As we head into festival season, there's an anticipation of the inevitable shift brought on by the existential experience of music on a large scale, immersive level. Here are our top recommendations for must-attend festivals in 2026.
Momo Festival, Amsterdam
The Motel Mozaique festival is starting today April 16th and set to run through until Friday 17th April. Hosted in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, with the city centre as the stage, the festival is a celebration of music, art and culture that draws performances from emerging and established artists. If you’re an audiophile who loves to unearth musical gems and would love to delve into the history, process and transformation of music, there are tours, exclusive interviews, talks, and more, to give you a unique insight into the music business, the lives of artists and the beauty of music. This year, the line-up includes:
In case you want to delve into a bit of culture without making a commitment, then you should check out ‘Playground’, which is the unpaid version of the event where local artists and artisans, collectives and communities take the lead. It is a curiosity-led display spread out across the city where the main offerings are wonder and self-discovery.
Coachella, California
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, commonly known as Coachella, needs no introduction. The musical and art festival holds yearly at the Empire Polo Club in the beautiful Southern California desert. One of the most noised, famous and profitable festivals in the world, Coachella is popular for its showcase and seamless lineup of established musical artists, reunited groups, and fresh talents.
Coachella showcases popular and established musical artists as well as emerging artists and reunited groups. It is one of the largest, most famous, and most profitable music festivals in the United States and the world. One of Coachella’s greatest attractions is the sense of immersion that festival attenders are enveloped in.
Organisers started allowing spectators to camp on the grounds in 2003, and of the choice of location in the Carlifornia desert, co-founder, Paul Tollett, said, “We wanted it to be far. So you surrender. So you can't leave your house and see a couple bands and be back home that night. We want you to go out there, get tired, and curse the show by Sunday afternoon. That sunset, and that whole feeling of Coachella hits you.”
That is the Coachella effect, a must-experience for the festival-inclined.
Primavera Sound, Barcelona
From the 3rd to the 7th of June, Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona is transformed into a spectacle where disruption becomes the new normal. Established in 2001 by a group of people who sought to showcase Spanish ‘noise bands’, the indie-rock orientation of the festival’s early days has shifted to include hip hop, pop and EDM. Having seen headliners like Bon Iver, Aphex Twin, Frank Ocean, Björk, Nick Cave, A$AP Rocky and Arctic Monkeys, Primavera and her sister festival held in Porto, Portugal, are proof of the general love for music and culture, with attendance sky-rocketing from 7,700 in 2001 to 460,500 in 2023.
Field Day, London
Think of a melting pot of underground sounds, cutting-edge artists, and diverse audiences; that’s what Field Day is. Saturday 23rd May 2026 will see people trooping in from all over the world into Brockwell Park, to participate in a vibrant community of festivals united by a love for music, culture, and creativity. Having featured artists like Erykah Badu, Patti Smith, Loyle Carner, PJ Harvey, Skepta, and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Field Day is renowned for its masterful fusion of emerging talent and established names. One of the UK’s most innovative and exciting music festivals, this one-day event is a crescendo of collaboration, creative expression and conscious revelry for the discerning culture lover.
Lollapalooza, Chicago
From July 20 to August 2nd, right in the middle of summer, commences the famed Lollapalooza Festival at Grant Park, Chicago, U.S.A. Tagged as “4 days of the world’s best music under the iconic Chicago skyline,” this annual festival is a dream come true for anyone who wants to take in the depths of popular and freshly emerging musical talent from genres like punk rock, heavy metal, hip hop, alternative rock, and electronic dance music.
With over 400,000 yearly attendees, this festival is one of the most famous, inclusive and longest-running in the world, with sister festivals held in South America. Conceived in 1991 as a farewell tour by singer Perry Farrell's of the band, Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza is proof positive that the most beautiful and auspicious beginnings come from endings.
Osheaga Festival, Montreal
From July 31st to August 2nd every year, over 140,000 people head up to Île Sainte-Hélène, Montreal, for the 19th edition of the Osheaga Festival. Featuring many outdoor stages set up at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the festival does not only focus on music but on art, games, food and drinks, premium experiences, and other activities. OSHEAGA also presents concerts in multiple venues across the city throughout the year.
Osheaga is dedicated to uncovering and presenting local and national emerging talent to the world by offering them the opportunity to play alongside some of the biggest international artists in the business.
This year’s line-up includes: Twenty One Pilots, Lorde and Tate McRae.
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