The Most Incredible Music Festivals Across America To Visit In 2026

Humans flock to music like bees to honey. Whether it's an involuntary tapping of the fingers when there's even a hint of music, or crowding into one of the Caribbean's best music festivals to soak in hypnotic rhythms, music is a force our species has never been able to resist. It turns out there are scientific explanations for our love for music. Music taps into the areas of our brains that control emotions and movement. This ability to incite emotions means we will forever seek it out, even if we have to travel to Canada, where music-filled Calgary delivers Nashville vibes and a long list of fun music festivals. Thankfully, you don't have to travel that far, unless you want to.

Whether you love Electronic Dance Music (EDM) for the way it triggers your body to dance, or smooth Jazz for the uplifted emotional state it can put you in, there is a music festival in America, with your name on it in 2026. We've taken the recommendations and reviews of music lovers and compiled a list that includes pop, hip hop, EDM, country, and rock, the top five genres around the world. Many of these music festivals also feature artists from other genres and additional experiences that make them well-rounded destinations to explore. Most, ranging from the larger -than-life Coachella to the beloved Summer Camp Music Festival, also provide camping facilities, so a sense of community is never far away.

An unparalleled number of performers, the biggest names in a diverse range of genres, including pop, hip hop, electronic, and reggaeton, and innovative stages make Coachella one of the biggest festivals for music lovers of all genres. Travelers in our research agreed. "Did Coachella for the first time this year and it was the best time. It's more spread out, bigger lineup, and the Quasar stage is something else," one first-time attendee raved on Reddit.

For first-timers, the sheer size of the festival may be surprising. Since the early 2020s, around 125,000 daily attendees have flocked to the festival's grounds in Indio, California, so a guide to visiting Coachella may come in handy. In 2026, the crowds will be converging to see 142 artists, performing over two weekends in April. Pop superstars Sabrina Carpenter and Justin Bieber will be headlining. The electronic innovator, Anyma, is also slated to perform. And reggaeton superstar, Karol G, leads a night. Other big names include Young Thug, hip hop's current king, The Strokes, known for making rock relatable again, and BIGBANG, the famed K-pop band.

Coachella's rise to become the cream of the crop of U.S. music festivals partially lies in 20 years of presenting music's biggest names. If the reaction to bringing out a hologram of Tupac to perform in 2012 or 2009's fiery art installation called Serpent Mother is any sign, Coachella's art and stage effects also help. From sculptures to light-filled installations, festival goers can prepare to be amazed in 2026. A Ferris wheel and art studios add more fun. "Coachella is the most significant festival in the USA. I would add SXSW or New Orleans jazz fest as honorable mentions," said one Redditor.

Same Same But Different solves the common problem of heat exhaustion while standing next to a stage for hours. The beachfront festival is one of the few where attendees can float or cool off in a lake — Lake Perris in California — while listening to the varied range of acts on stage. Its dedication to wellness for festivalgoers also shows in a wellness lounge equipped with cold plunges, yoga, and meditation sessions — this is in addition to arts and dancing classes, and interactive painting experiences.

Potential attendees who may think Same Same But Different is all about relaxation only have to look at the lineup of performers for 2025 for a taste of what they can expect in 2026. Around 80 artists from genres ranging from electronic to hip hop performed. Among the most creative was headliner Zeds Dead, known for trailblazing a new flavor of electronic, and Dr. Fresch with his energetic fusion of hip hop, mid-tempo beats, and house music. Banshee Tree, with their gypsy trance funk, a merge of trance, indie, jazz, swing, and psychedelic rock, also brought their highly creative sound to the stage.

With 2026's festival happening in September, the festival has not published its lineup yet, but if 2025 is any indication, it should be a blast. This attendee echoed the same sentiments when recommending the festival in late 2025 on Reddit: "Same Same but Different. I literally cannot wait to be back there." Visitors who want to continue the fun after the festival will find Lake Perris a haven for camping, hiking, and boating.

Electric Forest's name is the biggest clue that one of the music festival's main focuses is electronic music. What the name doesn't clue visitors in to is the superbly fun atmosphere around the festival. From a water park to scavenger hunts in a magical forest, reviewers like this Redditor found the fun atmosphere impressive. "There's a lake, Lucky Lake camping, and there's even a water park where you can leave and come back to Electric Forest."

Another traveler had this to say: "Electric Forest. Just go. Do the scavenger hunts, see your favorite acts, see the amazing art work, and interact and see the cool hired 'personas' that exist within that space. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. Every detail is perfect." Electric Forest's setting is simply magical. The Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, Michigan, hosts the multiday June event on its resort grounds, which include acres of woodland called Sherwood Forest. Sherwood Forest becomes a fairy tale with trees dripping in psychedelic lighting, secret performances that visitors stumble upon, and art installations nestled in unexpected areas that surprise attendees as they explore the forest. At night, the forest booms with music from multiple stages set up in various areas.

Electric Forest is known for hosting some of the biggest electronic names on its stages — the electronic icon Tiësto, who performed in 2025, and Pretty Lights, who headlined in 2024, famous for his unusual brand of electronic. Lovers of other genres will like knowing that Electric Forest has evolved to also include live bands and multiple other genres, so the festival promises an amazing time for any music lover. Beyond the music, Double JJ Resort is an attraction-filled destination with a golf course, an arcade, and the beloved water park, which some travelers in our research praised.

Visitors in our research consistently ranked the famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest among top-tier music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo. "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival most certainly should be mentioned in these comments, a top tier event without any doubt," one attendee on Reddit praised. Another, also on Reddit, had this to say: "People are just listing their personal favorites but the undisputed champ is Jazzfest! A quick search shows about a half a million people went to Jazzfest this past year and about half of that went to Coachella, 80 thousand went to Bonnaroo. Best vibes and the biggest acts as well."

The beloved festival, now simply called Jazzfest, was born out of the desire to create a festival worthy of New Orleans' reputation as the birthplace of jazz. True to its beginnings, Jazzfest is the place for the hypnotic melodies of Jazz. But the soul-moving chords of ethnic music and other genres will play on its 12 stages over the eight days between April and May, when it will be held in 2026. From Jamaica's energetic reggae notes to the smooth vocals of rhythm and blues, lovers of music that touch the spirit have much to look forward to.

On April 23, opening day, the famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lena Prima, and Gregg Stafford's Jazz Hounds bring jazz melodies. Gospel bands Blind Boys of Alabama and Leo Jackson and the Melody Clouds bring their soul-stirring gospel performances. And Stephen Marley and others bring the flavors of reggae. Rock is also well represented on day one with Kings of Leon. But the big surprise is Saturday, May 2, when the iconic Eagles perform.

CMA Fest is a big-city kind of country music festival held on the stages of Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, every summer. With its big city vibe comes some of country music's biggest names and a festival that feels completely cosmopolitan instead of communal. Yet the festival offers free shows on four of its six stages during both daytime and nighttime — and on a seventh stage inside the Hard Rock Cafe.

Those who want to splurge will want to head to the CMA Close Up or CMA Spotlight stages, where big names like Trisha Yearwood and Rascal Flatts have performed in the past. The paid stages show a lot more than mere performances. Genuine country fans will delight in onstage interviews and other opportunities to get intimate with their favorite stars before they perform. The other stages host upcoming acts along with newly popular names with current hits. At the time of this writing, the lineup for 2026 had not been released, but in 2025, upcoming stars Gavin Adcock and Dasha, whose hit song "Austin" topped charts in 2024, performed, along with other upcoming and established names.

Urban in nature, CMA Fest does not offer on-site camping or RV facilities like many music festivals usually do. The festival's website maintains a list of hotels with the best proximity to the event. We also recommend checking out one of Nashville's most luxurious hotels, which happens to be a short 21-minute walk from Nissan Stadium.

Visitors in our research praised Summer Camp Music Festival for its obsession with music in its purest form. They also enjoyed how the ability to camp stage-side immersed them in the music. Affectionately called Scamp, the May festival doesn't major on flashy stage effects or other high-production gimmicks. Instead, visitors consistently mentioned how the festival's low production efforts highlighted the music above everything else. "The low production value and the stages surrounded by campgrounds is a massive plus for me," raved a traveler on Reddit.

Once visitors enter Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois, where the camp is held, they find themselves in both the campgrounds and stage grounds. Campgrounds surround the stages, removing the need to walk back and forth between camp and stage. Genuine music lovers will appreciate this unreal immersion into the music coming from the stages. The stages also feature live painting shows. Yoga and art workshops are also sprinkled into the four days of fun. Like any good summer camp, campfires invite festivalgoers to meet and greet, and surprise performances pop up off stage.

Scamp's organizers had not released the booked artists at the time of this writing. But 2026 (which happens to be Scamp's 25th anniversary) will be big on names from all genres, if this traveler's review is anything to go by: "I love that the focus is the music. The eclectic lineup is perfect: jam, bluegrass, funk, bass (although all I really need is Umph and Moe). Camping in the middle of stages is amazing. I love the laid back vibes. The only bummer is having to smuggle in alcohol, but that's become a bit of a tradition."

Known for multiple unique stages, each always dedicated to the same genre and atmosphere, Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival is the festival where music lovers can truly choose their experience without ever wondering what kind of act will be on a given stage. Genres including house, dubstep, techno, bass, and more are all represented. But a special area is set up for live bands and DJ sets. Combined with the good ratings it received in our research, the special festival, held in May, is the one to visit for music lovers who want to focus solely on one of the festival's featured genres.

Travelers who go in 2026 can expect to see big names in electronic (Empire of the Sun), R&B (Tinashe), drum and bass (Chase and Status), and more. Scattered around the shores of Buena Vista Lake in California will be the festival's seven stages. Being the main stage, Lightning is where headliners perform, and any genre can be expected. Bass lovers will want to go to the immersive Thunder stage, which specializes in the genre. Woogie is where rainbow lights bouncing everywhere send the senses into overdrive, while techno and house beats emerge from performers. Stacks delivers surprises and some of the best emerging artists.

Designed to imitate a junkyard, the stage of the same name delivers more spiritual performances, while Backyard focuses on hip hop and all sorts of other genres. There's also a special area set up for DJ sets and live bands. Other interesting areas include The Compass, where great minds deliver lectures on some of the newest ideas in many areas, and a special space for yoga.

Like Coachella, the famous Bonnaroo got high grades for its sheer size and diverse performances and experiences. The June festival is most surely about music, but across four days, Bonnaroo sprinkles in various subevents that have grown into their own. The music spans all genres, with past events seeing icons like Bob Dylan, Jay-Z, Radiohead, Emmylou Harris, and Eminem — all from diverse genres. In 2026, day one's lineup sees Skrillex bringing his electric EDM sound to the stage, Lil Jon delivering his signature hip hop, and Blues Traveler swooning with blues and rock. Dozens more in various genres also perform. Other days have headliners like Kesha, Noah Kahan, and Teddy Swims.

Bonnaroo has long surpassed being only a music festival. Today, regulars know that scattered around the festival's 700 acres are mini-events and spaces with all sorts of fun happenings. Outeroo hosts parades where attendees are invited to get as colorful and crazy as they want while marching; a space for yoga; and Roo Run, a 5K that benefits various causes. Most popular of all is Centeroo, where, along with the stages, a whole host of food stalls, water sprinklers for cooling off, and arts and crafts tents make downtime interesting. Bonnaroo is held in Manchester, Tennessee, an artsy progressive town with good shopping. Like most of the camps on this list, the festival offers a range of on-site camping accommodations.

In our research, Movement Festival was highly beloved by lovers of EDM music for its strict focus on electronic music in all its subgenres. "Highly suggest everyone check Movement out, best EDM festival in the U.S. in my opinion," raved a traveler on Reddit. Set in Detroit, the birthplace of techno, the festival takes techno, house, and other subgenres of electronic music so seriously that a majority of its acts reflect those subgenres. Unlike the other festivals on this list, Movement also saves its energy for music and hardly anything else. Except for some art installations, other niceties like crafting stations and yoga pavilions are noticeably absent from its schedule of activities.

Instead, its website asks visitors to spend time between sets exploring Detroit's musical and historical sites. The festival is scheduled to be held between May 23 and May 25, 2026, on six stages scattered around Detroit's Hart Plaza. Mochakk, mostly known for house sets, brings his high-level Brazilian energy to the festival. And the international electronic icon Carl Cox will be playing techno and house sets in his inimitable style of mixing. Other names like Kevin Saunderson, Richie Hawtin, and Green Velvet also perform. Movement doesn't offer on-site camping or other accommodations, so plan on booking a nearby hotel.

To find the best music festivals, we searched through forums on Reddit where music enthusiasts were actively recommending and reviewing festivals. Since we were looking for festivals that would be popular in 2026, we confined our search to forums and recommendations in the latter part of 2025. To ensure we got only the most highly recommended ones, we tallied mentions and reviews so that only those with high grades made our list. At this point, we realized that the bigger festivals on our list all focused heavily on electronic, pop, and rock music. One festival was dedicated mostly to jazz. However, a few other music genres we knew to be popular among Americans weren't that well represented.

Since we had set out to make an inclusive list that lovers of the top genres would find useful, we had to remedy this. We started by finding authoritative data on the top genres — once we did this, we realized that our list already covered hip hop, pop, electronic, and rock: four of the top five genres people love most. The major missing one was country. We set about finding the top festivals in the country by repeating the first phase of our search. This time, the focus was exclusively on boards dedicated to festivals in the genre.