Music Festivals Roundup: Top 17 for ‘17

Perry Farrell was prescient. While the Jane’s Addiction singer and Lollapalooza founder cannot take credit for inventing the music festival, the template he created has proven massively successful over the past 25 years. The traditional “summer” music festival has exploded its seasonal confines, there are now excellent options in nearly every corner of the United States, and new events are being introduced annually.

For music lovers, it seems we blink our eyes and a new festival season has begun. It’s exciting and overwhelming in equal measure, and this year is no exception with the Ultra Music Festival just two weeks away. To help you navigate and make the best choices we’ve created a cheat sheet: our Top 17 for ’17 music festivals roundup.

A few highlights before listing our selections chronologically:

• While nearly all these festivals have confirmed dates, just 10 of 17 have announced headliners and other performers.
• Which headliners are making the festival rounds this year? Thus far, Chance the Rapper (with 4 appearances), Frank Ocean (with 3), and Twenty One Pilots, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Weeknd (with 2 apiece).
• Baby Boomers and classic rock fans take note…festival organizers were awakened by last year’s Desert Trip music festival. Scroll down for preliminary details on a new bicoastal festival in the works.

Ultra Music Festival
March 24-26
Miami, FL
Justice, Underworld, The Prodigy

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
April 14-16 & April 21-23
Palm Desert, CA
Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga

Hangout Music Festival
May 19-21
Gulf Shores, AL
Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper

BottleRock Music Festival
May 26-28
Napa Valley, CA
Maroon 5, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters

Sasquatch! Music Festival
May 26-28
The Gorge, WA
Frank Ocean, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper

The Governors Ball Music Festival
June 2-4
New York City, NY
Chance the Rapper, Phoenix, Tool

Colossal Clusterfest
NEW FESTIVAL: Comedy & Music
June 2-4
San Francisco, CA
Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, Ice Cube

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 8-11
Manchester, TN
U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd

Firefly Music Festival
June 15-18
Dover, DE
Bob Dylan, The Weeknd, Muse, Chase the Rapper

Pitchfork Music Festival
July 14-16
Chicago, IL
LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest, Solange

Newport Folk Festival
July 28-30
Newport, RI
Fleet Foxes, Drive-By Truckers, American Acoustic

Lollapalooza
August 3-6
Chicago, IL
Performers To Be Announced

Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival (no website yet; tickets on sale April 7)
August 11-13
San Francisco, CA
Performers To Be Announced

Bumbershoot
September 1-3
Seattle, WA
Performers To Be Announced

Treasure Island Music Festival (no website yet)
October 14-16
San Francisco, CA
Performers To Be Announced

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience
October 27-29
New Orleans, LA
Performers To Be Announced

Classic East & Classic West (no website yet)
NEW FESTIVAL: Ultimate Classic Rock has preliminary details
Dates To Be Announced
New York City, NY & Los Angeles, CA
Performers To Be Announced, likely including The Eagles & Fleetwood Mac

Bonus #18: Desert Trip – No confirmation yet on Year Two of what was dubbed “Oldchella.” Rolling Stone shares a speculative take on what may happen if this event returns, possibly again in October.

Whether you decide to follow Chance the Rapper around the festival circuit, pick one favorite event from the list above, or sit this year out and live vicariously, we hope our research simplifies your process. And thanks, Mr. Farrell, for creating such a beautiful problem for us music lovers!

Image Credit: Music Festival News