| Music Festival Name: | Pinkpop Festival |
| Years Active: | 1970–2019, 2022–present |
| Attendance: | 108,250[1] |
| Capacity: | 70,000 |
| Dates: | Pentecost weekend |
Pinkpop is an annual music festival held at Landgraaf, Netherlands. It is usually held on the Pentecost weekend (Pinksteren in Dutch, hence the name). If Pentecost falls on an early date in May, the festival is held later in June. Starting in 1970, at Burgemeester Damen Sportpark in the city of Geleen, Pinkpop is the oldest and longest running annual dedicated pop and rock music festival in the world.[2] [3]
Pinkpop is a three-day festival, from Saturday through Monday when on Pentecost weekend, or Friday through Sunday otherwise, with a 60,000 people per day capacity, and with performances on four separate stages. From 2006 through 2011, Pinkpop sold out six years in a row.[2] During 44 editions, more than two million people have attended Pinkpop. Some 700 music acts have played at the festival.[4]
In 1994 (the 25th edition), it was decided to sell only 60,000 tickets, to prevent overcrowding due to the popularity of the festival. In 1995, it was made into a two-day festival. Two years later this was further expanded to three days.
2007 saw a spin-off, later in the year, on 11 August, called Pinkpop Classic, for an older rock audience, with bands that had previously performed at the festival in past decades. This spin-off was held again in following years, with the exception of 2011, when the organisation was not able to book enough artists.
In 2008, Pinkpop was not held on Pentecost weekend for the first time. Pentecost occurred too early that year for the convenience of fans and performers alike. This was decided following the 2005 edition, in which the Pentecost weekend also fell early and therefore Pinkpop could not convince many great performers to come play at the festival. Sales were disappointing in 2005, so by shifting the 2008 festival, the organisation hoped to solve these problems. Pinkpop 2008 turned out to have had the largest concert attendance to date. The dates for the 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016 edition have been shifted as well, for similar reasons.[5] The 2020 and 2021 Pinkpop festivals were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The name consists of two parts. 'Pink' comes from the Dutch word for Pentecost (Pinksteren) and 'pop' comes from pop music (or 'popular music'). But a later creative interpretation for the name combines the English word pink and the Dutch word pop, which means doll, thus forming the origin for the logo, a doll in a pink dress.
The precursor to Pinkpop was held on Pentecost Monday in 1969. It was completely free, and called Pinknick because people were supposed to bring their own food. Only a free pig roast and free apples were provided by the organizers.[6] Inspired by the Monterey festival from 1967, a number of hip local bands were persuaded to come and play unpaid. Almost 10,000 visitors were attracted, ranging from pop music lovers to grandparents and their grandchildren. And families with empty shopping bags, loading up on apples.[6]
Pinkpop 2007 was held May 26–28.
It was the 20th time the event was held at the Megaland Park.
On February 28, most of the line-up was revealed. Pearl Jam was announced to make their 3rd appearance on the Pinkpop stage, but they cancelled, for two of their members would become fathers in the Pentecost weekend.
| Mainstage | 3FM Stage | BUMA/John Peel Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 26 | - Goose - Juliette and the Licks - Within Temptation - Marilyn Manson | - Noisettes - Wir sind Helden - Good Charlotte | - Viberider - Stevie Ann - C-mon & Kypski | |
| Sunday, May 27 | - Gabriel Ríos - Razorlight - Iggy & The Stooges - Snow Patrol - Muse | - Ozark Henry - Gogol Bordello - Ilse DeLange - Lostprophets | ||
| Monday, May 28 | - The Fratellis - Wolfmother - Scissor Sisters - Arctic Monkeys - Linkin Park - The Smashing Pumpkins | - Thirty Seconds to Mars - Stone Sour - Dave Matthews Band - KoЯn - Evanescence | - Five O'Clock Heroes - Maria Mena - Macy Gray - The Magic Numbers - The Kooks |
Krezip replaced Amy Winehouse, because she had to cancel due to illness. Krezip started their gig playing Amy Winehouse's "Rehab".
Pinkpop 2008 was held May 30 – June 1 in the Landgraaf Megaland Park.
Pinkpop 2008 had the largest audience of concert attendees to date, with an average of just over 60,000 people arriving each of the three days, prompting the festival organizers to announce that 180,000 people had visited the festival. Because the 42,500 available three-day passes sold out completely, the actual number of unique visitors is 94,000.
| Mainstage | 3FM Stage | GM Next (tent) Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 30 | - Flogging Molly - Incubus - Metallica | - Sat2D - Animal Alpha - Alter Bridge | - From First to Last - Jonathan Davis - Porcupine Tree | |
| Saturday, May 31 | - Moke - KT Tunstall - Editors - Kaiser Chiefs - Foo Fighters | - Air Traffic - Bad Religion - Eagles of Death Metal - Stereophonics - The Verve | - Blood Red Shoes - Voicst - Amy MacDonald - Justice - Groove Armada | |
| Sunday, June 1 | - Fiction Plane - Gavin DeGraw - Racoon - Alanis Morissette - Queens of the Stone Age - Rage Against the Machine | - The Wombats - Cavalera Conspiracy - The Hives - Serj Tankian - Counting Crows | - Patrick Watson - Kate Nash - Pete Murray - Saybia - Róisín Murphy |
Animal Alpha replaced Novastar, because they experienced delays in recording their new album.
Eagles of Death Metal replaced Chris Cornell, because he had obligations in the studio.
Pinkpop 2009 was held May 30 – June 1.
On March 4, 2009, the Pinkpop Board gave a press conference in Paradiso in Amsterdam, to answer questions from the press and announce which artists will be performing on Pinkpop 2009 will be announced.
| Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Tent Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 30 | - Chris Cornell - The Killers - Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band | - Kings of the Day - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - Elbow | - Noisettes - Just Jack - Dr. Lektroluv | |
| Sunday, May 31 | - Milow - Volbeat - Madness - Krezip - Placebo | - De Staat - Rowwen Hèze - Maria Mena - James Morrison - Keane | - You Me At Six - Kyteman's Hiphop Orchestra - The Rifles - White Lies - Pendulum | |
| Monday, June 1 | - The Gaslight Anthem - Novastar - Amy Macdonald - Franz Ferdinand - Anouk - Snow Patrol | - Shinedown - Mando Diao - Billy Talent - De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - The Kooks | - The All-American Rejects - Hollywood Undead - The Script - Katy Perry - The Ting Tings |
Krezip replaced Depeche Mode, because lead singer Dave Gahan had to undergo a procedure after a tumor was spotted in his bladder two weeks before Pinkpop. Placebo replaced Depeche Mode as headliner.
Pinkpop 2010 was held May 28–30.
| Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Converse Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 28 | - Epica - Kasabian - Motörhead - Rammstein | - The Opposites - The Temper Trap - Paolo Nutini | - Sungrazer - The Black Box Revelation - Gossip | |
| Saturday, May 29 | - Moke & The Metropole Orchestra - C-mon & Kypski - Mando Diao - Editors - Green Day | - Ryan Shaw - Destine - Biffy Clyro - John Mayer | - Everything Everything - Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Caro Emerald - 2manydjs | |
| Sunday, May 30 | - The Maccabees - Danko Jones - Skunk Anansie - Triggerfinger - Pixies - The Prodigy | - Jon Allen - Kate Nash - Slash - Mika - Pink | - DeWolff - General Fiasco - Yeasayer - Florence + The Machine - Gogol Bordello |
Ryan Shaw replaced Wolfmother, because lead singer Andrew Stockdale was too sick to go on tour. Wolfmother was first planned on Sunday, but Triggerfinger covered their spot, so Ryan Shaw could play on Saturday.
Pinkpop 2011 was held June 11–13.
Pinkpop 2012 was held May 26–28.
| Lineup[8] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Converse Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 26 | - Moss - Kyuss Lives! - Anouk - The Cure | - Major Tom - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - The Ting Tings | - Will and The People - The Afghan Whigs - Ben Howard | |
| Sunday, May 27 | - Babylon Circus - Racoon - The Kyteman Orchestra - Soundgarden - Linkin Park | - The Bosshoss - Mastodon - The Wombats - Keane | - Hungry Kids of Hungary - Bombay Bicycle Club - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Chase & Status | |
| Monday, May 28 | - Gers Pardoel - Seasick Steve - The Specials - Mumford and Sons - Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band | - Rival Sons - Blood Red Shoes - Herbert Grönemeyer - The Hives - James Morrison | - Serena Pryne & The Mandeviles - Jonathan Jeremiah - Miike Snow - Chef’Special - Paul Kalkbrenner |
At first Kasabian would perform as well, but they had to cancel due to private matters. Kyuss Lives! replaced Kasabian's spot, Moss covered Kyuss Lives!'s spot.
Pinkpop 2013 was held June 14–16; the third time that it was not held in the weekend of Pentecost.
| Lineup[9] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Brand Bier Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 14 | - Handsome Poets - Paramore - The Script - The Killers | - Masters of Reality - Jimmy Eat World - Queens of the Stone Age | - Christopher Green - Kodaline - Andy Burrows - Netsky Live | |
| Saturday, June 15 | - La Pegatina - Passenger - The Opposites - Thirty Seconds to Mars - Kings of Leon | - Douwe Bob - Fun. - The Gaslight Anthem - Phoenix | - Palma Violets - Graveyard - Miles Kane - Ellie Goulding - C2C | |
| Sunday, June 16 | - Kensington - Will and the People - The Vaccines - Ben Howard - Green Day | - Tom Odell - Trixie Whitley - Blaudzun - Stereophonics - Triggerfinger | - Puggy - Bastille - Lianne La Havas - Die Antwoord - Alt-J |
Pinkpop 2014 was held June 7–9.
| Lineup[10] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Brand Bier Stage | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 7 | - Ed Kowalczyk - Flogging Molly - John Mayer - The Rolling Stones | - Haim - Joe Bonamassa - Bastille | - Les Djinns - Thé Lau/The Scene - White Lies - Epica | - Paceshifters - Afterpartees - Gecko | |
| Sunday, June 8 | - Chef'Special - The Kooks - Ed Sheeran - Editors - Arctic Monkeys | - North Mississippi Allstars - Limp Bizkit - Rudimental - Paolo Nutini - Robert Plant and the Sensational Spaceshifters | - - Portugal. The Man - Twenty One Pilots - The Boxer Rebellion - John Newman | - Nina Nesbitt - Intergalactic Lovers - Brother & Bones | |
| Monday, June 9 | - Mastodon - Rob Zombie - Biffy Clyro - Avenged Sevenfold - Metallica | - Jett Rebel - Kodaline - Stromae - Jake Bugg - Arcade Fire | - Clean Bandit - Ghost - Young the Giant - Bombay Bicycle Club - Gogol Bordello | - Birth of Joy - Powerman 5000 - Kraantje Pappie |
Pinkpop 2015 was held June 12–14; the fourth time that it will not be held in the weekend of Pentecost.
| Lineup[11] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Brand Bier Stage | Stage 4 | Garden of Love | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 12 | - Body Count - George Ezra - Elbow - Muse | - Shaka Ponk - Faith No More - Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators | - Jick Munro & The Amazing Laserbeams - Gavin James - Paloma Faith - Above & Beyond | - Coasts - Aurora - Pop Evil - DJs Waxfiend & Prime + Jebroer & Adje | - Anna Rune | |
| Saturday, June 13 | - The Wombats - Dotan - Anouk - The Script - Robbie Williams | - The Last Internationale - Jonathan Jeremiah - Selah Sue - Kensington - Avicii | - Gaz Coombes - Magic! - John Coffey - Sheppard - Eagles of Death Metal | - Causes - Twin Atlantic - East Cameron Folklore - Lonely the Brave - Joost van Bellen | - Judy Blank | |
| Sunday, June 14 | - Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls - Triggerfinger - OneRepublic - De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - Pharrell Williams | - Urbanus & De Fanfaar - Nick Mulvey - Oscar and the Wolf - Kovacs - Fiddler's Green | - Pierce Brothers - The Deaf - Peace - Ewert and The Two Dragons - Willie Wartaal & Doppelgang | - Polly Anna |
At first Sam Smith would perform as well, but they had to cancel due to voice problems. Placebo replaced Sam Smith's spot.
Originally the Foo Fighters would serve as the festival's headliner but had to cancel their performance due to a broken leg by frontman Dave Grohl two days earlier. Pharrell Williams became headliner instead and the Flemish trio Triggerfinger was added as a last-minute addition to the line-up.
Pinkpop 2016 was held June 10–12.
| Lineup[12] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Brand Bier Stage | Stage 4 | Garden of Love | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 10 | - The Common Linnets - Bastille - James Bay - Red Hot Chili Peppers | - Gary Clark Jr. - Years & Years - Major Lazer | - Storsky - Lukas Graham - Bear's Den - De Staat | - The Struts - Sara Hartman - One Ok Rock - Skip&Die (dj-set) & Friends | - Clean Pete | |
| Saturday, June 11 | - Walk Off The Earth - James Morrison - Lianne La Havas - Doe Maar - Rammstein | - Imelda May - Halestorm - Skillet - De Staat - Puscifer | - Miamigo - Lucas Hamming - Matt Simons - Nothing But Thieves - Robin Schulz | - The Sore Losers - Parquet Courts - Lucky Fonz III - Bazart - Noisia | - Madi Hermens | |
| Sunday, June 12 | - Douwe Bob - John Newman - Kygo - Lionel Richie - Paul McCartney | - Jungle By Night - Vintage Trouble - All Time Low - Bring Me the Horizon - Skunk Anansie | - Harts - St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Jamie Lawson - Tom Odell - Balthazar | - Walking on Cars - Slaves - The London Souls - Graveyard - Sevn Alias/Broederliefde | - Midas |
Pinkpop 2017 was held June 3–5.
| Lineup[13] | Mainstage | 3FM Stage | Brightlands Stage | Stage 4 | Garden of Love | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 3 | - James TW - Chef'Special - Kensington - Justin Bieber - Martin Garrix | - White Lies - Kaiser Chiefs - Five Finger Death Punch | - The Ten Bells - Pierce Brothers - Crystal Fighters - Richard Ashcroft | - Alma - Declan McKenna - Ronnie Flex & Deuxperience Band | - Lotte Walda | |
| Sunday, June 4 | - Gavin James - Kodaline - Broederliefde - Imagine Dragons - Green Day | - Anne-Marie - James Arthur - Clean Bandit - Biffy Clyro - Sean Paul | - Jack Savoretti - My Baby - The Charm The Fury - Birdy - Rancid | - Undeclinable Ambuscade - Busty And The Bass - Amber Run - Bomba Estéreo | - Charl Delemarre | |
| Monday, June 5 | - Seasick Steve - Guus Meeuwis - Passenger - Live - Kings Of Leon | - Machine Gun Kelly - Rag'n'Bone Man - Sum 41 - Prophets of Rage - System Of A Down | - Gutter-Dämmerung - Oh Wonder - Liam Gallagher - Fat Freddy's Drop - MØ | - Midas - Don Broco - Chris Ayer - JP Cooper | - Gerson Main |
Pinkpop 2018 was held June 15–17.
A fatal traffic accident involving festival-goers took place in the early morning of June 18. After the festival, at around 04:00, a group of persons sat on the road near Campsite B, which was not closed to vehicular traffic. A van travelling along this road could not avoid the group and ran into the group, killing one and severely injuring three more. The driver reported himself to the police several hours later in Amsterdam.[14]
During the performance of the Foo Fighters on June 16, the disintegration of a large meteor was observed in the sky right behind the main stage and caught on video.[15] The fireball and its disintegration was widely observed also elsewhere in the Benelux countries, Germany and France. An analysis of over 200 eyewitness reports suggests that the disintegration took place at 23:11 local time near the Belgian city of Liège.[16]
| Lineup | Mainstage | North Stage | Brightlands Tent | Stage 4 | Garden of Love | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 15 | - Lil' Kleine - BLØF - Snow Patrol - Pearl Jam | - Jess Glynne - Oh Wonder - The Offspring | - Walden - The Last Internationale - Blaudzun - Oliver Heldens | - Slydigs - The Academic - Donnie | - Aïcha Cherif | |
| Sunday, June 16 | - Walking On Cars - Miss Montreal - Nothing But Thieves - The Script - Foo Fighters | - JP Cooper - Parov Stelar - A Perfect Circle - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds | - Marmozets - Aurora - Sevn Alias - Alan Walker | - Theo Lawrence & The Hearts - Gang Of Youths - Youngr - De Likt | - Riley Pierce | |
| Monday, June 17 | - Ronnie Flex & Deuxperience - Jessie J - DI-RECT - Editors - DJ Rashida - Bruno Mars | - Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions - Milky Chance - Years & Years - Triggerfinger - Oscar & The Wolf | - Cloves - Maan - Brian Fallon & The Howling Weather - Don Diablo - Greta Van Fleet | - Tom Walker - The Overslept - Scarlet Pleasure - Sigrid | - Blackbird |
Pinkpop 2019 was held June 8–10.
This marked Pinkpop's 50th anniversary.
| Lineup | Mainstage | IBA Parkstad Stage | Brightlands Stage | Stage 4 | Garden of Love | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 8 | - - George Ezra - Anouk - Jamiroquai - Mumford & Sons | - SYML - Golden Earring - Cage the Elephant - Jacob Banks - Elbow | - Mt. Atlas - Yungblud - Davina Michelle - Halestorm - San Holo | - Grace Carter - Badflower - Hippo Campus - Jacin Trill & Leafs | - Soham De | |
| Sunday, June 9 | - Kraantje Pappie - The Kooks - Krezip - Lenny Kravitz - The Cure - Armin Van Buuren | - White Lies - Rowwen Hèze - J Balvin - Die Antwoord | - Blood Red Shoes - Jack Savoretti - Miles Kane - Mark Ronson | - Au/Ra - Confidence Man - Barns Courtney - Boef - Silent Disco | - Nana Adjoa | |
| Monday, June 10 | - Jett Rebel - The 1975 - Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators - Bastille - Fleetwood Mac | - The Bosshoss - Bring Me the Horizon - Tenacious D - Dropkick Murphys - Major Lazer | - Indian Askin - Kovacs - The Pretenders - Duncan Laurence - Michael Kiwanuka | - Coldrain - Coely - Palaye Royale - DeWolff | - David Keenan |
Pinkpop 2020 was planned for 19–21 June but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acts scheduled to appear included, in order of billing:
Pinkpop 2021 was planned for 18–20 June but, like in the previous year, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]
Acts scheduled to appear included:
Pinkpop 2022 took place from 17 to 19 June.[18]
Acts that appeared:
Pinkpop 2023 took place from 16 to 18 June.
Acts that appeared: