Music

The ’80s changed music forever. That’s no secret. But choosing the best songs from the era is no easy task. 

Some songs make you cry. Some songs make you dance. Some songs make you want to profess your love. 

When it comes to music, is there a decade more varied (and stand-out) than the 90s?

Given its waning cultural profile, all rock’n’roll is rapidly becoming classic – as in, an antique.

Apologies to Mildred J. Hill, but ‘Happy Birthday to You’ is all the way down at the bottom.

Europe is incredible for festivals, make no mistake about it. And what could be better? Travelling to festivals abroad means getting to explore somewhere new and see a bunch of cracking artists, as well as maybe – just maybe – enjoy better weather and cheaper beer. Europe is certainly not in short supply of some really brilliant places to party, from tiny, lesser-known spots in the Azores to your classic, mega, headliner-packed fests in France and Netherlands and Alpine jazz weekends. So, here’s a roundup of our top picks for 2025.  What is the largest festival in Europe? Glastonbury festival in the UK is normally thought of as the biggest festival in Europe (if not the world). But though it’s certainly the most well known, in terms of numbers, it’s not even the the biggest in the UK! The biggest in Europe is actually Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which sees upwards of two million visitors a year. After that, it’s probably joint between Glasto and Tomorrowland in Belgium.  RECOMMENDED: 🎪 The best UK music festivals🎤 The best music festivals in the world🌃 The most underrated destinations in Europe🌤️ The best European city breaks At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Music festivals in the U.S. are changing. Yes, there are still the major annual blowouts, from Coachella in California to Ultra in Miami. But just in the last year or so, we’ve bid farewell to four beloved festivals previously on this guide: Electric Zoo in New York, Wonderbus in Ohio, Hangout Fest in Alabama and Pitchfork in Chicago. Tastes shift, crowds evolve. But as the dust settles on those festivals, new ones have sprung up in their stead. New to our 2025 update is III Points, a Miami music festival showcasing left-field electronic acts. Rolling Loud, the world’s largest hop-hip music festival, has also joined the ranks. And it’s no longer just about the bands or DJs performing—we want more and better food and drink options, wellness activations, cultural experiences and spaces for kicking back socializing all woven into our festivals, too. Luckily, whether it's well-known festivals like Bonnaroo in Tennesse and the Governors Ball in New York or more niche festivals like Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, there’s likely an epic musical gathering that caters to you. From pop and country to EDM, rock and folk—if you're looking to dance your way through the year, we have you covered. Here are the best music festivals across America in 2025. 

Yearly, several prominent music festivals light up Asia's calendar. Don't hesitate – catch that flight, as there's nothing quite like joining a pulsating crowd of fellow revellers, dancing and shouting your heart out to the tunes you love alongside beloved international artists. RECOMMENDED: The best concerts and tours in Asia in 2025 and The absolute best hotels in Asia right now 

As soon as the sun sneaks out and winter feels like it is finally thawing, my mind wanders instantly to festival season: the long days, the cold beers, the hours spent singing along to live music with pals old and new. It’s not long now until things really kick off: in 2025, festival season begins in April and extends all the way to the end of September and into October.  If you’ve not already started planning what you’re going to this year, you should probably get a move on because tickets will sell out. What’s more, 2025 looks particularly exciting, with all-new events such as Lido bringing Charli XCX, Jamie XX and Massive Attack to London’s Victoria Park, as well as long-loved staples such as Download, Houghton and, of course, Glastonbury, all returning to the circuit with super stacked line-ups.  Our team at Time Out has spent a lot of time assembling tents in fields and running between stages in parks. By now, we know the UK festival scene pretty much inside-out. From trailblazing bands at music showcases by the sea to classic coming-of-age events like Reading, there’s truly something for everyone here.  So, what festivals are worth spending your hard-earned cash (and precious holiday days) on? Check out Time Out’s guide to the best UK music festivals for 2025 below, in chronological order – we’ll be updating this page with more events as they’re announced.  RECOMMENDED:😎 The best London music festivals for 2025.🪩 What you need to know about Glastonbury 2025

If there's one sure-fire way of injecting joy into your year – it's festivals. Gathering with like-minded people in rainbow-festooned palaces full of amazing music, glittering performances and zesty food sounds like utopia to us – which is why it's a blessing that Australia has an incredible array of festivals on offer, one for every season of the year. In this list, we round up the best festivals that we reckon you should check out Down Under this year. Starting with those that are on earliest in the year and ending with those at the end, each of these festivals has been selected for its scale, its astonishing visuals, and its commitment to seriously good times. From music to comedy to wild light displays in the Outback, rest assured that going to any of these incredible Aussie festivals will be a bloody good time indeed.  🎭 The best musical and theatre shows in Australia🎨 Australia's best art galleries🍔 The best food festivals in Australia