On a bone-chilling Wednesday here in the miswedt that turns fingers numb, Bonnaroo’s 2025 lineup promises a blazing spectacle of musical artists in the fields of Manchester, Tennessee. Slated for June 12 through 15, this year’s iteration includes some of the same acts previously announced as Coachella, and some surprises as well. A leaked flyer on Reddit stirred speculation yesterday, but with today’s official reveal, it’s clear the hype was well-placed. Country titan Luke Combs kicks things off Thursday, grounding the festivities with soulful Southern storytelling and stadium-filling anthems. Tyler, the Creator, hip-hop’s avant-garde star, takes the reins Friday with his boundary-blurring theatrics while Saturday welcomes Olivia Rodrigo, while closing the weekend on Sunday, with folk’s own Hozier.

As has become its hallmark, Bonnaroo's 2025 lineup reflects a commitment to diversity, offering a sonic journey that hops from rap to rock, from pop to metal, with adventurous detours in between. Rap aficionados will revel in performances from Glorilla, JPEGMAFIA’s experimental grit, Action Bronson’s culinary-infused rhymes, and a nostalgic set from Nelly. Yet, to merely categorize Insane Clown Posse as rap would miss the point; their unique subcultural phenomenon remains a carnival of chaos and community. Pop’s many faces are equally well-represented. The Lemon Twigs evoke a sepia-toned ’70s throwback aesthetic, while Ginger Root’s shimmering city-pop vibes draw on Japanese influence. Rising star beabadoobee continues her ascent with a sound that blends bedroom pop with grunge sensibilities. On the spectrum of rock, the range is exhilarating. Vampire Weekend’s indie quirk and literary pop rub shoulders with Megadeth’s thrash metal ferocity. Mannequin Pussy delivers a punk catharsis that lays bare raw emotions, while Modest Mouse brings their signature mix of existential musings and anthemic grandeur. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s inaugural "Roo Residency" offers three sets of their genre-shifting wizardry—a nod to the festival’s embrace of artistic risk. Beyond the marquee names, Bonnaroo 2025 teems with curiosities that invite exploration. The festival’s debut of The Infinity Stage promises a 360-degree spatial audio experience—a fusion of technology and sound that sparks questions about how we consume and feel music in immersive, communal spaces. Could this signal a shift toward more experimental live performance environments, reshaping how artists and audiences connect? We hope so. Meanwhile, Remi Wolf, known for her kaleidoscopic funk-pop sound, curates this year’s SuperJam, a joyful free-for-all billed as “Remi Wolf’s Insanely Fire 1970s Pool Party.” This tradition of spontaneous collaborations raises another contemplation: What is it about these unrepeatable moments that linger in collective memory, making them greater than the sum of their parts?

While the music takes center stage, the economics of festivals are an ever-looming subplot. Early-bird tickets, marketed as the "guaranteed lowest-priced tickets," suggest a growing awareness of the financial barriers facing fans. Is the increasing commercialization of large-scale festivals diluting their original ethos of countercultural escape, or is it a necessary evolution in a world where experience-driven tourism reigns supreme? Passes for Bonnaroo 2025 go on sale Thursday, Jan. 9, at 10 a.m. Central, with the initial rush promising the best pricing. For those who dream of pilgrimage to Tennessee’s famed farm, the time to act is now—before the prices climb and the opportunity slips away like the final notes of a SuperJam encore. As the summer sun prepares to rise on another Bonnaroo, one thing remains certain: Music’s most enduring power lies not in its genres, but in its ability to gather us together, under one sky, in shared ecstasy and reflection. Bonnaroo, more than just a festival, continues to be a question of connection—how we find meaning in the music, and how the music finds its way into the story of us.