Photo by Zachary Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella / Photo by REBEL Media/Getty Images
The overseas festival lineups are starting to flood in thick and fast so if you're thinking of jumping a plane for one of them, make sure you make the right choice.
Coachella
Palm Springs, USA
12 April - 21 April 2019
Coachella is one of the first huge music festivals of the year and it always delivers with one of the biggest lineups of the year. Set in the Palm Springs desert, it's a beautiful looking festival with plenty of beautiful people too. You're most likely to rub shoulders with Rihanna here while it's also the only festival to see Ariana Grande at this year.
Lineup Highlights: Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, Solange, Aphex Twin, BLACKPINK
Bonnaroo
Tennessee, USA
13 June - 16 June 2019
Bonnaroo has been running for 16 years now. Set in a farm in Tennessee, it's the closest you're going to get to Glastonbury on the US side of the pond. It began focussing on jam and rock bands but it's since expanded and this year is boasting one of its most diverse bills yet. It's got the rock side with Phish signed on for three unique sets but favourites Post Malone, Cardi B and Childish Gambino will also be there.
Lineup Highlights: Post Malone, Cardi B, Childish Gambino, Kacey Musgraves, Solange, Brockhampton
Governors Ball
New York, USA
31 May - 2 June 2019
If you're looking for a city festival experience, they don't get much better than this one. Located on Randall Island right in between Manhattan and Queens, it's the festival for those who want to party and then go back to reality in a hotel. This year, it's delivered one of its best lineups to date shaking it up with fresh headliners Tyler The Creator, SZA and Florence + The Machine.
Lineup Highlights: SZA, Tyler The Creator, Lil Wayne, Kaytranada, Lily Allen, Charli XCX
Glastonbury
Glastonbury, UK
26 June - 30 June 2019
Glastonbury is one of those festivals you book without even worrying about the lineup. It's a bucket list experience and a marathon week of music, art, comedy and anything else you wander into. When you think of an overseas festival, you're probably visualising Glasto - the flags, the mud, the crowds and the huge stages. So far this year, it's elevated Stormzy to headline status, enlisted Janelle Monae and also tapped Kylie Minogue for the legends slot.
Lineup Highlights: Janelle Monae, Stormzy, Kylie Minogue
Primavera Sound
Barcelona, Spain
30 May - 1 June 2019
The Primavera Sound lineup is the best one we've seen yet. If you're a fan of left-centred pop, you're not going to be able to contain yourself with this lineup. On just one of the days, it's enlisted Tame Impala, Cardi B, Robyn, Janelle Monae, Carly Rae Jepsen and Mura Masa. Elsewhere, there's also Solange, Future, James Blake and just so much more. Ridiculous.
Lineup Highlights: Cardi B, Robyn, Charli XCX, Janelle Monae, Carly Rae Jepsen, James Blake, Solange, Rosalia
Roskilde
Roskilde, Denmark
29 June - 6 July 2019
Roskilde is one of the biggest festivals in the world. The Danish event stretches over eight days and hosts more than 130,000 visitors. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and has since expanded into an absolute giant. This year, it's once again delivered with a diverse lineup that's still expanding. So far, it's tapped Travis Scott, The Cure and Robyn for headline slots while also lining up Christine & The Queens, Brockhampton and Jungle. Sign us up.
Lineup Highlights: Travis Scott, Robyn, Christine & The Queens, Brockhampton, Alma
Mad Cool
Madrid, Spain
11 July - 13 July 2019
Mad Cool is only in its fourth year of existence but it's already being considered one of the best lineups in Europe. Rivalling Barcelona's huge array of festivals, Mad Cool is in Madrid. Rock and dance collide on its 2019 lineup which sees Bon Iver alongside The Chemical Brothers, Vampire Weekend next to Kaytranada and The Smashing Pumpkins billed close to Eric Prydz.
Lineup Highlights: Robyn, Vampire Weekend, The Chemical Brothers, Vince Staples, Kaytranada
Reading & Leeds Festival
Reading & Leeds, UK
23 August - 25 August 2019
Reading & Leeds festival used to be the UK's go-to for rock music but as the genre has faded in popularity, it's successfully moved with the times. In 2019, it delivered one of its most genre-varied bills and while it pissed off the rock purists, it's made plenty of people happy. For the rock dogs, it's tapped Foo Fighters and Twenty One Pilots but they're set to play alongside Post Malone, Juice WRLD, The 1975 and more.
Lineup Highlights: The 1975, Juice WRLD, Twenty One Pilots
Sziget
Budapest, Hungary
7 August - 13 August 2019
Sziget is a monster of a festival, the sort that only Eastern Europe could get away with. It hosts more than 1,000 performances each year and stretches over a week but if you've got the stamina, there's plenty to entertain. The festival nabs more big pop names than most major festivals and has this year grabbed Ed Sheeran for the top spot. He's due to play alongside The 1975, Florence + The Machine, CHVRCHES and heaps more still to be announced.
Lineup Highlights: The 1975, Florence + The Machine, CHVRCHES
Exit Festival
Novi Sad, Serbia
4 July - 7 July 2019
If you're looking for the most interesting festival location, land at Exit Festival. The Serbian event is held in a fortress in Novi Sad, attracting around 200,000 people each year. It's not just the location that's a drawcard though, the lineup is also impressive. This year's bill is still being announced but so far The Cure, Carl Cox and Greta Van Fleet are in.
Lineup Highlights: The Cure, Carl Cox
