From country music to electronic dance music, from indie rock to alternative music, there are many music festivals around the Chicago area to attend this summer.

  Three popular music festivals in the Chicago area include Pitchfork, Country Thunder, and Lollapalooza.

  Pitchfork may not be as big as festivals like Lollapalooza, but the Union Park, Chicago festival still covers a wide variety of music.

   “It’s a three-day music festival that has many different genres of music. There are bands from alternative rock, rap and hip hop, electronica, and dance music,” Ariana Soheil, senior, said.

Country Thunder is a four-day music festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Unlike other music fests, this fest also doubles as a campsite for people who want to stay overnight for all four days of the festival.

     “Everyone there was so nice, welcoming, and just having fun,” Devon Kennedy, sophomore, said. “I think the whole vibe is different [from other music festivals]. It’s country music, so it’s more kicked back and relaxed. It’s not a huge, four-day party, it’s more of a gathering.”

Lollapalooza is a three-day music festival in Grant Park, Chicago that encompasses a variety of music, ranging from indie pop to electronic dance music. This music festival spans across 115 acres with a variety of stages.

Who to listen for:

At Lollapalooza:

Portugal. The Man will be returning to Lollapalooza for this third time this year for obvious reasons. This indie-rock band has a unique, vintage sound with a Beatles influence.

Songs like “Evil Friends” and “Purple yellow red and blue” from their album Evil Friends are upbeat and showcase their versatility from indie-rock to indie-pop. Portugal. The Man is similar to bands like Arctic Monkeys and MGMT, who have also performed at Lollapalooza in previous years.

At Country Thunder:

Thomas Rhett will be performing at Country Thunder this summer. Rhett has a unique, soulful tone in his voice, which can be heard in some of his singles like “Get me some of that” and “It goes like this.”

“Country, rock, and hip-hop were what I was raised on,” Rhett said in an article on Country Thunder’s website. “It’s a strange combination, but it all leaks into what I write.”

Rhett is similar to other country artists like Randy Houser, who will also be singing at Country Thunder this year.

At Pitchfork:

Up-and-coming rapper Schoolboy Q recently released his album Oxymoron, which is about when he was illegally selling Oxycontin on the streets. It features songs like “Collard Greens” and “Man of the Year.”

Schoolboy Q has been featured in songs with other popular artists like Kendrick Lamar. He is similar to artists like Kendrick Lamar, Tinie Tempah, and Drake, depending on the content of the song.