The Best Music Festivals Coming to the US in 2021

Yes, they finally seem to be happening. The vaccines are being rolled out and are working, lockdown is easing and the ability to gather in crowds is becoming more and more realistic. As a result, enter the return of the music festival! Music fans and partygoers are flocking to the internet to research line-ups and select tickets for upcoming festivals. Well, to make that research a little bit easier, here is a breakdown of some of the best festivals coming to the US in 2021.

Coachella

Let’s just get this one out of the way since it was always a given it would appear on the list. Selling out in record time every year, this party in the middle of the Indio desert becomes the music, fashion and celebrity hub of America for an entire weekend. It’s no surprise either, given previous line-ups have included the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Frank Ocean and Childish Gambino. This festival is a constant source of anticipation for music lovers and so if you want to dive straight into the deep end in a post-pandemic world, this is the festival for you.

Lollapalooza

Being a part of this festival feels like a constant dream and will be a relief to go to post-pandemic given it is essentially the absolute antithesis of social distancing. Not only do tens of thousands gather in crowds to watch stellar performances but the whole thing takes place at Grant Park, right in the heart of a busy Chicago city.

It’s ideal for people who like to keep the party going after the music as Lollapalooza is host to multiple after shows and attendees also have the entirety of Chicago to play with. It’s highly recommended you do this as exploring the local area is one of the things that Music Mayhem recently said you should do to maximize your music festival experience.

South By South West

The acts who attend this festival are usually lesser-known at the time but tend to take off after attending as South By South West is predominantly known as the ultimate trendsetter and launcher of careers. Previous line ups have seen the likes of Belako, HMLTD and Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, all of which now how commercial success and critical acclaim.

Pitchfork Music Festival

This is an independent music festival that focuses on music from artists that have been sourced by Pitchfork Media. Also taking place in Chicago (though a little further out from Grant Park), Pitchfork is a dreamy concoction of rock, hip-hop, pop, electronic, jazz and punk. Essentially, any music genre you like, Pitchfork has it.

Also, if you would like to take a break from the live performances you can do because Pitchfork also comes equipped with lots of other entertainment to keep yourself occupied, including a record fair, plenty of different food stalls and multiple bars, the content of which has been sourced from local and national vendors. Yes, if you are a sucker for culture, then Pitchfork is certainly the right festival for you.