Outside Lands 2025 Proves San Francisco is a True Pop Culture Curator

Outside Lands has been making waves for years, and one thing remains true—there’s never a dud on their lineup. The festival continues to prove itself as a true music curator, bringing together headliners, underground gems, and breakout talent that deserve the spotlight. Music festivals thrive when they give fans both: the chance to see their favorite artists and the opportunity to discover new ones. It’s something we used to get from mixtapes or burned CDs swapped between friends (and honestly, if 90s fashion can make a comeback, here’s hoping CD burning finds its revival too).

A Lineup That Spanned Generations and Genres

This year’s Outside Lands in San Francisco delivered variety across the board—from heavy punk sounds with Mannequin Pussy to old-school rap nostalgia from Ludacris, to today’s pop culture icons like Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, Gracie Abrams, Doechii, Vampire Weekend, and Anderson .Paak.

Day One Highlights:
Though not the official headliner, Doechii easily stole the show. Her performance—backed by DJ Miss Milan and a team of choreographed dancers—was so dynamic that festival-goers voted her the most-saved artist on the Outside Lands app. Doja Cat followed with her band, mixing fan favorites with news of her fifth studio album, Vie. Other standouts included Mannequin Pussy, Still Woozy, and Destroy Boys.
Day Two Highlights:
The day started strong with Vampire Weekend, setting the tone early with what felt like a headliner performance. Later, Ludacris got the crowd hyped with classics like Move Bitch and even dropped his verse from Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” The momentum shifted with Gracie Abrams’ intimate set, before closing with Tyler, the Creator, who brought cinematic energy to the stage with hits spanning IFHY, Earfquake, See You Again, and tracks from his new album Don’t Tap the Glass. Other noteworthy performances came from Girl Math, Larussell, and Flipturn.
Day Three Highlights:
The final day captured the perfect festival wind-down. Hozier’s soulful blend of rock, blues, and activism balanced the energy between Anderson .Paak and Jamie xx on other stages. His two-hour set included his protest anthem Nina Cried Power, urging fans to use empathy and compassion in global conflicts. Day Three also featured rising acts like Lexa Gates, Arcy Drive, Julie, Sammy Virji, Blond:ish, and Finneas, proving that Outside Lands continues to nurture both legacy and emerging talent.

Beyond the Music: Grass Lands and Festival Culture

With roughly 75,000 attendees per day, Outside Lands is one of the largest independent music festivals in the U.S., operated by Another Planet Entertainment. Beyond the stages, Grass Lands made its return as the first curated cannabis experience at a U.S. music festival. Featuring vendors, smoking areas, installations, and education booths, it was the perfect addition in NorCal, a region long known for cannabis culture.

Curating Vibes and Building Community

What makes Outside Lands a must-attend festival isn’t just its size or star power—it’s how carefully curated the days feel. That said, one thought crossed my mind: what if festivals leaned into genre-based day or stage curation? While some might prefer the mix, organizing performances by style could balance daily ticket sales (since many fans buy single-day passes over the full 3-day wristbands). Then again, the beauty of Outside Lands lies in its unpredictability—you never know when you’ll stumble across your next favorite artist.

From Tyler the Creator’s larger-than-life set to Hozier’s activism-infused performance, this year’s Outside Lands captured exactly what makes music festivals special: discovery, nostalgia, and unforgettable live moments. San Francisco once again proved it deserves a seat at the table alongside Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Miami as a hub for pop culture.

Whether you came for the headliners, the hidden gems, or just the communal vibe, Outside Lands reminded everyone why it’s one of the best festivals in the world.

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