Analysing Europe’s festival summer 2024
IQ has once again collaborated with music biz directory and data platform ROSTR to analyse the lineups of 50 top European festivals.
A total of 4,900 artists performed at the 50 festivals, with the findings highlighting several key trends in terms of genre, age, headliners and longevity.
The data also uncovers which agencies booked the most artists and headliners during the 2024 season, as well as which artists appeared on the most lineups.
As in 2023, Wasserman Music came out on top for most bookings, followed by WME, CAA and UTA. The latter’s Kenya Grace appeared on the most bills (11), ahead of Wasserman clients Nothing But Thieves and 13 Artists’ Royal Blood (both 10).
Fred again.. (Wasserman) claimed the most headline slots with seven, with Måneskin (ITB) taking six and Dua Lipa (WME), The Chainsmokers and Lana Del Rey (both CAA) each on five.
Perhaps the most startling revelation, however, concerns gender balance, with even more men topping festival bills this year than in 2023.
In total, 92% of the acts that were on stage during a headline slot were male, along with 78% of solo headline acts.
ROSTR – a music industry directory, contacts, data and jobs platform – holds artist rosters, people, and company information for more than 12,000 companies worldwide.
Tomorrow’s (25 September) opening session of the International Festival Forum (IFF) in London Bridge will begin with a short presentation of ROSTR x IQ’s analysis of the European festival summer 2024, hosted by ROSTR co-founder and CEO Mark Williamson.
The full analysis appears in the new issue of IQ. You can read the digital edition of IQ 130 here.
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Huge European festival weekend ahead
A number of big-hitters feature in IQ‘s latest round-up of festivals taking place across Europe over the next few days.
In the UK, the Bank Holiday weekend sees a packed schedule including the return of Reading & Leeds (23-25 August), headlined by Blink-182, Fred Again.., Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Gerry Cinnamon and Catfish and the Bottlemen.
This year’s lineup also includes acts such as 21 Savage, Raye, Two Door Cinema Club, Fontaines D.C., The Prodigy, Skrillex, Sonny Fodera, Pendulum, Bleachers, Spiritbox, Jorja Smith and The Last Dinner Party.
Catfish and the Bottlemen, who announced their first UK stadium headline shows earlier this week, with performances at Cardiff Principality Stadium (1 August) and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (3 August) booked for 2025, will also headline Edinburgh Summer Sessions at the Royal Highland Showgrounds in Scotland on 24 August.
All Points East (APE), which kicked off last week with Kaytranada, Loyle Carner and Mitski, wraps up from 23-25 August with LCD Soundsystem and The Postal Service & Death Cab for Cutie. The Saturday event is held under the Field Day banner, topped by Justice and Charlotte de Witte.
Also on the APE bill at London’s Victoria Park are the likes of Jai Paul, Pixies, Floating Points, The Decemberists, Phoenix, Gossip, Lany, Jockstrap, Joy, The Kills, Say She She and Sleater-Kinney.
Held in Daresbury, Cheshire, dance institution Creamfields (22-25 August) will star Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, Martin Garrix, Alesso, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Peggy Gou, Sub Focus, Eric Prydz, Hardwell, Charlotte de Witte, Armin van Buuren, Pete Tong, Fisher, Michael Bibi, Steve Angello and Gorgon City, among others.
Meanwhile, in France, Rock en Seine (21-25 August) in Saint Cloud starts tonight with a standalone show by Lana Del Rey. The festival will also welcome stars such as Fred Again.., LCD Soundsystem, Måneskin, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, Pixies, The Offspring, Loyle Carner, Jungle, 2ManyDJs, Baxter Dury, Kasabian, Inhaler, Gossip and Loyle Carner.
Montpellier’s Palmarosa Festival (23-25 August) has a bill featuring Phoenix, Gossip and Tom Odell, plus acts including The Kills, The Hives, Soulwax and The Vaccines, and Nice Jazz Fest (20-23 August) showcases Nas, Jungle, Phoenix, Sampha and more.
The first weekend of Switzerland’s Zurich Openair (23-24 August) boasts names including Sam Smith, Martin Garrix, Raye, Macklemore, Louis Tomlinson, Armin van Buuren, Loyle Carner, Zoe Wees and Milky Chance.
Elsewhere, The Cult, Die Antwoord, The Darkness, The Libertines, Crystal Fighters and Soulfly are among acts slated for Portugal’s Vilar de Mouros (21-24 August), and Tiesto, Zara Larsson and Alan Walker top the bill at Feelings (23-24 August) in Bergen, Norway.
Back in the UK, Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival (23-25 August) is headed by Fatboy Slim, Jamie T and Biffy Clyro. Other artists on the bill include Snow Patrol, Idles, Louis Tomlinson, Jess Glynne, Courteeners, Pixies, Sugababes, The Lathums, Holly Humberstone, Becky Hill, Wet Leg, James Bay, Arlo Parks, Soft Play and Yard Act.
CarFest (23-25 August), which takes place at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire, is topped by Richard Ashcroft, Olly Murs and UB40 ft. Ali Campbell, with support from Deacon Blue, Johnny Marr, Sam Ryder, Beverley Knight, Jake Shears, Kula Shaker, Reef and Damian Lewis.
Performers at Northamptonshire’s Shambala (22-25 August) will include Bob Vylan, The Congos, The Beatbox Collective, Sampa the Great and Brushy One String, while Camper Calling (23-25 August) will bring artists including Travis, Jessie J, Groove Armada, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Zutons, Professor Green, The Bluetones, Norman Jay and The Sherlocks to Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.
Americana and roots music and culture festival The Long Road (23-25 August) in Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, will feature a UK exclusive headline show from the legendary Don McLean. Russell Dickerson will also headline the event, with the supporting cast including Chapel Hart, Ron Pope, Paula Cole, American Aquarium, Gangstagrass, Campbell Jensen, Gina Larner, Brittney Spencer, The Red Clay Strays, Colbie Caillat, Randall King, Flatland Cavalry and Pokey LaFarge.
And Blur’s Alex James’ farm in the Cotswolds’ will host Big Feastival (23-25 August), headlined by Becky Hill, Ministry of Sound Classical, Snow Patrol. The bill also features the likes of Joel Corry, Ella Henderson, Johnny Marr, CMAT, Hak Baker, Natasha Bedingfield, Jax Jones, Cat Burns and Cian Ducrot.
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Festival bills ’24: Paléo, Lolla Berlin, Pukkelpop
Switzerland’s Paléo and Lollapalooza Berlin in Germany head the latest festival lineup announcements for 2024, while Belgium’s Pukkelpop is celebrating a speedy sellout.
Paléo Festival Nyon returns from 23-28 July with a bill headed by Sam Smith, Burna Boy, Booba, Mika, Sean Paul, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Gazo & Tiakola, PLK, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Patti Smith, The Blaze, Paul Kalkbrenner, Aurora and Royal Blood.
Expanding its musical horizons with a mix of pop, rock, rap, dancehall, Afrobeats, reggae, electro, opera and funk, the event will welcome 130 artists in all. Its Village du Monde (Village of the World) will focus on the Balkans, featuring around 20 acts.
Set for 7-8 September at the German capital’s Olympic Stadium and Olympic Park, Lollapalooza Berlin will be headlined by Sam Smith, Martin Garrix, Burna Boy, Seventeen, The Chainsmokers, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Shirin David and CRO.
Other acts will include Loyle Carner, Nothing But Thieves, Meduza, Tom Grennan, Kenya Grace, Elderbrook, Joel Corry and Alok.
That same weekend will also see Goodlive’s Superbloom take place at the Olympic Park in Munich, which has unveiled its expanded lineup. Joining Calvin Harris on the bill are Burna Boy, Shirin David, Jorja Smith, Milky Chance, Loyle Carner, Loreen and Chappell Roan.
Previously confirmed acts included Sam Smith, The Chainsmokers, CRO, Louis Tomlinson, RIN, Provinz, Tokio Hotel, Nothing But Thieves, Kenya Grace and David Puentez. For the first time, there will also be readings by renowned authors, including Ilona Hartmann and Phia Quantius, with two crime podcasts also represented.
“Ticket sales are going well: we are certainly further ahead than this time last year”
Meanwhile, Pukkelpop, which will be held in Hasselt between 15-18 August, sold out all combination tickets in less than 48 hours, according to organisers.
The event will star the likes of Fred Again.., Stormzy, Sam Smith, Queens of the Stone Age, The Offspring, Charlotte de Witte, Goldband, Raye, Inhaler, Sugababes, The Vaccines, Skrillex, Jorja Smith, The Smile and Denzel Curry.
Also in Belgium, the resurgent Gent Jazz Festival is expanding from ten to 13 days and has confirmed André 3000 among this year’s performers. The 5,500-cap series runs from 5-20 July and will also feature names such as Diana Krall, Laufey, Jamie Cullum, Air, Alexis Ffrench, DJ Shadow, Nile Rodgers & Chic and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
Ghent-based promoter and booking agency Greenhouse Talent took over the international jazz festival last year after previous organiser – the non-profit Jazz en Muziek – went backrupt at the end of 2022.
“For us, the expansion is an essential intervention to guarantee our survival,” organiser Pascal Van De Velde tells De Standaard. “It is difficult for a festival in our niche and with our capacity to break even, and we did not want to save on costs. So we found the solution in extra days: this allows us to spread the basic costs of the festival.
“Ticket sales are going well: we are certainly further ahead than this time last year.”
AIF reports that 21 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024
Elsewhere, Smash’s Fuji Rock, which will grace Japan’s Naeba Ski Resort in Tokyo from 26-28 July, has added Peggy Gou and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds as headliners alongside Kraftwerk. Other new additions include Remi Wolf, Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder, Denki Groove, Kid Fresno, Man With a Mission, Sampha, Teddy Swims, Macaroni Empitsu, The Spellbound and Kim Gordon.
And AEG’s BST Hyde Park in London has revealed Morgan Wallen as its final 2024 headliner. The country music superstar will perform on 4 July, completing a lineup which also includes SZA (29 June), Kings of Leon (30 June), Andrea Bocelli (5 July), Robbie Williams (6 July), Shania Twain (7 July), Stevie Nicks (12 July), Kylie Minogue (13 July) and Stray Kids (14 July).
However, trade body the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) reports that 21 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024.
Cotswolds-based Nibley Festival has announced that this year’s event will be its last, shortly after Bradford’s Bingley Festival announced that its 2024 edition will not go ahead.
Promoters of both festivals have cited rapidly rising production costs as the reason why running their event is no longer viable. Portsmouth rock and metal festival Takedown also recently postponed to 2025, citing “challenging trading conditions” among other factors.
AIF warns that, without intervention, the UK could see over 100 festivals disappear in 2024 due to rising costs and has reiterated the need for temporary support from the UK government to lower VAT from 20% to 5% on ticket sales for the next three years.
“It’s with grave concern that we again sound the alarm to government upon passing this critical milestone,” says AIF CEO John Rostron. “UK festivals are disappearing at a worrying rate, and we as a nation are witnessing the erosion of one of our most successful and unique cultural industry sectors.
“We have done the research: a reduction of VAT to 5% on festival tickets over the next three years is a conservative, targeted and temporary measure that would save almost all of the festival businesses that are likely to fall by the wayside this year and many more over the years to come. We need this intervention now.”
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Festivals 2024: EXIT, Rock for People, Bonnaroo
Festival lineup announcements have continued to come thick and fast in Europe and the United States as this summer’s calendar takes shape.
Serbia’s EXIT Festival has unveiled its first 24 acts for its 2024 edition, EXIT Starseeds, which is set for the Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, from 10-14 July.
The lineup is headlined by the Black Eyed Peas, Tom Morello, and Gucci Mane, with other acts to include DJ Carl Cox, Bonobo, KlangKuenstler, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Barry Can’t Swim, Franky Wah, and Mene. In addition, the Tesla Universe Stage will showcase the likes of Kenya Grace, Iniko, Rudimental, John Newman, The Exploited, Dub FX, Willy William, Ian Asher, and Steve Angello, and Joker Out.
Villagers of Ioannina City and Lakeside X are the first names confirmed for Visa Fusion Stage, while the Explosive Stage will feature Coroner and Nemesis.
Held under the slogan “Awakening our Superpowers Together”, EXIT Starseeds also has a special Starseeds Takeover performance on its Tesla Universe Stage reserved for day zero.
Elsewhere, Czechia’s Rock for People, which will be headlined by The Prodigy, The Offspring, Bring Me The Horizon and Yungblud, has added to its lineup. The event, which will take place at Park 360, Hradec Králové, from 12-15 June, will also star Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Dogstar, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, Enter Shikari, Parkway Drive, Bombay Bicycle Club, Body Count ft. Ice-T, Dogstar, Neck Deep, Thy Art Is Murder, Missio and Royal Republic, among others.
Meanwhile, Craig David, Ne-Yo, DJ Spoony, So Solid Crew and Shola Ama are the first acts unveiled for Ashton Gate Presents BS3. The new multi-artist event in Bristol, UK, will feature ten acts across two stages on 22 June.
In the US, Boston Calling will be held from 24-26 May in Allston, MA, headlined by Ed Sheeran, Tyler Childers and The Killers. The lineup also includes Leon Bridges, Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB, Hozier, Reneé Rapp, Khruangbin, Megan Thee Stallion, Jessie Murph, Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls, and Young the Giant.
It will also serve as a celebration of New England’s music scene, featuring over 20 artists from the region including Beach Weather, Kieran Rhodes, Senseless Optimism, Tysk Tysk Task, and Bad Rabbits, who opened the inaugural festival in 2013.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is scheduled for 13-16 June on the Bonnaroo Farm, 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN, with this year’s highlights including performances from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Pretty Lights, Megan Thee Stallion, Cage The Elephant and a US festival exclusive performance by Fred Again..
Also on the bill: Maggie Rogers, Melanie Martinez, Khruangbin, Cigarettes After Sex, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Diplo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Fisher, Jon Batiste, Dominic Fike, Parcels, Idles, Joey Bada$$, Lizzy McAlpine, T-Pain, Interpol, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Two Friends, Taking Back Sunday, Gary Clark Jr, TV Girl, Thundercat, Ashnikko and Brittany Howard.
Southern California’s electronic music-focused Beyond Wonderland will host acts such as The Chainsmokers, Benny Benassi, Alesso, Madeon, Subtronics, Basscon, Rezz, Wax Motif, Chris Lorenzo, J. Worra, Gareth Emery, Zeds Dead and Afrojack b2b R3hab at NOS Events Center, San Bernardino, on 22-23 March.
And BottleRock Napa Valley has already sold out three-day tickets for its 24-26 May gathering, topped by Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam and Ed Sheeran. It will also feature artists including Queens Of The Stone Age, Megan Thee Stallion, Maná, St Vincent, Nelly, Miike Snow, Bebe Rexha, Kali Uchis, The Kid Laroi, My Morning Jacket, Dominic Fike, Norah Jones, The Offspring, All Time Low and Holly Humberstone.
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