Eclectic mix: The festival lineup revolution
Organisers from Sziget, Estéreo Picnic & Electric Castle speak to IQ about why the traditional rules no longer apply
News By Hanna Ellington | 8 May 2025
Festivals worldwide are reaping the rewards of diversifying their lineups as audience tastes evolve, organisers tell IQ.
According to a joint report by IQ and music biz directory and data platform ROSTR, which analysed the lineups of 50 top European festivals, rock/indie acts accounted for just 30% of headliners in 2024, compared with 43% the previous year.
Conversely, genres like hip-hop (14%), dance/electronic (26%), R&B/soul (4%), metal (5%), and “other” (5%) – including country, folk and classical, all experienced growth.
Hungary’s Sziget Festival will welcome…
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