20 artists who launched their own music festivals

J. Cole has always been an advocate for showing love to his home state of North Carolina. In 2019, he launched his annual Dreamville Festival which took place at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh and held a crowd of around 35,000. During that first year, the lineup included several artists from Cole’s label including Bas, J.I.D., and Ari Lennox, alongside other artists like Big Sean, 21 Savage, SZA, Rapsody, and of course Cole as the headliner. Throughout the years, lineups have included Wale, Wizkid, Burna Boy, GloRilla, ScHoolboy Q, Monica, Usher, and more. 

When Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R. announced her Lights On Festival (named after one of her songs, of course), it was an R&B lover’s dream. The two-day festival was held in Concord, Calif. and featured a star-studded lineup that included Masego, Ari Lennox, Lucky Daye, Blxst, Tiana Major9, Bryson Tiller, Muni Long, Erykah Badu, and of course H.E.R. The festival was very special to the Bay Area, not only because H.E.R. grew up in Vallejo, but because not many artists from the area can say they held a festival there. 

Hip-hop band The Roots have held their annual Roots Picnic since 2009. Held in their hometown of Philadelphia, Roots Picnic is perfect for fans who enjoy hip-hop, pop, and R&B. Throughout the years, lineups have included Public Enemy, Mayer Hawthorne, Nas, Little Dragon, Mac Miller, Solange, Erykah Badu, Kirk Franklin, SWV, Kaytranada, Usher, and Mary J. Blige. In recent years, Roots Picnic has expanded to include live tapings of podcasts including The Joe Budden Podcast, Jemele Hill Is Unbothered,  and Questlove Supreme. 

Back in 1991, Jane’s Addiction member Perry Farrell launched Lollapalooza as part of a farewell tour for the band. While the festival is annually held in Chicago, Lollapalooza has also expanded internationally across countries like Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and France. Since the festival’s inception, lineups have included Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, A Tribe Called Quest, Panic! At the Disco, Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, Lady Gaga, Erykah Badu, and SZA. 

Pharrell has always been proud of hailing from Virginia Beach, and he wanted to give back to the city that raised him with his Something in the Water Festival. Launched in 2019, the two-day festival had a star-studded lineup that consisted of several artists like Janelle Monae, Jhene Aiko, Busta Rhymes, Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, SWV, as well as other Virginia natives like Chris Brown, Timbaland, Trey Songz, Pusha T, and Missy Elliott. While the festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, Pharrell brought it back in 2022. The lineup that year included T.I., Anderson .Paak, Ozuna, Chloe x Halle, Tierra Whack, Usher, and more. 

Tyler, The Creator started his annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival back in 2012. Held in his hometown of Los Angeles, the festival has been held every year except between 2020 to 2022 due the to pandemic. In 2016, Tyler changed the festival to two days instead of one day. Throughout the years, the lineup has consisted of artists like Lil Wayne, ScHoolboy Q, The Internet, Rick Ross, Pharrell Williams, Mac Miller, Kehlani, Erykah Badu, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar. 

Rapper Ludacris once said, “Please tell your lovers and friends, that Usher, Jon, and Luda had to do it again” on their 2004 track “Lovers and Friends.” Well, Usher decided to take the song to another level in 2022 when he named his festival after it, Lovers & Friends. Held in the city of Las Vegas, Lovers & Friends Festival is essential for fans of ‘90s and 2000s R&B, pop, and hip-hop. Since its inception, the lineups have consisted of Lauryn Hill, TLC, Ashanti, Brandy, Ja Rule, Nelly, Monica, T-Pain, Lil Kim, Mya, Twista, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Sean Paul, Christina Aguilera, and so much more. 

Legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne first launched Ozzfest back in 1996. In pure Ozzy form, the festival was catered towards fans of genres like heavy metal and alternative. Over the years, the lineups have consisted of artists like Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, Korn, Evanescence, Slash, and Black Sabbath.

In 2012, Jay Z launched his annual Made In America festival held at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Two years later, Jay and his team did something a little different, the festival was held in both Philadelphia and Los Angeles on the same weekend. Over the years, the two-day festival lineups have consisted of artists like Pearl Jam, Skrillex, D’Angelo, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Imagine Dragons, J. Cole, Rihanna, Coldplay, Megan Thee Stallion, Bad Bunny, and of course Jay himself.  

Drake started his annual OVO Festival back in the early days of his career. First launched in 2010, Drake saw OVO Fest as a way to not only give back to his hometown of Toronto but to help platform other artists. Some of the lineups have included Nicki Minaj, dvsn, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Jeezy, Bun B, Usher, Big Sean, Kanye West, Migos, Outkast, and Popcaan. 

Following the release of his critically-acclaimed 2016 album Coloring Book, Chance the Rapper decided to do something special for his hometown of Chicago. In the middle of his 2016 Magnificient Coloring Tour, Chance announced the Magnificent Coloring Day Festival would be held at the Chicago White Sox stadium U.S. Cellular Field. The lineup included Lil Uzi Vert, Skrillex, Common, Kanye West, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, 2 Chainz, and Tyler, The Creator.

In 2012, nu metal band Slipknot launched their festival Knotfest which consisted mostly of fellow heavy metal and alternative acts. Over the years, Knotfest has been held across the world including California, Mexico, France, Australia, Germany, and Brazil. Some of the lineups have included Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Deftones, Of Mice & Men, Korn, Lamb of God, Judas Priest, and of course Slipknot. 

Back in 2015, Lil Wayne decided to give back to his fans and the city of New Orleans with his annual Lil WeezyAna Festival. Over the years, some of the hottest names in hip-hop have graced the WeezyAna stage including Gucci Mane, Drake, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, Rick Ross, Birdman, Mannie Fresh, and even a reunion with Wayne’s former group the Hot Boys.

Following in the footsteps of artists who came before him, Jack Harlow is showing love to his hometown of Louisville. In 2024, he brought the Kentucky city his first music-curated event, the Gazebo Festival. The lineup included performances by SZA, Amaraae, Vince Staples, Larry June, Pink Pantheress, and of course, Harlow himself. 

Since Travis Scott grew up in the city of Houston, he gave back to the city in 2018 by launching his annual festival AstroWorld. Throughout the years, the lineups have included artists like Rae Sremmurd, Pharrell, Pop Smoke, Marilyn Manson, Metro Boomin, SZA, and 21 Savage. Although festivals should be filled with fans having a fun and good time, AstroWorld faced a lot of controversy and lawsuits in 2021 after a crowd stampede caused the deaths of ten attendees. 

In 2022, Mary J. Blige launched her annual Strength of Woman Festival & Summit, which includes live performances and panel discussions. Since its inception, the festival has had set lists from artists like Chaka Khan, Ella Mai, Usher, Method Man, Robert Glasper, Lucky Daye, Summer Walker, Lola Brooke, The Clark Sisters, and Jill Scott. 

Country artist Morgan Wallen is set to launch his first music festival Sand In My Boots starting in 2025. The three-day festival will take place in Alabama and feature performances from Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, The War on Drugs, T-Pain, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Three 6 Mafia, HARDY, and more. 

In 2014, London rapper Skepta launched his first curated event, the Big Smoke Festival. Held in London, the festival included performances from YG Marley, Mahalia, K Trap, Syreeta, Uncle Waffles, The Streets, Jammer, Ossie, and more. 

Pop singer Dua Lipa and her father Dukagjin Lipa launched their inaugural Sunny Hill Festival back in 2018. Known as the largest music festival held in Kosovo, performances have consisted of artists like J Balvin, Diplo, Skepta, Burna Boy, Bebe Rexha, and Stormzy. 

In 2024, rapper Amine launched his first The Best Day Ever Festival in his hometown of Portland. The two-day festival consisted of performances by BADBADNOTGOOD, KAYTRANADA, Ravyn Lenae, Toro y Moi, and more.