A guide to Rock im Park & Ring Festivals 2025

Let this be the summer when you can finally say “I was there first”

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of the twin festivals rocking our summers. What better way to celebrate this huge milestone than to announce a goosebump-worthy, stacked lineup of bands who are dominating the metal scene and many who will be imminently. Nu metal pioneers like Korn and Slipknot will be taking on the main stages, surrounded by emerging powerhouses such as Spiritbox, Amira Elfeky and Unpeople that offer so much to be excited about.

 Every year Rock im Park and am Ring have given us a well-curated lineup, consistently bolstering up so many climbing artists, without losing their space for bands that have shaped the music scene responsible for such a great festival to flourish. This is the year to be nostalgic for your reigning beloved bands, while keeping your ears open, to discover some of your new favourite bands before they take over the world- it’s your opportunity to be able to say that you were there first.

Despite being kept on our toes, with there still being a few acts left to be announced, so far 90 of the full 100 acts have been released so if you haven’t yet decided whether to head on down to either sites for the full weekend, now is the time to dissect the lineup and make your decision.

Key headliners to see:

• Korn, The Prodigy and Rise Against are all bands that are not unfamiliar with the stages of Zeppelinfield and Nurburgring, continuing to elicit fervent energy from fans in this lineup.
• Sleep Token, Bring Me The Horizon and K.I.Z offer some thrilling new additions to the main stage.

Other acts to keep on your radar:

• Northlane
• Thrown
• Poppy
• Boston Manor
• Static Dress
• Jinjer
• Imminence
• Trophy Eyes
• Fleshwater
• Soft Play

Should you attend Rock im Park or Rock am Ring?

This is one of the first things many will be considering once they have decided this festival is simply unmissable and must be attended. But, if you have not attended before and are not familiar with the areas they are both held, it can be a little bit daunting to make this decision and is very individual to your preferences. Many festivals are known for holding their sites in the middle of nowhere and being a full-on camping commitment that some may be unable to do- or are simply not fond of. So location, access to public transport and many other factors are important to consider, if that is you. But others may be looking for a festival that takes them away from everything. Here we will do our best to summarise some key considerations for the two sites:

• To begin with, there is very little difference between the lineups of the two sites, other than a few acts and which days they will be playing- much like the split between Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK. So if you have certain acts you want to see but are only able to attend their sets on certain days, then this could be something important to consider when choosing- likewise for if you want to prioritise certain acts exclusive to Rock im Park or am Ring.

• Rock im Park is located at the Zeppelinfield in Nuremberg, so is based within a city which makes it fairly accessible. If you don’t wish to camp, there are a few relatively affordable hotel options within a short driving distance by taxi or via a slightly longer public transport route. However, if you were hoping to be able to walk to and from the site, I would pack a pair of hiking boots. Unfortunately, the shuttle buses provided by the festival are only available to VIP ticket holders.

• Rock am Ring, on the other hand, is located at the Nurburgring race track, which is a little harder to get to due to its fairly remote location. So getting a hotel nearby is not an option and you will most likely need the use of a car to get to and from the site. However, to combat the challenge of travel, Rock am Ring does have the benefit of a shuttle bus service open to all, that runs from/to Cologne, Frankfurt am Main and other major cities. This generally mean that once you’re there, you are THERE. So if you prefer that fully immersive festival experience, away from the business of cities and daily life, then this is a great option.

• Due to Rock im Park’s city-linked location, it offers the benefit of being able to explore the city’s rich history or grabbing some breakfast in the morning before the acts begin for the day.

• If you are looking for that authentic festival experience, then Rock am Ring is going to give that to you. The necessity of camping and much of the bonding that happens around the grounds of the festival is something that can be very important. If you aren’t just attending to see a few acts then head off elsewhere, but instead want to get the most out of everything the festival has to offer, then Rock am Ring may be the better option for you.
• Rock am Ring is also the bigger of the two festivals, which may make it less physically accessible for some individuals, compared to Rock im Park. But, the scale does mean that there is much more space to explore when spending entire days there. However, alternatively, the smaller scale of the park means that you are more likely to get a closer view of your favourite acts- posing a more intimate experience.

Now that you’ve had a moment to note down these acts to watch out for and to consider which site to attend, I want to cement why you should be proactive in going to see them. A very common, relatable experience across many new fans of the likes of Sleep Token or Bring Me the horizon is the feeling of defeat when you discover an artist ‘too late’. Perhaps while scrolling through TikTok, you happen upon an old clip of your favourite band that you’ve only recently discovered, playing to 30 lucky people in a poorly lit venue from 7 years ago. You ponder on all the things that kept you so busy back then to have missed discovering such a great band, you think of all the great gigs that you never got to experience and imminently stumble into the comment section to express “I wish I could have been there before they got big.” 

We have all felt it, that knawing thought of all the years you could have been listening to your favourite music and having the time of your life at their intimate shows. But in reality, none of these bands were the perfectly woven sound that you hear now and were just like your current local bands. One of them could be the next big thing, it’s all just about keeping your ears close to the ground and giving these smaller artists a chance. Attending festivals like this, and using up that time between your favourite headliners to check out the other acts, is your prime opportunity for discovering them before the rest of the world does. Find your new goosebump-worthy artists, before you have to fight for your life on Ticketmaster to obtain tickets for shows. Rock im Park or am Ring 2025 may be the place where you find the artist that completely changes music for you, and allows you to one day be able to say ‘I was there first’.

Tickets for Rock im Park can be purchased here and Rock am Ring here, but they are selling fast so don’t miss your moment to be part of the metal movement.