The world's best music festivals

Here's our pick of the best international music fesitvals for 2010.

May

Primavera

When May 27-29
Where Parc del Forum, Barcelona, Spain
Line-up Pixies, Pavement, Pet Shop Boys, The Fall, Grizzly Bear, Florence and the Machine, Beach House, The Drums, The Slits, The Big Pink, more
Tickets £160 (w/e), £50 (day)
Website www.primaverasound.com

As foreign city festivals go this one is pretty much unbeatable. It’s on the coast in Barcelona, the weather is flawless, it’s well run and has a brilliant line-up.

Pinkpop

When May 28-30
Where Megaland, Landgraaf, Holland
Line-up Rammstein, Kasabian, The Prodigy, John Mayer, Pink, Wolfmother, Gossip, Mika, Pixies, Green Day, Paolo Nutini, Florence and the Machine, more
Tickets £121 (w/e), £65 (day)
Website www.pinkpop.nl

Forty-one years in and still going strong, this 60,000 capacity fest is Holland’s biggest music event and has a stellar line-up.

June

Ibiza Rocks

When June 8 to September 15
Where San Antonio, Ibiza
Line-up The Prodigy, Kele Okereke, Biffy Clyro, Bombay Bicycle Club, Florence and the Machine, Dizzee Rascal, Delphic
Tickets £28.50-£45
Website www.ibizarocks.com

Rock out on the ultimate party island – Ibiza Rocks celebrates five years with a killer line-up playing every Tuesday over the summer – so you’ll definitely be able to make at least one date. Hedonism in the sun awaits.

Bonaroo

When June 10-13
Where Manchester, Tennessee, USA
Line-up Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Tenacious D, Weezer, The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon, The Dead Weather, The Black Keys, LCD Soundsystem, Deadmau5, Daryl Hall and Chromeo, more
Tickets £153-£162
Website www.bonnaroo.com

Taking over a 700-acre farm in Tennessee, Bonaroo is the Southern State equivelant of Glasto. Embracing every genre of music from rock to world to electronica to jazz to hip hop, pop and more, there’s also entertainment in the shape of comedy, cabaret, movies and a beer fest.

Sónar

When June 17-19
Where Barcelona and Coruña, Spain
Line-up Chemical Brothers, Roxy Music, Air, LCD Soundsystem, Dizzee Rascal, The Sugarhill Gang, Fuck Buttons, Hot Chip, more
Tickets Barcelona: €155 (w/e), €100 (night-only ticket for June 17-18), €60 (one night-time only ticket), €39 (daytime only ticket). Coruña: €50 (w/e), €25-€15 (day). Website www.sonar.es

Let’s be honest, there isn’t a better electronic music festival anywhere in the world. Not this year, anyway. This line-up is among the best they’ve ever booked and features acts currently in vogue (LCD, Dizzee, Joy Orbison, FlyLo, Fuck Buttons), acts that inspired them and a whole new breed of club artistes we don’t even have a description for yet. All this and it’s in Barcelona. Bliss.

INmusic Festival

When June 22-23
Where Zagreb, Croatia
Line-up Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, Flaming Lips, Pendulum, Rise Against, !!!, more
Tickets €105 (camping) €70 (w/e) €50 (day)
Website www.t-mobileinmusicfestival.com

This is one of the biggest festivals in Croatia (which has become something of a hub for fests). Expect the best of oldand new rave on an islandin the middle of a lake, inthe middle of the Croatian capital.

Hove Festival

When June 29-July 2
Where Arendal, Norway
Line-up Arcade Fire, Massive Attack, Dizzee Rascal, Them Crooked Vultures, Beach House, Delphic, more
Tickets £232 (w/e), £92 (day), £47 (camping)
Website www.hovefestival.com

This festival is not cheap, but there’s a great line-up as well as a completely
eco-friendly shindig that leaves no carbon footprint. Plus theatre performances, film screenings and visual arts.

July

Rock Werchter

When July 1-4
Where Werchter, Belgium
Line-up Faithless, Muse, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Stereophonics, Phoenix, Editors, Rammstein, Arcade Fire, Them Crooked Vultures, more
Tickets £167
Website www.rockwerchter.be

A long-running four-day event in a tranquil village setting, RW is one of Europe’s most established festivals and has all the star attractions to prove it, including Muse, Green
Day, Pearl Jam and Them Crooked Vultures.

Roskilde

When July 1-4
Where Roskilde, Denmark
Line-up Prince, Gorillaz, Muse, The Prodigy, Patti Smith, Jack Johnson, Them Crooked Vultures, Florence and the Machine, more
Tickets DKK2225-DKK2700 (camping) DKK1675 (w/e) DDK 850 (day)
Website www.roskilde-festival.dk

Now in its thirtieth year, Roskilde is a super slick affair well versed in organised fun. Prince certainly feels it’s up to scratch, gracing the event (his only planned European appearance in 2010) to please plenty of obsessive fans among a general rock pop-inclined crowd.

Eurockeennes

When July 2-4
Where Belfort, France
Line-up Jay-Z, Massive Attack, Kasabian, Missy Elliott, LCD Soundsystem, Mika, Charlotte Gainsbourg, The XX, more
Tickets €85 (w/e inc camping), €39 (day)
Website www.eurockeennes.fr

Last year Kanye West, this year Jay-Z… if hip hop’s big hitters don’t impress, kick back on the fest’s beautiful site on the Swiss border or head to the water-surrounded stages to catch this finepop line-up.

Bilbao BBK Live

When July 8-10
Where Kobetamendi Park, Bilbao
Line-up Rammstein, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Manic Street Preachers, Faith No More, Jet, Paul Weller, Bullet for my Valentine, more
Tickets £80
Website www.bilbaobbklive.com

One for the hardrockers (and Jet fans), this festival set just outside Bilbao will have you sweating in your black leathers – from excitement and the Spanish climate. There’s only two stages which means that the acts have been scheduled so punters miss none of the main bands. Now in its fifth year German industrio metallers Rammstein headline the first night, with Pearl Jam taking top billing on the second and the awesome, reformed FNM closing the fest.

Oxegen

When  July 9-11
Where Punchestown, Leinster, Ireland
Line-up Eminem, Jay-Z, The Black Eyed Peas, Muse, The Prodigy, Kasabian, Fat Boy Slim, Arcade Fire, Faithless, Florence and the Machine, more
Tickets €244.50 (camping), €199.50 (w/e), €99.50 (day)
Website www.oxegen.ie

Ireland’s biggest festival rams in the crowd pleasers in exchange for a hefty sum. If this is your only festival of the year, however, the transatlantic line-up may just be worth shelling out for.

Exit festival

When July 8-11
Where Petrovaradin, Novi Sad, Serbia
Line-up Faith No More, Chemical Brothers, Placebo, Mika, more
Tickets €124 (camping), €99 (w/e)
Website www.exitfest.org

Eleven years down the line it might have transcended its roots as a protest against Slobodan Milosevic’s regime, but this festival, set in an old fortress by the Danube, is still political in nature.

Benicassim

When July 15-18
Where Nr Valencia, Spain
Line-up The Prodigy, Vampire Weekend, Klaxons, Kasabian, Dizzee Rascal, Hot Chip, Four Tet, Leftfield, Goldfrapp, more
Tickets £160
Website www.benicassim2010.com

It’s long been an international festival fave with Brits as the site’s close to the beach and there’s always a great party to top off your hedonistic weekend. Pack your sunscreen and stamina: a stellar list of DJs spin till dawn.

Dour

When July 15-18
Where Hainaut, Belgium
Line-up Faith No More, Os Mutantes, Los Campesinos!, Hadouken!, Daedelus, Pony Pony Run Run, more
Tickets €110 (camping), €93 (w/e), €45 (day)
Website www.dourfestival.be

This category-defying festival has every genre covered from math rock to jazz via sludge and ska. Expect only the finest acts under each heading.

Melt Festival

When July 16-18
Where Ferropolis (City of Iron), Germany
Line-up Jamie T, Chromeo, DJ Shadow, Yeasayer, The XX, Friendly Fires, Massive Attack, Crookers, more
Tickets €99 (w/e camping), €79 (two-day camping)
Website www.meltfestival.de

If you’re going to put on a festival among huge mechanical cranes, you’re going to need a good filthy soundtrack. Fortunately, Melt specialises in recruiting electronic beat manglers, as well as purveyors of considered pop music.

Soundwave

When July 23-25
Where Petrcane, Croatia
Line-up Toddla T, Benji B, Cinematic Orchestra, DJ Format, DJ Vadim, Kidkanevil, Mr Thing, Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee, more
Tickets £75
Website www.soundwavecroatia.com

A heavily dance-influenced line-up for this festival, with the sounds of a Caribbean nightclub via South Yorkshire from Toddla T, hip hop, soul, reggae and electronica experimentalism from Vadim and loads more. All set in a beautiful fishing village where the Dalmation Coast meets the Adriatic.

Fuji Rock Festival

When July 30-August 1
Where Echigo Yuzawa, Japan
Line-up Air, MGMT, Massive Attack, Muse, Miike Snow, Roxy Music, Scissor Sisters, Them Crooked Vultures,Vampire Weekend, more
Tickets Y42,800 (w/e camping), Y16,800 (day)
Website www.smash-uk.com

August

Oya

When August 10-14
Where The Medieval Park, Norway
Line-up Iggy and the Stooges, La Roux, LCD Soundsystem, MIA, Big Boi, Fucked Up, The Gaslight Anthem, Lindstrøm and Christabellenn, Panda Bear, The XX, more
Tickets £235

This is one of Europe’s premier festivals, competing with Primavera in terms of a credible, wide-ranging line up, beautiful location and good weather.

Sziget

When August 11-16
Where Obudai Island, Hungary
Line-up Kasabian, Muse, Iron Maiden, Calvin Harris, Bad Religion, Faithless, Nina Hagen, Simian Mobile Disco, Papa Roach, The Hives, The Cribs, Fear Factory, Yeasayer, The Specials, Thirty Seconds to Mars, more
Tickets Camping €200, non-camping €170, day ticket €45
Website www.sziget.hu/festival_english

A rampantly eclectic lineup if ever there was one. Sziget has a lovely location on the Danube, plus sports events and a children’s programme.

Way Out West

When August 12-14
Where Gothenburg, Sweden
Line-up Pavement, La Roux, Girls, The XX, Surfer Blood, The Radio Dept, Cymbals Eat Guitars, more
Tickets £115 (full two-day pass, incl club gigs on Aug 12).

No shoot-outs, swinging saloon doors or stage coaches maybe, but plenty of ops for good times in picturesque Slottskogen park.

Frequency

When August 19-21
Where Near Salzburg, Austria
Line-up Muse, La Roux, The Specials, Massive Attack, The Cribs, Diplo, Hot Chip, Yeasayer, more
Tickets £110
Website www.frequency.at

This two-day Austrian fest is split in to ‘Day Park’ and ‘Night Park’. Muse, Hot Chip, Wakefield’s clattering anthemecists The Cribs,and even trip-hop godfathers Massive Attack are classified as day music; the evening is set to go off with a dancier slant with Diplo, John Digweed and Major Lazer.

Open’er Festival

When August 19-21
Where Gdynia, Poland
Line-up Kasabian, Klaxons, Hot Chip, Empire of the Sun, Grace Jones, Pavement, Pearl Jam, Matisyahu, more
Tickets £88
Website www.opener.pl

Held in a huge airfield (room for 20,000 tents), like most European festies, this one kicks off at 4pm with the last band on at 2am and DJs till 5am. Stages boast more mainstream international acts such as swagger rockers Kasabian, disco-dance-poppers Hot Chip and grunge heroes Pearl Jam, across to the World Stage.

Pukkelpop

When August 19-21
Where Kempische Steenweg, Belgium
Line-up Iron Maiden, Queens of the Stone Age, The Prodigy, Blink-182, White Lies, Hot Chip, Mumford and Sons, Goldfrapp, The XX, Foals, The Drums, more
Tickets £128
Website www.pukkelpop.be

Belgium’s second largest music festival. Among its many appeals are Belgian beer and free train travel from Brussels.

Electric Elephant

When August 27-29
Where Petrcane, Croatia
Line-up Fuck Buttons, The Phantom Band, Jesca Hoop, Plugs, Architeq, François K, Juan Maclean, Andrew Weatherall, Don Letts, Richard Norris, Todd Terje, Ashley Beedle, more
Tickets £80 (adult weekend), under-12s free
Website www.electricelephant.co.uk

A whitewashed fishing village on the Adriatic coast is home for three days, providing plenty of opportunities for swimming and kipping in the shade under pine trees as well as basking in the sun while some top music plays.

Burning Man Festival

When August 30-Sept 6
Where Black Rock Desert, Nevada, America
Line-up TBC
Tickets $210-$300
Website www.burningman.com

The legendary week-long Nevada desert-set festival is something to try once in your life – 48,000 people converge on the site, cash is banned and there are no rules.

September

Electric Picnic

When September 3-5
Where Stradbally Hall, Republic of Ireland
Line-up Roxy Music, Leftfield, Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, The Frames, PiL, The National, Mumford and Sons, Seasick Steve, more
Tickets €240 (w/e)
Website www.electricpicnic.ie

Ireland’s most wide-ranging and adventurous festive happening celebrates its seventh year with a stellar musical line-up, also art, culture and general frovolity.

Stop Making Sense

When September 3-5
Where The Garden, Petrcane, Croatia
Line-up The Very Best, Django Django, Nathan Fake, Son of Dave, Carl Craig, Juan Atkins, Optimo, Radioclit, more
Tickets £80 (w/e), £60 (early bird ticket)
Website www.sms-2010.com

Situated on a pine-shaded peninsula in Croatia, this is a gorgeous location. Plus, Croatian food is delicious, the weather in September is clear and gloriously hot and if you get too hot dancing you can jump into the Adriatic.
 

Berlin Festival

When September 10-11
Where Tempelhof Airport, Berlin
Line-up Fever Ray, LCD Soundsystem, Boys Noize, Caribou, 2ManyDJs, Peaches, Gonzales, more
Tickets €59 (w/e), €39 (day)
Website www.berlinfestival.de

Head here as the summer crowds dissipate for this gathering which takes place in an outdoor airfield and two indoor hangars.

UK festivals calendar

For a comprehensive calendar of UK festivals visit Time Out London's festival pages.