Ah, another list. A monument to noise, really. You want me to… polish it? Make it sound less like a fever dream and more like something that might appear in a respectable publication. Fine. But don't expect me to find any profound meaning in the relentless thumping. It’s just… sound. Lots of it.
List of electronic music festivals
Main articles: Live electronic music and List of music festivals
This article aims to be a comprehensive catalog of music festivals that prominently feature electronic music. Electronic music, a broad category encompassing sounds created with electronic instruments such as electric guitars and keyboards, and more recently, genres like electronic dance music (EDM), has found a vibrant home in festivals worldwide. While many are concentrated in the United States and Europe, the phenomenon is global, with thousands of electronic-focused events occurring annually. This compilation generally excludes festivals that are primarily multi-genre with only a tangential inclusion of electronic acts, such as Glastonbury, Summer Sonic Festival, and Big Day Out, or those that have simply added EDM stages in recent years.
The roots of electronic music in festivals stretch back to the early 20th century, with its presence in experimental music traditions like electroacoustic and tape music. The 1950s witnessed a significant expansion in the use of live electronic music, alongside the growing influence of the electric guitar and bass. The subsequent decades brought forth a technological revolution, fueling the rise of diverse electronic genres. The 1960s saw the emergence of electronic rock, electronic jazz, disco, computer music, synthpop, psychedelic rock, and ambient music, often showcased at large free festivals throughout the 1970s. By the 1980s, advancements in amplifiers, sequencers, synthesizers, and personal computers equipped with digital audio workstations had revolutionized music production. This technological leap empowered electronic musicians and DJs to craft intricate and complex sonic landscapes, leading to the proliferation of festivals dedicated to genres like techno, electronica, trance music, house music, and industrial. These genres spawned massive gatherings, including raves, technoparades, algoraves, doofs, and teknivals, each catering to specific subcultures and sonic explorations.
Festivals by Debut Year
1800s–1950s: The Dawn of Electroacoustics
While the concept of a music festival is ancient, the integration of electronic elements, even in their nascent forms, began to appear in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These early instances were often subtle, woven into broader classical and folk traditions rather than forming the core of the event.
| Name | Year(s) | Locale | Notes
1960s: The Era of Rock and Pop Ascendancy
The 1960s were a pivotal decade for music festivals, marked by the explosion of rock and pop music and the rise of large-scale outdoor gatherings. These events became crucibles for burgeoning genres and countercultural movements.
| Name | Year(s) | Location | Notes