Science Says These Music Festivals Will Make You the Happiest – Thrillist

Music festival season is about to be fully underway. In 2024, festival options are as bountiful as ever with lineups being offered in nearly every corner of the country and the globe. With so many options available, it can be hard to pick where you want to buy tickets. Should you camp out in Tennessee or Airbnb in Palm Springs? Trek to the middle of the country or the southern coasts?
Beyond the details of geography, there’s also questions of lineups, pricing, and dates that can help filter out your options. But what about the most important factor of any experience? Where does your potential happiness come into play? Now, with a new report from Casinos.org, you can consider which music festivals are the happiest in your decision making process.
Casino.com experts analyzed different genres of music to determine the average beats per minute of each genre. Then, they evaluated the lineups of the most popular music festivals in the US (based on search data) to determine which would make attendees the happiest based on the science of how human dopamine levels are affected by BPMs.
“Research has shown that different music genres can increase dopamine (happy hormone) levels when we listen to them,” the report stated. “Specifically, music with a tempo of 90 to 150 beats per minute (BPM) has been found to generate more positive emotions, such as happiness and joy, while also decreasing negative emotions.”
The happiest genres of music, based on this data are:

Factoring in overall popularity and the genres included on the lineup, Casino.org’s study determined that these are the happiest music festivals in the US.
1. Burning Man
2. Lollapalooza
3. Coachella
4. Electric Daisy Carnival
5. Movement
6. SXSW
7. Levitation
8. Bonnaroo
9. Electric Forest
10. Outside Lands
If you’re ready for an adventure but not sure where you’d like to go or what to do, we’re on it. The best new hotels opening up around the world. The most exciting places to travel without a passport. The world’s best beaches, as ranked by travel influencers. It’s all here along with all the travel news you need to stay informed and inspired.
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