Australia's premier music festival Splendour in the Grass has announced its cancellation for the second consecutive year, citing the need for a "breather" to recharge and reorganize.

The festival, which has been running since 2001 at Ngarindjin/North Byron Parklands, New South Wales, reportedly struggled to secure high-caliber international headliners. Previously, the festival has featured renowned artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Lizzo, and Coldplay. The 2024 lineup was set to include Kylie Minogue, Future, and Arcade Fire before its cancellation.

This cancellation reflects a broader trend affecting music festivals globally. The Africa Oyé music festival in Liverpool has also announced a break for 2025, despite record attendance in 2024, citing rising operational costs. The situation has become so critical in the UK that the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is lobbying for government intervention to reduce VAT on ticket sales to 5%.

While organizers promise "awesome new things for music lovers in Australia" and hint at "huge events on the horizon," no specific timeline for Splendour's return has been announced. The festival, operated by Live Nation-backed Secret Sounds, aims to return "bigger and better when the time is right."

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