Best Summer Music Festivals Around the World

Reading & Leeds Festivals, U.K.

Britain's annual mud-baths-cum-music-festivals are as notorious for their riotous performances as they are for their unfortunate abundance of rainfall. Among the most popular are the Reading & Leeds Festivals.

Held simultaneously at two venues in the north and south of the country over the final bank-holiday weekend of the summer, the two festivals have quickly reached legendary status among rock fans. The audiences, renowned as some of the craziest festival crowds, make it what it is, with the last evening routinely turning into a chaotic display of alcohol-fueled debauchery. And the festival campsites turn into enormous parties with bonfires, fireworks, and impromptu mudsliding.

Festival Internacional de Benicassim, Spain

In July, Spain's east coast will become a hub of international music, as the Festival Internacional de Benicassim (FIB) descends on the unassuming coastal region. Attracting a massive 50,000 festivalgoers over its four days, this is one festival that covers all bases when it comes to musical genres. This year's lineup offers eclectic acts such as M.I.A., Lily Allen, Of Montreal, and Ellie Goulding.

Sziget Festival, Hungary

Eastern Europe's coolest music festival, the Sziget in Hungary has rapidly risen to the ranks of festival stardom, becoming one of the most exciting dates on the European calendar. The mammoth seven-day extravaganza leaves few concertgoers standing at its close. Hosted on an island on the Danube, in the center of Budapest, the festival is nothing if not unique. Pitch your tent on the riverbank, stock up on cheap beers, and head to one of the infamous Hungarian bathhouses to spruce up between acts.

As for the entertainment, expect to be spoiled with variety—around 60 stages feature everything from rock to classical, and there are film showings, art exhibitions, sports, all-night parties, and even a fairground. You can even learn to belly dance or go bungee jumping.

Bonnaroo, Tennessee

The Southern cousin of Lollapalooza and another favorite on the U.S. festival roster, Bonnaroo in Tennessee positions itself as more than just a music festival, with a vast array of arts-and-culture programs. There's certainly no shortage of entertainment over the festival's four days, with 150 musical acts, a film festival, a silent disco, art installations, and live comedy capturing the attention of more than 80,000 campers. There are even free yoga classes, a complimentary hair salon, and the Broo'ers mini festival celebrating microbrewed beers from all over the country.

This year's lineup brings big-time names Elton John and Kanye West as well as dozens of the world's best-loved bands spanning rock, pop, country, hip-hop, and electronica.

Roskilde Festival, Denmark

Northern Europe's largest open-air festival, Roskilde in Denmark has been running annually since 1971 and attracts more than 90,000 music lovers over its four-day run. A mere 18 miles outside of Copenhagen, the festival brings fans from Europe and all over the world to enjoy the mix of rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronica, mixing local bands with world-renowned artists on seven stages.

The festival has played host to everyone from Bob Marley to Nirvana over its 40-year reign, and this year it's set to continue making history with Bjork, Bon Iver, Jack White, and Bruce Springsteen all taking the stage.

Summer Sonic Festival, Japan

Musicians have long pegged Japan as one of their favorite places to perform, due in no small part to the wild enthusiasm of the crowds. Held simultaneously in Osaka and Tokyo over a weekend in mid-August, the Summer Sonic Festival is the biggest event on the calendar for Japanese music fanatics. There are no bounds to great music here, with a roster of rock, punk, hip-hop, and pop keeping the crowd bopping well into the early hours.

The 2014 lineup looks like it's been lifted from the 1970s, with performers including Robert Plant and Queen (featuring Adam Lambert as lead vocalist). Not to worry if classic rock isn't your thing—other acts include Avenged Sevenfold, A Great Big World, Ellie Goulding, and The 1975.

Lollapalooza, Chicago

Unashamedly meshing the mainstream with the indie, the bill for Chicago's renowned Lollapalooza reads like the ultimate record collection, with everything from little-known gems to major acts joining the party. What Lollapalooza lacks in history (it was started back in 2005) it makes up for in sheer popularity, with music fans from all over the country descending on downtown Chicago in early August to sate their musical appetites.

This year looks set to have a little bit of something for everyone, including the Arctic Monkeys, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Imagine Dragons.

Splendour in the Grass, Australia

It may be winter in Australia, but the sun is bound to be shining for the annual Splendour on the Grass festival, one of the world's largest eco-friendly festivals that takes place just a short trip from hippie haven Byron Bay. The New South Wales concert stretches over three days and draws fans from all over the country for possibly the most chilled-out rock concert known to man. It's not just about the music here; there's an on-site natural-beauty spa, a relaxation area for kids, and a shopping area nicknamed the "very small mall."

Rock Werchter, Belgium

Belgians might be better known for sipping beer and whipping up some of the world's most delicious chocolates, but these rock fans know how to get down and dirty in the mosh pit come festival season. Forget the cultural and artistic ethos of modern festivals; the Rock Werchter in Belgium has been all about the music since it started up in the 1970s. Expect some sweaty, beer-fueled crowds connecting over a shared love of all things loud. It's not all rock 'n' roll though—the festival features everything from indie and pop to hip-hop and dance, so there's something for everyone.

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