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DJs featured in their annual top-100 ranking were asked to vote for their favorite festivals. Comparing all this data, the top 5 best EDM festivals for 2021 were formed. Did your favorite festival make the list? Read about it below.

01. TOMORROWLAND

Still number one after more than a decade in the game, Tomorrowland is the leading benchmark for electronic music festivals in Europe. Known for its impressive production, stage design, lighting, visual effects and comprehensive mythology, it has become something of a pilgrimage for dance music fans all over the world.

The Tomorrowland Festival has long been an absolutely iconic value among events of its kind. “Tomorrowland” stands out from the largest EDM festivals in the world because of the explosive energy and phantasmagoric fairy tale atmosphere created here. Cyclopean sets and powerful stage speakers turn every artist’s performance into a colorful spectacle that draws a crowd of thousands of ravers. The dramatic effect is complemented by enchanting laser and pyrotechnic shows. 

The list of Tomorrowland headliners has included the most popular electronic musicians on the planet for more than 10 years, including Armin van Buuren, Skrillex, David Guetta, Martin Solveig, Hardwell, Steve Aoki, Carl Cox, Paul van Dyk, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. Every year the festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors. The sister event Tomorrowland Brasil, held in spring in Sao Paulo, is equally popular.

02. GLASTONBURY

The Glastonbury Festival is one of the world’s most famous music and performing arts festivals. Covering every genre across the spectrum, from rock and pop to minimal house, techno and drum ‘n’ bass, all music lovers flock to Somerset County’s spiritual fields.

03. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Probably the most recognizable global brand in electronic dance music, first organized in 1999 and named after the Depeche Mode album, Ultra Music Festival is one of North America’s biggest festivals. UMF is known for two things: a very tight lineup and a crazy atmosphere. Every year hundreds of thousands of people gather at Bayfront Park to hear the biggest names in electronic music and hip-hop.

04. AWAKENINGS

Awakenings is a techno festival in Spaarnwood, just outside of Amsterdam. The annual Awakenings event sounds from its legendary home in Gashouder, and can claim to be the biggest outdoor techno festival in the world.  With laser shows, non-stop music, the festival hosts some of the biggest names and stars of the rising scene. 

05. SÓNAR

Sónar-festival of electronic and alternative music in Barcelona, Spain. One of the most famous and widely respected festivals of its kind in the world. Sónar has built its reputation as a center for experimental and underground culture. This manifests itself not only through an extensive music program that welcomes big names along with new talents, but also through a series of art installations, workshops, talks. In this way, the festival attracts not only music lovers, but also industry professionals united by a common desire to explore the musical and artistic avant-garde.

author avatar
Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor
Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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