With Lollapalooza, Coachella, and many many more, festivals are a popular way of spending the seemingly never-ending summer days and often cheaper than seeing a solo show for your favorite artist at a regular concert venue. This year’s festival lineups have included a lot of well-known names, but there are some rising artists who are taking festivals by storm this summer. Here is a list of the top five artists that are taking over festival season in 2024.
#1: Chappell Roan
Listen: “Good Luck, Babe!”, “Red Wine Supernova”, “HOT TO GO!”
Similar Artists: boygenius, Olivia Rodrigo, The Last Dinner Party
Festivals: Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, Hinterland Music Festival, Osheaga Music and Arts Festival, Outside Lands Festival, All Things Go, Austin City Limits Music Festival
As the current obsession of young queer people around the world, Chappell Roan has made each and every show her own. In Vanity Fair, Roan revealed that she sees the version of herself on stage as a drag persona and this shines through in her vibrant performances that attract massive festival crowds. In this summer alone, Roan will be performing at both Lollapalooza in Chicago and Berlin, both weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival, Osheaga Music and Arts Festival in Montreal, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee, and multiple local pride celebrations. As part of her work, Roan invites local drag performers as openers for her shows, and actively donates to the black trans charity For The Gworls, marking her as both an iconic artist and a queer advocate.
#2: The Last Dinner Party
Listen: “Nothing Matters”, “Sinner”, “The Feminine Urge”
Similar Artists: The Beaches, Wet Leg, Ethel Cain
Festivals: Primavera Sound Festival, Metronome Festival Prague, Hurricane Festival, Southside Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Roskilde Festival, Rock Werchter, Down the Rabbit Hole, TRNSMT Festival, SPIN OFF Festival, Splendour in the Grass Festival, Lollapalooza Chicago, Hinterland Music Festival, Outside Lands Festival, Reading Festival, Leeds Festival
Finding notoriety on TikTok while opening for Hozier with their song “Nothing Matters,” The Last Dinner Party continues to thrill throughout festivals around the world this summer. As they’ve grown in popularity, the band has garnered a reputation for putting on fantastical and otherworldly performances. Appearing in their typical Edwardian costume at Coachella both weekends this year, the British all femme band stomped, danced, and rocked operatic elegance on stage in the California heat and will continue to captivate crowds across multiple festival dates this summer.
#3: Destroy Boys
Listen: “I Threw Glass at My Friend’s Eyes and Now I’m on Probation”, “Crybaby”, “Muzzle”
Similar Artists: Mommy Long Legs, Skating Polly, The Oozes
Festivals: Harley Davidson Homecoming Festival, Lollapalooza Chicago, Leeds Festival, Reading Festival
Prior to the hospitalization of their lead guitarist Violet Mayugba, the band was slated to perform at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Leeds in the UK this summer as part of their tour with Mother Mother and Cavetown. This comes after two straight years of touring throughout the United States. Previously, the band has played at events like Riot Fest and Dia De Los Deftones in 2022. At the moment, it is unknown as to wether or not the band will play the upcoming festival shows. Even on momentary hiatus, this band remains a powerhouse at festival lineups.
#4: Amyl and The Sniffers
Listen: “Hertz”, “U Should Not Be Doing That”, “Security”
Similar Artists: The Chats, Viagra Boys, IDLES
Festivals: Freak Valley Festival, Primavera Sound Festival, Northside Festival, Best Kept Secret, Underground Music Showcase
Beginning the summer strong with the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona followed quickly by Northside festival in Denmark, this indie punk band from Australia is making waves. Donning a bleached mullet, heeled boots, and an energetic spirit, lead singer Amy Tayolor channels a young Cherie Currie of The Runaways as she performs on stage. This summer Amyl and the Sniffers will tour around the world, opening for the Foo Fighters multiple times in the United States along the way.
#5: Better Lovers
Listen: “30 Under 13”, “The Flowering”, “Sacrificial Participant”
Similar Artists: Every Time I Die, Many Eyes, Foreign Hands
Festivals: Tons of Rock, Jera On Air
This hardcore/metalcore band out of Buffalo, New York combines the musical talent of multiple seasoned musicians. Although they’re a new band, only forming in 2023 after the breakup of Every Time I Die, Better Lovers has already played at this year’s Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas. Their summer will be spent rocking on tour throughout Europe with more festival lineups in the not-too-distant future.
