ONE Musicfest is BACK! We’re so excited to share this year’s lineup!
The music festival, which celebrates its 15th year this fall will return to Piedmont Park in collaboration with Live Nation Urban after a record-breaking 100,000 concertgoers were in attendance in 2024.
“Amazing to see the diversity amongst our community and culture out there, the young, the old,” ONE Musicfest founder J Carter said of the festival. “I mean, my kids are out there, my parents are out there. I think it just explains what Atlanta is and what the brand really stands for and how it is an intersection of age and race and creed and lifestyles. I think the whole ONE Musicfest really came alive and lived its creed last year and we plan to do it again. Just as generational the lineup was last year, you’ll see that again this year. I think our audience will reflect that as well.”
The festival released their lineup at 9 a.m. Friday, August 8, with 40 plus acts set to hit the three stages at Piedmont Park on October 25 and 26.
“It’s everything from Cardi B, to Victoria Monét, to Earth, Wind & Fire,” J. Carter told GlobalGrind. “It’s the whole breadth of us, R&B, hip-hop, old school, new school. Everything from Bossman DLow to Destin Conrad. I’m excited to present that again.”
Carter also discussed the multiple DJ sets the festival will bring to the stage, which may result in some very special surprise pop-ups.
“We’ll probably have more collaboration sets this year than ever before,” Carter said. “DJ Mustard is doing something, he has produced everyone from Kendrick to 2 Chainz to Jeezy to Ella Mai. So he’s pulling out a lot of surprises. DJ Drama is coming back. So he’s going to go ham and have a couple of surprises on his set. Greg Street’s coming with his Southern set. Mars is actually doing a set. There’ll be everything from T.I. To Monica to Keri Hilson to special guests.”
Mars is currently touring with Usher — who has been promoting his new tour film, so we’re curious to see if the R&B legend might make an appearance as well.
In addition to music, Carter also confirmed that concertgoers will have many choices regarding food and activations.
“We did the Creative Lounge last year,” Carter said. “We’re going to do that again. The roller-skating rink is coming back. Some of our lead sponsors are coming back with some bigger activations.”
Procter & Gamble returns to this year’s festival as title sponsor, while OMF will also partner with Toyota, Sprite, Hennessy, and other top-tier brands.
“It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the fifteen-year mark. We’ve grown into the longest-running and largest Black independently owned festival in the country and this journey has been a blessing. Our commitment to the community remains steadfast as we continue to bring the biggest and brightest performers in music and the best activations with amazing partners,” J Carter said in the statement announcing the festival lineup.
In our conversation with Carter, he noted that the footprint of the festival will be similar to last year, but the team opted to make some adjustments in response to the overwhelming crowds at the food trucks.
“We’re going to have less food trucks and more food tents, like little mini pavilions,” Carter told Bossip. “So instead of one line for a food truck, now you have three lines ordering food. So you’re getting your food quickly rather than waiting 20, 30, 40 minutes and missing set times waiting for your food.”
Most Atlanta residents have plenty of memories after the last 14 years of OMF, but this year Carter says the festival will offer more photo opportunities.
“A lot of photo moments that we did not have last year, we’re going to have this year,” Carter revealed. “Everyone likes to take photos and share where they are and have that whole experience, so we’re going to do something with some Atlanta creatives and have some different pop-up moments built and designed by Atlanta creatives around the festival that speak to Atlanta, speak to the festival, but in their creative tone.”
Source: Nicholas Hunt / Getty
