The 27 Best Artists to See Live

Ever wonder who are the best artists to see live? Live music has the power to transport us to another place, to bring us together with fellow fans in a shared experience, and to allow us to connect with our favorite artists in a way that simply isn't possible through recorded music. If you're someone who loves live music, you know the thrill of discovering a new artist that you can't wait to see perform in person.

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In this article, we've rounded up some of the best artists to see live, each with their own unique style and stage presence that is sure to leave a lasting impression. From up-and-coming acts to established superstars, these are the artists you won't want to miss out on seeing perform live.

Must-See Performance: Live at Wembley Stadium (2008)

It should be no surprise to see the Foo Fighters on this list; the rock group has surely made their mark in music, and continue to do so. Back in 2008, they had one of their most memorable performances of all time at Wembley Stadium, in front of what looks to be an infinite amount of people.

Must-See Performance: Live in NYC (2010)

Kid Cudi rose to prominence in the early 2010's, thanks to his unique and emotion-invoking discography. Around that time in 2010, Cudi had a performance in NYC that would go down in the history books, where he performed some of his most renowned hits while they were still hot. Here's a look:

Must-See Performance: Live at the Max (1991)

The Rolling Stones have a long and storied history, with a career spanning over 50 years. They are known for their high-energy live performances and have been credited with helping to popularize rock and roll music.

Must-See Performance: Super Bowl XLIII Halftime Show

Springsteen is known for his memorable live shows, which often last for several hours and feature a mix of solo acoustic and full-band electric songs. He has a diehard fan base and is considered by many to be one of the greatest rock performers of all time.

Must-See Performance: Live at Glastonbury (2003)

Radiohead is known for their innovative and experimental music, as well as their uncanny live performances. They are considered one of the greatest alternative rock bands of all time and have a reputation for consistently delivering powerful and engaging concerts.

Must-See Performance: Live at the Grand Olympic (2000)

Rage Against the Machine is a band known for their politically charged and socially conscious lyrics, as well as their emphatic live shows. They have a strong following and are considered one of the most influential bands in the rap metal genre. Anybody else find out about them through Guitar Hero?

Must-See Performance: Live in Moscow (1991)

Metallica is one of the biggest and most successful heavy metal bands of all time. They are known for their incomparable live performances and have a reputation for delivering powerful and memorable concerts, some of which have been proven occasionally dangerous for those who dare to attend.

Must-See Performance: Donda 2 Experience (2022)

Kanye West is known for a lot of things, including his innovative live performances, which often feature elaborate stage designs and production elements. He is considered one of the most influential and successful hip hop artists of all time, and for good reason.

Must-See Performance: Live at Slane Castle (2003)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for their vastly unique live performances, as well as their catchy and memorable songs. They have a hardcore fan base and are considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

Must-See Performance: Live at Reading Festival (2013)

Green Day is a punk rock band known for their catchy and energetic songs, as well as their high-energy live performances. They have a incredibly committed fan base and are considered one of the greatest punk rock bands of all time.

Must-See Performance: Live at Gov Ball (2018)

Lil Uzi Vert is a rapper known for his energy and charisma on stage, as well as his catchy and innovative music. He has a massive enthusiastic fan base and is considered one of the most successful and influential rappers of his generation.

Must-See Performance: Live at Rolling Loud Miami (2022)

From the backflips he does on stage to the high quality music he performs alongside his acrobatic abilities, the reasons for wanting to see JELEEL! live are endless - seriously. There's not many performers who have this impactful of a stage presence.

Must-See Performance: Live at Billboard Awards (2011)

Beyoncé is a massive success story who's known for her potent stage presence at her live performances. She is considered one of the greatest performers of all time and has a fan base who would all take a bullet for her.

Must-See Performance: Live at Glastonbury (2019)

Tame Impala is a psychedelic rock band known for their innovative and experimental music, as well as their renowned live performances. Kevin Parker has proven just how far he can take this project, musically, visually, and even on stage.

Must-See Performance: Skrillex Live at Ultra (2015)

Skrillex is an electronic dance music (EDM) artist known for his blood-pumping live performances. He is considered to be one of the most successful and influential EDM artists of all time, along with the countless talents he's helped to usher into the limelight, who often join him on stage in his performances.

Must-See Performance: Live at the Staples Center (2018)

Drake is arguably the biggest rapper in the world. It's no surprise his live performances have become some of the most highly-acclaimed in the world. Just about everybody in attendance knows the lyrics to all of his songs, and boy, does he have a lot.

Must-See Performance: Live at AMAs (2019)

Taylor Swift has a fanbase that would drop anything for her. Seriously. In her latest tour, there were countless videos of fans doing just about anything they could to secure coveted tickets to her memorable live experiences.

Must-See Performance: Live at Rolling Loud Miami (2022)

After being signed to Playboi Carti, fans expected nothing less from Destroy Lonely than Carti when it comes to live sets, and it seems he's proven them right. He's demonstrated an electric stage presence, and has sold out shows with ease across the country.

Must-See Performance: Live in Dallas, TX (2021)

Another Opium signee under Playboi Carti is Ken Carson. Just like Destroy Lonely, he's become one of the most popular artists in hip-hop as far as live performances go. Just like his Opium teammates, he's demonstrated an ability to sell out shows and entertain massive crowds.

Must-See Performance: Live at Rolling Loud (2018)

There's nobody quite like Ski Mask the Slump God. From his specialized sound delivered on his recordings, to his one-of-a-kind stage presence, his brand is easy to support through and through.

Must-See Performance: Live in Paris (2019)

A$AP Rocky delivers quite the punch when it comes to entertaining his massive fanbase in a live setting. Not only does his catalog of music tend to electrify crowds, but the long list of talent he can spontaneously bring out has crowds wondering what's up his sleeve at every show.

Must-See Performance: Live at Rolling Loud LA (2019)

This duo is one of the tricks that Rocky has up his sleeve in the live performance space. They've performed at multiple Rolling Loud sets of Rocky's, and have come to be some of the most memorable moments in those sets, starting moshpits and raw pandemonium throughout any venue they perform at.

Must-See Performance: Live at Lollapalooza (2021)

Tyler the Creator is a rapper and producer known for his innovative and experimental music, as well as his unforgettable live performances. His fanbase and their crazed support of Tyler says everything you need to know about just how impactful his live sets are.

Must-See Performance: Live at ACL Fest (2018)

Travis Scott has become famous for many reasons, one of them being his meticulous attention to detail for his live performances. Every single element is carefully considered, and the result is an experience that fans will never forget for the rest of their lives.

Must-See Performance: Live at Reading and Leeds (2018)

Kendrick Lamar has always had an impressive performance ability, and his latest tour for Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers has only further proved than notion. He's made it clear that this comes easy to him.

Must-See Performance: Live at Rolling Loud NY (2021)

J. Cole has proven his knack for performances, within his own sets and those that he's invited to, not to mention the incredible talents that he's assembled within his Dreamville label.

Must-See Performance: Live at Lollapalooza (2021)

This man needs no introduction when it comes to live performances. I don't think anybody will ever forget when he performed before Miley Cyrus at Lollapalooza, and absolute chaos ensued. This is just a small speck of the appeal his performances bring, but wildly entertaining nonetheless.