Festival season is right around the corner, so it’s time to get into shape, pick out your outfit and prepare for a music marathon worth sharing on socials.
Yes, the headliners are the draw, but it’s the pictures, videos, Reels and TikToks that keep the memory fresh in your mind. Which music festival reigns supreme among the clout-chasing crowd?
See also: 10 Of The Most Luxe Music Festival VIP Packages
It may come as no surprise that Coachella is the most shared music festival on Instagram, but the rest of the top 10 might surprise you—and it’s not all about what the attendees look like. Some music festivals spend so much on creating an Insta-worthy atmosphere, well, you’ve gotta see the pictures to believe it’s real!
The folks at NoDeposit365.com analyzed Instagram hashtag data and found the most Instagrammable music festivals nationwide. Check out the findings below, and start planning your next adventure.
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The most famous of all the music festivals in the land, Coachella is a cross-genre festival that spans six days and two weekends. This year’s headliners include Lana Del Ray, Tyler, The Creator, Doja Cat and a reunited No Doubt. This Indio Valley, CA., event tops the list with more than 5,448,100 posts. It also ushers in the start of festival season, coming to life in mid-April.
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If you don’t want to camp in the hot California sun, Chicago’s flagship four-day festival, Lollapalooza is a great opportunity to see many of the same acts as Coachella in a more urban environment. Originally founded by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, this brand has become synonymous with good music across every genre imaginable. It comes in at No. 2 on our Insta-worthy list, boasting more than 1,557,300 Instagram posts.
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As we said earlier, some festivals emphasize creating an environment that one will want to take a picture of. Electric Forest tops that list. Nestled into the woods of Rothbury, MI., this primarily electronic music event invites campers into a mind-blowing maze of fairy tale lights and explorable art installations. One moment, you’re watching Nelly Furtado on the main stage; the next, you’re watching someone play a piano in the middle of the wooded walkway, then, you’re walking on a giant robot buried halfway in the ground! It is No. 3 on our list, with more than 593,400 Instagram posts. This year’s headliners include the aforementioned “Maneater” plus Pretty Lights, Ludacris, John Summit, Excision and more.
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One of the original big three music festivals, right up there with Coachella and Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN., always catches headlines for its cross-genre headliners and incredible atmosphere. You’re just as likely to see a star comedian on the campgrounds as Post Malone or Red Hot Chili Peppers, who help headline this year’s festivities. The 700-acre farm is transformed into the kind of festival that makes loyalists of half the people who attend. It’s hard to meet someone who’s been to just one Bonnaroo! It lands at No. 4 on our list with more than 568,800 posts on Instagram.
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If you’re looking for a rave, baby, you’ve found it! Each May, the Las Vegas Speedway transforms into one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world. EDC, as attendees lovingly call it, is one of the longest-running and most famous electronic music festivals in the world, as well, and promoters Insomniac know a thing or two about throwing a massive party. Fireworks, mega stages with running waterfalls, costumed performers and more make this IG-worthy event. It comes in at No. 5 on our list with more than 566,300 posts on Instagram.
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While this hip-hop festival has grown beyond its original home in the Magic City, the Miami edition comes in at No. 6 on our list with more than 558,000 posts on Instagram. Maybe it’s the weather or the mind-blowing lineups that seem to fit every relevant name in modern rap music onto one bill. The lineup hasn’t been announced for this summer’s festival yet, but previous headliners include A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Cardi B, Travis Scott, 21 Savage and more.
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Step through the looking glass into yet another Insomniac festival, this one coming to the sunny skies of southern California. It’s got all the same over-the-top activations as EDC, but with an Alice in Wonderland theme running throughout. It’s trippy! It also lands at No. 7 on our list thanks to more than 500,000 Instagram posts. DJs are the main event at this rave, and this year’s lineup comes to life in March with sets by Afrojack b2b R3hab, Rezz, Zeds Dead, A-Trak b2b Derrick Carter and more.
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The longest-running music festival on our list, Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, was founded in 1968 and once held the record for “The World’s Largest Music Festival.” The cross-genre lineup includes headliners Keith Urban, Motley Crue, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mxmtoon and more. It lands at No. 8 on our list with more than 472,800 Instagram posts. Look out for this rockin’ good time as it brightens the Milwaukee sky in June.
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Coachella’s country-focused little sister, Stagecoach comes to life on the same grounds as the cross-genre extravaganza just one weekend after Coachella wraps. This year’s headliners include Eric Church, Helly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Morgan Wallen, Nickelback, Wiz Khalifa, Post Malone and more. It is No. 9 on our list, with more than 443,000 Instagram posts.
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Did someone say “country music?” Not to be outdone, the world’s country music capital brings its own IG-worthy event. Nashville hosts CMA Fest each June, and it’s been going on for more than 50 years! It rounds out our list at No. 10 with more than 367,000 Instagram posts, and previous headliners include incredible sets from Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and more.
Looking for more tips for festival season? Check out our conversation with Olivia Ponton where she shared the ins and outs to surviving Coachella.
Photography by: Billy Farrell/BFA
