Top 5 Rock & Metal Music Festivals in 2023
Do you love the various forms of rock or subgenres of metal? Do you want a head-banging good time? We have you covered this summer with our top 5 rock and metal music festivals of 2023.
With the start of summer come various festivals worldwide, and they are a great way to relax for the weekend and let loose. Rock and metal festivals in particular are much more than just music shows, they are incredible year-marking experiences. You can meet people with similar musical tastes as well as enjoy the various sights and tastes around the festival grounds. Best of all, listen to some of the greatest music on the planet.
Without further ado, here are rock and metal festival recommendations for Summer 2023.
Louder Than Life Festival
Set in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, the Louder Than Life event annually features some of the greatest names in the rock and metal scene. While it was cancelled back in 2020 due to Covid, it has returned stronger than ever and expanded to four days.
While you listen to head-banging music you can also try the various whiskeys, craft beers, and gourmet dishes. Be sure to also check out all the exhibits as well.
It will all go down in September where you can listen to numerous bands performing multiple times over the four days. From Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age to Tool, Megadeth, and Pantera, there is something for everyone.
Louder Than Life Music Dates & Tickets
September 21 – September 24, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Four-day runtime with options for daily tickets
Get your Louder Than Life Festival tickets here!
Aftershock Festival
The Aftershock Festival features a similar format to the previous entry with 4 days of headbanging greatness. Furthermore, the lineup is mostly similar with some variations. For example, you can witness the greatness of Korn on October 5th and 7th.
There are also various exhibits, food, and drinks to be found all over the festival grounds. Moreover, the festival also takes place over 4 days. You can find the festival grounds in Discovery Park in Sacramento. The location is wonderfully separated from the traffic or the city so you can simply relax and enjoy the great music.
Aftershock Festival Music Dates & Tickets
October 5 – October 8, Discovery Park, Sacramento, California
Four-day runtime with options for daily tickets
Get your Aftershock Festival tickets here!
ProgPower USA Festival
Progressive rock and metal fans, as well as power metal fans rejoice! The ProgPower Festival is returning stronger than ever from its delays in previous years. This is where you will find some of the best progressive rock and metal music from all over the world. Days 1 & 2 feature Elvenking from Italy, Sallow the Sun from Finland, Doro from Germany, Ice Age from the US, and many more. Power metal fans, Battle Beast is set for Days 3 & 4, as well as Kamelot and the symphonic Ad Infinitum just to name a few.
This is bound to be one of the most symphonic and epic festivals of 2023.
ProgPower USA Music Dates & Tickets
September 6 – September 9, Flushing Meadows – Center Stage Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia.
Four-day runtime with options for daily tickets
Get your ProgPower USA Festival tickets here!
Glastonbury Festival
On a more classic rock note, we have the 50+ year-old Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. Of course, you can find world-renowned rock music here but there is more. In addition to music, the festival hosts dance shows, comedy, theatre, circus, and other arts.
It is a massive campsite in Pilton, Somerset, England hosting around 200,000 people annually. Certainly one of the biggest festivals on our list, Glastonbury is a must-see event. Between the 21st and 25th of June 2023, you can listen to Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John and many more globally recognized artists and bands.
Glastonbury Music Dates & Tickets
June 21 – June 25, Pilton, Somerset, England
Five-day runtime with options for daily tickets
Get your Glastonbury Festival tickets here!
Lollapalooza Chicago Festival
At the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, you will find some of the greatest artists and bands of alternative rock, heavy metal, and punk. Of course, a lot of the bands feature a blend of genres or subgenres so the festival is highly accessible to all lovers of rock and metal. The festival is held in Grant Park hosting around 350,000 people each summer and sells out annually so be sure to hurry with the tickets.
The festival also features various forms of visual arts on display so there is always something new to see between performances.
Lollapalooza Music Dates & Tickets
August 3 – August 6, Grant Park, Chicago
Four-day runtime with options for daily tickets
Get your Lollapalooza Festival tickets here!
Honourable Mention – Wacken Open Air Festival
Last but not least, be sure to check out the Wacken Open Air Festival before it is sold out. Grab the chance to listen to the mighty Iron Maiden on August 4th at Gribbohm, Germany before the tickets are sold out.
Get your Wacken Festival tickets and experience Iron Maide in the open air here!
