EXCLUSIVE. Dozens of musical festivals thrill the French every year. But what are the most popular events? Our survey carried out in partnership with YouGov makes it possible to distinguish the most appreciated.
France appreciates, loves… adores music festivals! After a blank period due to the pandemic, musical events are once again full, and everything is in good shape for these great moments of festivity to retain their fervor this year. In 2022, there were nearly 7.4 million French people in the 100 biggest French festivals, according to calculations by the specialized site All Festivals. According to the Ministry of Culture, there are nearly 4,000 music festivals in France!
Another strong point is their diversity: there is something for everyone and everywhere around you during the summer period, or even the rest of the year. Still, among these musical events, some have a special place in the hearts of the French. What are the festivals where the French most want to go? The YouGov polling institute asked the question for Linternaute to a large panel of more than 2,000 people representative of French society.
We have carried out, with a solid methodology, five rankings. They make it possible to establish in each major musical category the favorite festivals of the French. And since these major events are constantly being renewed, teeming with ideas, bringing new generations every year, we have also highlighted the favorite festivals of the youngest!
What are the favorite “current music” festivals of the French?
YouGov and Linternaute asked a panel of French adults who know the current music festivals selected to give the name of the one they would like to go to. In France, this is the category with the most musical events, with, at the top of the list, the most famous festivals in France, like the Old plowsPrintemps de Bourges, Solidays or Nuits de Fourvière.
► The favorite festival of the French in the category “Current music” is the Vieilles Charrues festival.
What are the favorite rock/metal festivals of the French?
2,017 people answered this question: which of these rock/metal festivals do you know? Among them, 1,279 answered positively, leading us to the following question: among the current rock/metal festivals below, which one would you like to go to in priority, this year or in the future? And here are their answers:
► The favorite festival of the French in the category “Rock or metal music” is the Hellfest.
What are the favorite electro, pop, indie and urban music festivals of the French?
Large category than those of new musical currents, from electro to urban music, including pop and independent music. Out of a panel of French adults who know at least one of the festivals on offer, 10.4% would choose the TransMusicales of Rennes, as well as the famous Main Square. In third place in this ranking, it is the Nuits sonores which seem to be favored by those surveyed.
► The favorite festival of the French in the category “electro, pop, indie or urban” is the Transmusicales festival.
What are the favorite classical and traditional music festivals of the French?
In terms of classical music and traditional music, the most popular festival among our panel of French respondents is, without a doubt, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, which in 2022 brought together some 900,000 festival-goers. Here is the entire ranking, established thanks to 1,058 French adults who know at least one classical and traditional music festival.
► The favorite festival of the French in the category “classical and traditional music” is the Interceltic Festival of Lorient.
What are the favorite jazz festivals of the French?
Jazz festivals are popular in France! Bringing together several thousand festival-goers each year, these events are organized across the country. But which is the favorite of the French? We asked a panel of connoisseurs representative of French society which jazz festival they would like to go to first, this year or in the future.
► The favorite festival of the French in the “jazz” category is the Jazz in Marciac festival.
The favorite music festivals of 18-34 year olds
This survey carried out by YouGov for Linternaute makes it possible to examine the interest shown in music festivals by young people, taking into account only the responses of respondents aged between 18 and 34 years old. It emerges that the tastes of the youngest, their desires and their interestare not the same as those of their elders. 20% of 18-34 year olds questioned during our survey intend to go to a festival in 2023 and 17% to several musical events. Here are the five festivals acclaimed by young French people in this age group, by category:
- Current music : the favorite festival of 18-34 year olds is the festival of Old plows ;
- Rock/metal: the favorite festival for 18-34 year olds is the Hellfest ;
- Electro/pop/indie/urban : the favorite festival of 18-34 year olds is the festival of Nights sound ;
- Classical/traditional music: the favorite festival of 18-34 year olds is the Festival Interceltic of Lorient ;
- Jazz : the favorite festival of 18-34 year olds is the Paris Jazz Festival.
The favorite music festivals of 18-24 year olds?
18-24 year olds still have different tastes: this shows that the renewed image and programming offered by certain events works. The favorite festivals of the youngest adults are the following, in each category: the Lollapalooza Paris festival, the Hellfest festival, the Les Nuits sonores festival, the Grand Est’ival festival and the Paris Jazz Festival.
Here are the lessons that we can draw from this study carried out by the YouGov institute for Linternaute about the youngest:
- Among the 18-24 year olds who responded to our survey, 24% plan to go to several music festivals in 2023 : this is the highest rate of all the age categories studied.
- In the category of current music festivals, it is the Lollapalooza Paris which appears at the top of the festivals which intend to go to the 18-24 year olds (9%). And this in front Solidays (8.9%), second and Old Plows (8.8%), yet popular with other age categories.
- Like their elders, on the rock/metal festival side, 18-24 year olds choose the Hellfest (18%), then Rock in the Seine (11%) and The Rock Road (9%).
- On the electro, pop, independent and urban music side, it’s the festival of Sound Nights which is most appreciated by 18-24 year olds (16%), which is much more important than in the other age categories. THE MaMA Festival Parisian comes in second place (12%), ahead of the Main Square Festival (10%).
- If 18-24 year olds had to choose just one classical or traditional music festival from the given list, it would be the Great Summer ! The itinerant event of the Grand Est imposes itself on the Lorient Interceltic Festival and the Lille Piano(s) Festival.
- In the category of jazz festivals, young people aged 18 to 24 would choose, from the proposed list, the Paris Jazz Festival (19%), then Jazz in Juan (14%) and finally, Jazz in Marciac.