2018 Music Festival Guide

 By CLTure

February 1, 2018 (Updated 7/31/18)

Festival season is here. Over 32 million people in the US each year attend a music festival and, in hindsight, festival culture has influenced the way we listen to and consume music much like radio, MTV, Spotify, or Soundcloud. Where else could you go to catch arena headlining bands, discover a new indie hip-hop act, and an up-and-coming DIY band? Music festivals have as much sway on our social culture as Run DMC and Aerosmith’s collaboration of “Walk This Way.” At many festivals, we see diversity as a verb, in action, and the common bond of music unites generations and people of several different backgrounds. 

Here are our favorite 2018 music festival lineups so far:

LOCKN’ 

August 23-26, 2018 – Arrington, VA

Dead & Company, Widespread Panic, Tedeschi Trucks Band, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Sheryl Crow, The Suffers, Blues Traveller, Lettuce, and more.

Afropunk Brooklyn 

August 25, 2018 – Brooklyn, NY

Erykah Badu, Miguel, Tyler The Creator, The Internet, Jaden Smith, Jamila Woods, Janelle Monae, Twin Shadow, Ibeyi, Smino, Willow Smith, Denzel Curry, and more.

Made in America Festival

September 1-2, 2018 Philadelphia, PA

Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, Post Malone, Miguel, Meek Mill, Daniel Caesar, 6Lack, Janelle Monáe, Zedd, Fat Joe, Rich The Kid, Tekashi 6ix9ine, Lil Skies, and more.

Hopscotch Music Festival 

September 6-8, 2018 – Raleigh, NC

The Flaming Lips, Nile Rogers & Chic, Miguel, Grizzly Bear, Liz Phair, Vic Mensa, Thundercat, Real Estate, DVSN, Moses Sumney, MC50, The Revolution, Waxahatchee, Julie Byrne, Speedy Ortiz, Ought, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, The Love Language, Michael Rault, and more.

One MusicFest

September 8-9, 2018 – Atlanta, GA

Nas, Miguel, T.I. Jeezy, Big Sean, BIG K.R.I.T., Goldlink, Rapsody, Cardi B, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, August Greene, Brandy, DVSN, Kelis, and more.

Moon River Music Festival 

September 8-9, 2018

The Avett Brothers, The Head and the Heart, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, Judah & The Lion, Margo Price, Mavis Staples, Tramples by Turtles, Durand Jones and the Indications, Joseph, and more.

Grandoozy Music Festival 

September 14-16, 2018 – Denver, Co

Kendrick Lamar, Stevie Wonder, Sturgill Simpson, Miguel, St. Vincent, The War On Drugs, De La Soul, Mavis Staples, Daniel Caesar, Big K.R.I.T., and more.

Dreamville Fest 

September 15, 2018 – Raleigh, NC

J. Cole (Lineup TBA)

Music Midtown 

September 15-16, 2018 – Atlanta, GA

Kendrick Lamar, Janelle Monae, Portugal. The Man, Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Khalid, Sylvan Esso, Fall Out Boy, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Gucci Mane, The Revivalists, Imagine Dragons, Foster The People, Maggie Rogers, Twin Shadow, and more.

Imagine Music Festival (*Giveaway*) 

September 21-23, 2018 – Atlanta, GA

Bassnectar, Armin van Buuren, Kaskade, Alesso, Galantis, RL Grime, Zeds Dead, Adventure Club, 12th Planet, Bear Grillz, and more.

Bourbon & Beyond 

September 21-23, 2018 – Louisville, KY

Robert Plant, John Mayer, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, David Byrne, Sheryl Crow, Kaleo, JJ Grey & Mofro, and more.

Pilgrimage Music Festival

September 22-23, 2018 – Franklin, TN

Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Lord Huron, Counting Crows, Bleachers, Dawes, Maggie Rogers, Valerie June, The Struts, Elle King, Pete Yarn, John Moreland, and more.

Art of Cool Festival (Stay tuned for a giveaway) 

September 28-29, 2018 – Durham, NC

Nas, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Anthony Hamilton, Maxwell, 9th Wonder, Sango, Royce Da 5’9″, Dwele, and more

A3C Festival (Stay tuned for a giveaway) 

October 6-7, 2018

Wu-Tang Clan, The Diplomats, Lil Wayne, Talib Kweli, Trina, J.I.D, Lute, Curren$y, PRhyme, Manny Fresh, Young M.A, Saweetie, and more.

All Things Go Fall Classic 

October 6-7, 2018 – Union Market, DC

Maggie Rogers, Carlie Rae Jepsen, BORNS, Billie Eilish, Ravyn Lenae, The Aces, and more.

Breakaway Music Festival (Stay tuned for a giveaway) 

October 12-13, 2018 – Charlotte, NC

GRiZ, Lil Skies, Louis The Child, Lil Skies, Hoodie Allen, Machine Gun Kelly, NGHTMRE, 3LAU, Styles & Complete, and more.

Afropunk Atlanta 

October 13-14, 2018 – Atlanta, GA

N.E.R.D., The Internet, Noname, Benjamin Booker, Yves Tumor, Lil Simz, and more.

Suwannee Hulaween

October 26-28, 2019 – Live Oak, FL

Odesza ,The String Cheese Incident, Jamiroquai, Janelle Monae, Tory Lanez, Gramatik, NGHTMRE, Action Bronson, The Revivalists, Vulfpeck, STS9, Stephen Marley, Bishop Briggs, Dr. Dog, Lizzo, Mavis Staples, The Wood Brothers, and more.

EDC Orlando

November 9-10, 2018 – Orlando, FL

Bassnectar, Tiesto, Dillon Francis, Alison Wonderland, Ganja White Night, Kaskade, Martin Garrix, and more.

Camp Flog Gnaw Festival 

November 10-11, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA

Kids See Ghost, Tyler the Creator, Pusha T, Ms. Lauryn Hill, SZA, The Internet, Brockhampton, Post Malone, Earl Sweatshirt, Jorja Smith, Kali Uchis, Jaden Smith, Raveena, Tierra Whack, Virgil Abloh, and more.

*We’ll be updating this list weekly, and giving away several festival passes in 2018. Be sure to check back, share and sign up for our newsletter for updates!*

Read next:

In this article