Are you a music enthusiast looking for the best live music experience? From jazz to rock, hip hop to electronic dance music, there are festivals for every genre. But which are the biggest music festivals in the world? Here we take a look at the 10 biggest music festivals, from the iconic Woodstock Festival to the record-breaking Mawazine Festival in Morocco. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is one of the most renowned musical events in the history of jazz. It celebrates the city's vibrant culture and brings together some of New Orleans' best local musicians. The festival is of historic importance because its first editions were overshadowed by the racial segregation of the Jim Crow era.
The Essence Music Festival is a celebration of African-American culture and its global impact. Organized by Essence, a magazine aimed at African-American women, it has hosted artists such as Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, John Legend, Snoop Dogg and many more. With a record attendance of 470,000 spectators, it is one of the biggest music festivals in the world. The Sziget Festival, held in Budapest, Hungary, takes place on an island of 108 hectares (266 acres). It's seven days of pop-rock music and features fan-favorite artists from all over the world.
The first editions of the festival were organized in response to a crisis of music festivals motivated by a lack of government funding. As one of the most vibrant cities in the world, it makes sense that Rio de Janeiro is also home to the equally legendary Rock in Rio. With an astonishing 700,000 festival attendees, it began as a minor student event and became one of the biggest rock festivals in the world. The Pol'and'Rock Festival, formerly known as Woodstock Festival Poland, pays homage to its classic 1969 namesake. It has become one of Europe's most renowned musical events and features mud baths as part of its Woodstock traditions. The Summerfest, held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, held the Guinness World Record as the biggest music festival in the world until 1999. It is still very close to the podium today and attracts quite spectacular numbers. The iconic Montreal International Jazz Festival is like Christmas Day for jazz lovers.
With more than 3000 artists spread over 20 stages and up to 650 performances per edition, it is no surprise that it is also the biggest jazz festival in the world. The second largest music festival in the world can be visited in Rabat (Morocco), at Mawazine. It was once attended by 2.5 million visitors and has only seven stages despite its huge audience. It began as a world music event before transforming into a pop-rock festival. The biggest music festival in the world is held in Vienna, Austria - home to some of history's greatest composers - at Donauinselfest. The first edition was attended by 160,000 people - far more than expected - and it has since become one of Europe's most popular music events. Music festivals attract a lot of people - with an average attendance of 100,000 attendees - but these 10 biggest festivals have attendance figures that will leave you speechless!.
