Top 10 Music festivals

Glastonbury

When: 23-27 June
Where: Glastonbury (where else!), Somerset
Why: Glastonbury is the Mac Daddy of music festivals, the Big Cheese, Il Supremo, the Head Honcho… (sorry, we'll stop now), but Glastonbury really is the big one. As well as an unbeatable line-up of acts including Snoop Dogg, Muse, Stevie Wonder, Faithless, Flaming Lips, Pet Shop Boys, Orbital and Ash there's around 2,000 performances at 50 venues, including music, cabaret, theatre, circus, a fantastic kids' area, poetry, green crafts and lots more.

T in the Park

When: 9-11 July
Where: Near Kinross, Scotland
Why: In true Scottish style, this is the summer festival that shows the rest of Britain how to have a good time - the nosiest, craziest, jumping-around-on-shoulders-wildest festival in the country. Now in its 15th year, T in the Park is Scotland's major summer music festival. As well as music from the likes of Muse, Eminem, Stereophonics, Kasabian, Jay-Z and The Prodigy, there's a fantastic fairground, delicious organic food and drink and numerous stalls and bars.

O2 Wireless Festival

When: 2-4 July
Where: Hyde Park, London
Why: The O2 Wireless Festival is one of the coolest music festivals in London. Held over 3 days in London's Hyde Park, it plays host to some of the best bands, artists and DJs around. This year's Wireless sees the likes of LCD Soundsystem and DJ Shadow join the mighty Missy Elliot as well as Pink, Lily Allen, Friendly Fires, Slash and the Ting Tings.

Wakestock

When: 2-4 July
Where: Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales
Why: Relentless Wakestock adds a completely new dimension to the rolling-around-in-mud-listening-to-bands formula we know and love. Wakestock drops wakeboarding into the mix to bring you a weekend of high-octane music and excitement. What started as a party in a car park after a wakeboard contest has grown into one of the coolest music festivals in Europe playing host to top bands and artists like Maximo Park, Eric Prydz, The Futureheads, Pete Tong, Mr Hudson and the Scratch Perverts along with the biggest wakeboard competition in Europe.

Eden Sessions

When: June-July (various dates)
Where: St Austell, Cornwall
Why: Set inside the Eden Project, the world's largest glass-domed 'global garden', Eden Sessions offers a festival experience like no other. You'll get world-class artists such as Doves, Calvin Harris, Mika, Vampire Weekend and Paolo Nutini in a venue dubbed the 8th Wonder of the World. Jarvis Cocker described Eden Sessions as "no mud, no pushy sponsors, no dodgy burgers, just lots of greenery".

The Big Chill

When: 5-8 August
Where: Eastnor Deer Park, Herefordshire
Why: The Big Chill started life 15 years ago as a series of parties in London. Today it's become one of the country's most impressive summer festivals set against the sweeping backdrop of the Malvern Hills. Known for its striking visual displays and New Age character boasting on-site masseurs, alternative therapists and healers (which you'll probably need by the end of the festival), The Big Chill is an extraordinary place to both listen to top artists like M.I.A, Thom Yorke and Massive Attack, and as the name suggests, 'to chill'.

V Festival

When: 21-22 August
Where: Chelmsford and Staffordshire
Why: The V festival attracts big name acts from around the world such as Kings of Leon, Madness and The Prodigy, as well as acts that don't usually do the summer festival circuit. The event happens across 2 jaw-dropping historic venues; Weston Park with its stunning 17th-century stately home and a 1000-acre parkland, and Hylands Park which boasts a neo-classical Grade 2* listed house set in 570 acres of parkland including ancient woods, pleasure gardens and a lake. How's that for music meets heritage?!

Leeds and Reading Festival

When: 27-29 August
Where: Leeds, West Yorkshire / Reading, Berkshire 
Why: Leeds Festival and Reading Festival are Britain's leading rock, alternative and indie festivals and combined they're one of the oldest music festivals in the world with a head-banging history going right back to 1961. Held simultaneously across 2 locations, the outstanding line-up dash frantically between venues so you get the same top-notch artists such as Guns n’ Roses, Arcade Fire and Queens of the Stone Age, no matter which of the 2 festivals you rock up to.

Creamfields

When: 28-29 August
Where: Daresbury, Halton (near Liverpool)
Why: Creamfields has received endless accolades for getting the fields around Liverpool stomping to the beats of electro, house, garage, techno, minimal and every of type of dance music you can imagine. Rave around this summer festival to the likes of David Guetta, Deadmau5, Paul Van Dyk, Eric Prydz and Erol Alkan in the massive outdoor stage area or one of the 10 DJ-only areas. Creamfields has also had massive international success having staged events in no fewer than 15 countries - although its home will always be our Liverpool!

Bestival

When: 9-12 September
Where: Newport, Isle of Wight
Why: Bestival is more than just a festival, it's a philosophy. And there's no better way to see out the summer festival season than this award-winning 3-day boutique music festival set in a leafy country park in the heart of the Isle of Wight. The creative team behind Bestival bring you not only an eclectic, world-class line up including The Prodigy, Dizzee Rascal, Hot Chip and Roxy Music but also unusual experiences such as the Bollywood Cocktail Bar, fancy dress en mass and even a Hidden Disco. It's this unique vibe that makes Bestival a wondrous world of discovery and a damn good end to summer!