Photos

By Mark Brown
Special to MSN Music

Hitting a festival isn't like catching a show -- it's a commitment, a weekend that can include camping, hotels, hiking, weather endurance and getting your tickets and accommodations way, way in advance. The payoff, of course, is stellar lineups, ... more once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and more music going in your earholes than anyone can reasonably be expected to take in over a few days. It's a bright spot for promoters as well as fans, since many of the best fests sell out months in advance, and tickets for some are already gone. Check out the best gatherings coming up in 2012.

(Bruce Springsteen by Columbia Records; Mary J. Blige by Interscope Records; David Guetta by Ellen Von Unwerth)