Your cart is currently empty!
2025 marks 55 years of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which kicks off on Apr. 24. This year’s Jazz Fest boasts an impressive lineup of big-name artists and local musicians who properly honor the festival’s legacy.
Those who enjoy indie rock will be excited to hear that Cage the Elephant is returning to Jazz Fest’s lineup since their performance in 2018. Known for songs like “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” Cage the Elephant has won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album twice, and it is no wonder why. The band stands out amongst others in the genre because of the members’ sheer creativity, evident in not just their lyrics and musicality, but in their “wildly cathartic performances” that are nothing short of eccentric.
This year’s lineup includes many other rock bands, including Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band and Cheap Trick, but possibly the most exciting act will be Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Joan Jett is regarded as the “Queen of Rock n’ Roll,” and she and the Blackhearts, her backup band, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. It goes without saying that Jett will be one of the most — if not the most — anticipated acts at this year’s Jazz Fest and will be a must-see for attendees.
While the festival boasts many names in rock, Jazz Fest 2025 also features many artists of other genres, such as country and folk, which includes Kacey Musgraves. Known for songs like “Butterflies” and “Rainbow,” Kacey Musgraves’s commitment to social justice in her music is evident, tackling themes like LGBTQ+ acceptance that adds a liberal element to her work that is uncommon in the country genre. If her performance at Jazz Fest is anything like her set at Austin City Limits in 2019, her set will be a powerful exhibition of her excellent live vocals and engagement with the crowd.
Another big artist coming to Jazz Fest this year is Laufey. Pronounced “lāy-vāy,” Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese singer whose goal is “to bring jazz and classical music to [her] generation.” It may seem a lofty aspiration to make jazz and classical music exciting to Gen Z, but Laufey has more than succeeded in her goal, garnering 7.7 million followers on TikTok with popular songs like “From the Start” and “Valentine.” Her music has the soft, melodic quality of a Studio Ghibli soundtrack, and her approach to jazz and classical music adds a 21st-century spin on the genres, making her a unique act to see at this year’s Jazz Fest.
While these big-name artists will entice audiences, it would not be Jazz Fest without paying homage to New Orleans culture and local musicians. First on the list of New Orleans-based artists is The Revivalists, an alternative rock band best known for their song “Wish I Knew You.” The band is deeply connected to the city of New Orleans as when they started out, “[they] were watching New Orleans rebuild after Katrina, and fight to keep the city’s spirit alive.” The band’s name comes directly from this deep connection to the city and the idea that art can revive, honoring New Orleans’s history and resiliency through their music.
This year’s lineup also includes some of New Orleans’s greatest, including Trombone Shorty, Big Freedia and Patti LaBelle. None of these artists are strangers to performing, with Big Freedia being credited with helping to popularize the New Orleans hip-hop subgenre, bounce music, and Patti LaBelle being regarded as the “Godmother of Soul.” Trombone Shorty is also an influential artist, especially at Jazz Fest, as he has been closing the festival for over a decade. These artists are instrumental to New Orleans’s music culture today, and whether you have seen them before or not, they will all be worth a watch.
Spanning two weekends, Jazz Fest’s 2025 lineup is talent-packed and will be sure to excite any concert fan, regardless of music taste. For those interested, check out the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival website for tickets and set times, and have a happy Jazz Fest!
