Austin, Texas
#1 Music Festival
The massively popular festival, which also includes film and digital components, is dealing with the consequences of its success with fans and brands. For this year’s festival, Austin officials limited the number of special event permits and boosted police presence downtown. But the event proved as attractive as ever to brands such as Pandora, Spotify, and Comedy Central, which produced activations to engage fans. Next: March 11-20, 2016
National
#2 Music Festival
The pyrotechnic-filled spectacles that make up the electronic dance music series from producer Insomniac draw massive crowds. The Las Vegas edition is the largest, with some 405,000 fans attending the three-day event. The festival began in Los Angeles and has taken place throughout North America; this year it expands to Brazil and next year will head to Japan. Next: November 6-7, Orlando
New Orleans
#3 Music Festival
About 460,000 fans attended the two weekends of the 46th annual jazz fest, watching performers such as Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, John Legend, Elton John, and Trombone Shorty. AXS TV aired a live broadcast during the second weekend, expanding the festival’s reach significantly beyond the city. Next: April 22-May 1, 2016
Indio, California
#4 Music Festival
AC/DC, Jack White, and Tyler the Creator were among the performers at the boho-chic festival, which proves irresistible to brands like H&M, Chevrolet, and even McDonald’s, whose Instagram-ready installations guarantee social media success. Producer Goldenvoice also caters to the California crowd with vegan, gluten-free, and kosher food options, as well as its first sit-down restaurants this year—pop-up versions of several popular Los Angeles eateries. Next: Spring 2016
Chicago
#5 Music Festival
Paul McCartney headlined the festival this year, with Metallica, Florence & the Machine, and Sam Smith also getting top billing. Beyond the grounds in Grant Park, other live music events piggyback off of the festival, including Rolling Stone’s annual Live: Chicago Party and a series of after-parties at Hard Rock Hotel Chicago. Next: Summer 2016
Milwaukee
#6 Music Festival (new to the list)
With 11 nights of headliners such as the Rolling Stones, Kendrick Lamar, and Carrie Underwood at this year’s event, the world’s largest music festival as certified by Guinness draws some 900,000 people. More than 800 acts play across 11 stages set up at a 75-acre permanent festival grounds on the shore of Lake Michigan. New this year was a live stream of 60 performances as well as artist interviews. The event will mark its 50th anniversary in 2017. Next: June 29-July 3, July 5-10, 2016
Austin, Texas
#7 Music Festival
More than 75,000 fans converge on Zilker Park for two weekends of music from 130 bands. Headliners this year include Foo Fighters, Drake, and the Strokes. In 2014, the festival went cashless, requiring people to link their credit cards to an R.F.I.D. wristband. Next: October 2-4, October 9-11, 2015
Charleston, South Carolina
#8 Music Festival
With offerings in opera, dance, chamber music, theater, and other performing arts, the 17-day festival is Charleston’s cultural highlight. This year, some 69,500 ticket holders attended the festival, which brought in $2.9 million in ticket sales. Next year marks its 40th anniversary. Next: May 27-June 12, 2016
Manchester, Tennessee
#9 Music Festival
The 80,000 people that gather on a 700-acre farm in Tennessee create a population that would be the seventh-largest city in the state, according to festival planners. Red Bull TV broadcast a live stream of several performers at the four-day festival, and this year the festival’s social media planners introduced a new channel, Yik Yak, to connect fans and announce special events. Next: June 2016
