Tennessee Farm

Since 2002, the city of Manchester, Tenn., has hosted the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Known widely as Bonnaroo, the festival has grown into one of the most vital festivals in the summer calendar, drawing upwards of 70,000 attendees to its several hundred acres of green fields and surrounding, rolling hills. 

The word “Bonnaroo” comes packed with musical heritage: in Creole, it means a “really good time,” and the phrase is instilled in Southern music culture in the United States; New Orleans R&B singer Dr. John popularized the word on his 1974 album, ‘Desitively Bonnaroo.’ The festival organizers chose “Bonnaroo” to signify their love of homegrown genres and how the programming would reflect the musical innovation on their doorstep. Bonnaroo were early champions of acts like Tennessee’s Kings of Leon, Ohio’s The Black Keys, Kentucky’s My Morning Jacket and Illinois’s Wilco, with all of these acts blending country, soul, blues and alternative rock throughout their performances.

The organizers were also inspired by Phish, the legendary jam band who hosted their own, highly successful weekend concert series. As such, it was only fitting, then, that Phish frontman Trey Anastasio closed the inaugural festival with a three-hour set. Throughout Bonnaroo’s history, the jam band influence has continued to shine through. There are the signature “Superjams,” which bring together major acts from across genres. In 2007, to name one now-legendary example, The Roots’ drummer Questlove, roots-rocker Ben Harper and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones jammed together. 

Today, the jam band influence continues, with contemporary breakthroughs like Goose having a front-and-center role in this year’s programming. The jam band modus operandi of “surprise and improvise” has rippled across some of the festival’s most memorable performances, too: from Bruce Springsteen joining Phish during their 2009 headline set to D’Angelo joining The Roots in 2012, Bonnaroo is an open forum for musical experimentation, improvisation and collaboration. 

To celebrate the evolution of Bonnaroo’s unique programming and championing of new talent, we’ve chosen a selection of tracks by some of the 2025 edition’s stand-out acts. There are indie rockers The Lemon Twigs and flipturn, country crossovers like Marcus King and Jessie Murph, R&B-rap acts like Leon Thomas, psychedelic rockers like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and alternative pop acts like Royel Otis and Mt. Joy, among many others. 

Whether you’re heading down to the farm or imagining it at home, this collection of tracks should be on your radar.

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LISTEN TO THE TENNESSEE FARM PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW

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JUSTICE, The Flints, “Mannequin Love”
The French electro-house duo reimagine their sound with fresh collaborations on their 2024 album ‘Hyperdrama.’

Royel Otis, “moody”
The Australian guitar-pop duo went viral in 2024 with their tender cover of The Cranberries’ “Linger.” Their melancholy bonafides are on show again here, with this subtle, catchy track.

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Goose, “Everything Must Go”
Connecticut rock band Goose are known for their improvisational performances, and fans are listening — they’re playing a sold out show at Madison Square Garden this summer. Hear more directly from the members of Goose as they break down the making of their tracks in this SoundCloud exclusive commentary.

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The Lemon Twigs, “A Dream Is All I Know”
Taken from their 2024 album of the same name, this track sees the New York City band lean into their 1960s pop and progressive rock influences.

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Mt. Joy, Maren Morris, “Highway Queen”
Country crossover star Maren Morris guests on this track by Mt. Joy, a Philly-raised, LA-based rock band who dropped their latest album, ‘Hope We Have Fun,’ in 2025.

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Treaty Oak Revival, “Bad State of Mind”
“It’s a red dirt, Southern rock kind of thing” says the Texan band, of their big, Americana sound. This latest album, ‘The Talco Tapes,’ dropped this year, in May 2025.

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Marcus King, “F*ck My Life Up Again”
A country artist from South Carolina, Marcus King sings with a big, soulful heart. This track features on his 2024 album, ‘Mood Swings.’

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MJ Lenderman, “She’s Leaving You”
North Carolina-raised alt rock artist and ANTI- Records affiliate MJ Lenderman released this track on his 2024 breakthrough album, ‘Manning Fireworks.’

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Joey Quinones & Thee Sinseers, “What’s His Name”
Blending old school R&B with funk and soul, Rough Trade affiliate Joey Quinone&Thee Sinseers tap into a retro energy with their original material.

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Jessie Murph, “Sip”
After the release of her debut album ‘That Ain't No Man That's the Devil’ and working with Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims and Koe Wetzel, Alabama’s Jessie Murph is shaping up to be a breakthrough country act this year.

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Leon Thomas, “VIBES DON’T LIE”
Singer Leon Thomas blends leftfield hip-hop beats and R&B vocals to sultry effect. He released a deluxe version of his 2024 album ‘MUTT’ this year.

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The Red Clay Strays, “Wanna Be Loved”
This Alabama country rock band taps into the blues-soaked soul of the American South. This track features on their 2024 album, ‘Made By These Moments.’

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King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, “Grow Wings and Fly”
Known for their fun-loving, psychedelic style of progressive rock, this Australian band has built a loyal, global fanbase.

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flipturn, “Moon Rocks”
Hailing from Florida, flipturn are a five-piece indie rock band who self-released their second album, ‘Burnout Days,’ this year.

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ROLE MODEL, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”
The pop-rock solo project of American singer-songwriter Tucker Harrington Pillsbury, ROLE MODEL released this breakthrough track on his second album, ‘Kansas Anymore.’

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Flatland Cavalry, “Landslide”
Blending country, folk and Americana, Flatland Cavalry are a band from Lubbock Texas. Their latest studio album is 2024’s ‘Flatland Forever.’

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Ziggy Alberts, “New Love”
This track features on the Australian folk-pop artist’s 2025 album of the same name.

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Rainbow Kitten Surprise, “Espionage”
This playfully-named indie pop group from the mountain town of Boone, North Carolina released their ‘Love Hate Music Box’ album in 2024.

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Foster The People, “Lost In Space”
LA-based pop duo Foster The People bring an ’80s disco flavor to this 2024 track, which features on their album ‘Paradise State of Mind.’

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DOPE LEMON, “Sugarcat”
Dope Lemon — the solo project of Australian musician Angus Stone — released this sparkling track on his fifth studio album, 2025’s ‘Golden Wolf.’

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Ginger Root, “No Problems”
Ginger Root teasingly calls his music “aggressive elevator soul,” which chimes with his yacht rock-meets-indie pop style. This track is from his 2024 album ‘SHINBANGUMI.’

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‍Glass Animals, “Wonderful Nothing”
Taken from their 2024 album ‘I Love You So F***ing Much,’ this track sees the Platinum-selling British electronic-inspired rock band get moody.

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‍Vampire Weekend, “Mary Boone”
The celebrated American indie band showcases their talent for enduring, melancholic pop songs on their 2024 album, ‘Only God Was Above Us.’

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‍Rachel Chinouriri, “Can we talk about Isaac?”
British vocalist, producer and BRIT Award nominee Rachel Chinouriri came up on SoundCloud as a teenager. This track is taken from her 2025 EP, ‘Little House.’

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‍Wilderado, “Bad Luck”
This indie band from Tulsa, Okla., released their second album, ‘Talker,’ in 2024.

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‍Wallows, “Coffin Change”
The LA-based, alt-rock trio released their latest EP, ‘More,’ in 2025; this track features on the EP.  

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‍Bilmuri, “THE END”
Johnny Franck, formerly of bands like Attack Attack!, named his solo project after the actor Bill Murray. This is a bonus track from the deluxe version of his 2024 album ‘AMERICAN MOTOR SPORTS.’

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Destroy Boys, “You Don’t Know”
A Californian punk rock band with a grungy pop edge, Destroy Boys released their latest album, ‘Funeral Soundtrack #4,’ in 2024.

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Mannequin Pussy, “I Don’t Know You”
A punk rock band from Philadelphia, Mannequin Pussy released their critically acclaimed third album, ‘I Got Heaven,’ in 2024. 

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‍Bebe Stockwell, “Want Me”
Bebe Stockwell featured this oh-so gentle track about heartbreak on her 2025 debut album, ‘Driving Backwards.’

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