Lollapalooza

Lollapalooza, founded in 1991 by Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, launched the alternative rock mainstream era as a farewell tour before becoming a permanent Chicago institution in 2005. Drawing 400,000 annual attendees over four days, it introduced a generation to Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, and Red Hot Chili Peppers — with 30% more daily attendees than Coachella's 125,000. Its pivot from a touring festival to a stable city event made it cheaper than the typical rival to produce, fueling a 2023 lineup that rivals Woodstock's cultural heft at a fraction of the cost.