Thank you so much for those very cold and short applause.
10:44Number 11. Wacken Open Air
10:54There's only one word that metal fans need to hear when it comes to the definitive all-encompassing music festival,
11:02Wacken.
11:03This event may be localized to Germany, but fans from all around the world have made the pilgrimage to Wacken
11:09since this metal fest debuted back in 1990.
11:13The festival is so big that it even has its own theme song.
11:17We are The Metalheads, performed by Doro Pesch and members of the festival's co-founders, Skyline.
11:29A 2014 documentary titled Wacken has also showcased just how big a deal this festival has been for so many
11:37generations,
11:37as heavy metal fans descend upon this otherwise unassuming German town to take over with proud and unrepentant heavy metal
11:46thunder.
11:47Visitors are really friendly, nice, they're patient, they wait. We really can't complain.
11:52Locals are happy to lend a hand if need be.
11:55The wheel rim fell off just before we got to Wacken. The trailer was sitting on the wheel suspension.
12:00Then all of a sudden a farmer turned up, looked at us and said, I've got what you need.
12:05Number 10. Farm Aid
12:15The 1980s were definitely a halcyon decade for well-intentioned benefit shows and songs.
12:24Frustral makes it a lot more popular, but true.
12:28And they are still a whistler where he held it up.
12:37guests. It's
12:38all of these things in the day of the year. They're
12:41it should be the most famous and polite service. All of
12:47us, you know, we want to go to the show as a show. The film
12:49is a show. The film
12:49was part of the show that we have to do a lot of great things.
12:501885. Since then, many blues, rock, and country artists have returned time and time again to
12:56Farm Aid, thrilling audiences with some truly amazing performances.
13:079. Reading and Leeds Festivals
13:18It's more than a little impressive how the Reading and Leeds festivals have been an ongoing tradition
13:24in the United Kingdom since 1955. The festivals have essentially served as historical bookmarks
13:31with regards to prevailing musical trends of the day. This can be seen with how more recent
13:37iterations of Reading and Leeds have incorporated more and more hip-hop within its multi-stage weekend
13:42lineups. This isn't to say that Reading and Leeds haven't also seen a wide variety of musical acts
13:55run through its grounds either, from classic rock pioneers to groups from the jazz, pop,
13:59and folk ends of the spectrum.
14:098. Us Festival
14:18The Us Festival may have only enjoyed a two-year run back in 1982 and 83, but the intentions of
14:26its creator, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, certainly seemed to be noble. Both Us festivals were
14:32designed to stand in contrast to what Wozniak felt as a sense of 70s selfishness and sought to embrace
14:38cultural togetherness along with burgeoning technology. Both years lost money, unfortunately,
14:44and the 1983 iteration was notable for how each day of the festival was split into genres.
14:56Rock, country, new wave, and heavy metal were all afforded their time to shine, with some
15:01memorable performances arising in the wake of this decision. This included landmark sets from Ozzy
15:07Osbourne, Quiet Riot, and Motley Crue. 7. Newport Folk Festival
15:18The city of Newport, Rhode Island may reside within a tiny U.S. state, but it has a huge reputation
15:25when
15:25it comes to the world of popular music festivals. The area has been home to the landmark Newport Jazz
15:31Festival since 1954, in addition to the Newport Folk Festival that's run since 1959. The latter proved
15:39to be the site of one infamous moment in music history, when Bob Dylan performed an electric set
15:45on July 25, 1965. The decision was met with a polarizing response, but also served as a
15:59turning point in Dylan's career. The musical icon didn't return to the Newport Folk Festival stage
16:05for another 37 years.
16:096. Montreux Jazz Festival
16:19So you may be familiar with how Deep Purple's iconic Smoke on the Water references the Swiss
16:25town of Montreux within its lyrics. This isn't exactly by accident since this area has been
16:31something of a musical mecca for years, primarily for lovers of jazz. The Montreux Jazz Festival has
16:37been running since 1967 and has seen all kinds of jazz trends come and go. Groups from the world of
16:51bebop, hardbop, jazz rock, and fusion have all appeared at Montreux. Artists as diverse as Miles Davis,
16:58Nina Simone, and Chick Corea have played alongside rock groups such as Yes. This has enabled the
17:04Montreux Jazz Festival to remain an epitome of cool for generations of musical obsessives.
17:175. Montereux International Pop Festival
17:29The Woodstock Festival wasn't conceived in a vacuum. It enjoyed a number of festival predecessors
17:35that laid the groundwork for what would become known as the counterculture boom of the late 60s.
17:41The Montereux International Pop Festival was held back in 1967 and included a who's who of musical
17:47talent for this amazing era. Otis Redding's performance at Montereux Pop proved particularly
17:53revelatory for a generation that was hungry for new music.
18:04Elsewhere, psychedelic rock ruled this festival, prodding the audience with electrified riffing and
18:10an infectious yet uplifting sense of righteous aggression. Groups like Jefferson Airplane,
18:16The Grateful Dead, and particularly Jimi Hendrix set the stage literally on fire.
18:294. Lollapalooza
18:30A wild new alternative rock tour kicked off in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday night. It's a multi-act
18:36package called the Lollapalooza tour and it features Jane's Addiction along with such opening acts as
18:40Living Color, Ice-T, Suzie and the Banshees, and the Butthole Surfers. Here's a question,
18:45have you ever had the feeling that you were watching history? The Lollapalooza festival has
18:50been an ongoing party since 1991 when it debuted as an alternative voice to a lot of the mainstream
18:56rock that had been ruling radio. We heard about it maybe four or five months ago and I guess it
19:02was
19:02up to Jane's Addiction. The festival still retains this left-of-center spirit today, even if the grunge
19:17and indie rock styles that were prevalent back in the 90s have shifted and progressed. Gen Xers,
19:23who were perhaps there at the very first Lollapalooza, may or may not recall being part of a
19:28new alternative movement, but they may at least be able to nostalgically look back at seeing some
19:34awesome bands. It's real cool, man. We're having a great day, man. It is so hot out in Arizona.
19:40I tell you, I'm from New York, man, and it's so hot. It's got to be 122 out here, right?
19:44It's got to be
19:45122 because it's so hot. 3. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts
19:58It's known colloquially simply as Glastonbury, a moniker that should be easily recognized by
20:05anyone that's visited this long-running music festival over the years. Despite this, it's important to
20:11note that a lot of the fan experience here isn't only relegated to watching live music, but also
20:17enjoying all of the various dance, comedy, and theater shows that take place over the weekend.
20:29Elsewhere, recorded LPs taken from classic Glastonbury lineups have also been released over
20:35the years, documenting just some of the amazing performances. The 1972 triple album Glastonbury
20:41Fair, for example, contains out-there recordings of UK Prague and Psych from Hawkwind, Gong, and Pink
20:49Fairies. It's just a snapshot of how Glastonbury has been an iconic festival for multiple decades.
21:11It seems unfair to single out the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival solely for the memes and
21:17jokes that have arrived in the wake of its genesis back in 1999. There's just a certain aspect of its
21:23iconography that makes it ripe for parody, such as how many fans take the template of its lineup
21:30organization and play around with their own musical dream teams.
21:34One of my favorite bands this year is Dr. Shlomo and the GI Clinic. They're amazing.
21:39Yeah, they're always amazing. Yeah, he's really good on the flexing.
21:42Yeah, I'm really excited to see them live. I think that's going to be one of the bands
21:45that's going to be a really great highlight. Did you see them when they played at Lollapalooza?
21:49No. No, I didn't. I know. I'm so mad. I'm so mad.
21:52Kidding aside, it's also important to recognize the influence of Coachella as a tastemaker festival
21:58year after year, since its lineup often brings together the hottest young talent alongside
22:03established classics. It's the music that keeps us coming back after all, and Coachella
22:08definitely delivers on that front.
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22:341. Woodstock Music & Art Fair
22:44It's definitely the biggest no-brainer on this list, but the Woodstock Music & Art Fair simply
22:50has to be our number one pick. It was a cultural touchstone that brought together political sentiment,
22:56personal freedom, and a love of music in a way that felt codified for one special weekend back in 1969.
23:08Let's forget for a moment all about the cynical cash grabs that defined the sequel installments in
23:1494 and 99, and remember how the original Woodstock, though not perfect, helped define a generation.
23:21A place where music and art collided, where peace, love, and some other things were passed around,
23:27and a legend was born.
23:37What are some of your road stories from the festival circuit? Let us know some memories in the comments.
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