ANGEL OLSEN

Forget a summer vacation. For some performers and bands, summer music festival season is the busiest stretch of the year.

While many artists, from jam bands to EDM DJs, make a living touring year-round, others take a break from playing clubs and theaters for the summer, signing onto North America’s largest summer music festivals. The summer’s busiest big-name acts include Alt-J, with a whopping 28 festivals on their schedule in between dates on their world tour, and Solange, who is dedicating her entire summer to the festival circuit — she’s on 19 lineups through the end of September.

But it’s not all about the headliners. In the hours before big names such as Jay Z and Kendrick Lamar deliver their festivalclosing sets, smaller names play those same stages, exposing their music to many festival-goers who have never heard them before.

“Festivals have become a huge conduit through which fans are used to experiencing live music,” said Chris Kaskie, president of online music magazine Pitchfork, ahead of the publication’s two festivals in Chicago and Paris. “Because of that, artists have a much wider array of festivals to perform at and audiences to attract. It doesn’t matter how big the act is even, a festival can introduce an artist to a new fanbase in an extremely natural way, and when combined with building a career surrounding their art, it’s a pretty cool proposition.”

If you’re attending a major music festival in North America this summer, you’ll likely see one of the MVPs on this list, a roundup of the standout groups populating the smaller print of this summer’s many crowded lineups. They’re names you should know, even if you don’t make it to a show.

Pitchfork, Capitol Hill Block Party, FYF, XPoNential Music Fest, Panorama, Newport, Osheaga, Hopscotch, Lincoln Calling, Austin City Limits

The singer-songwriter is playing far-flung festivals through the end of September, landing toward the top of lineups like Pitchfork. She also is an outstanding live performer whose My Woman was one of 2016’s best albums.

VINCE STAPLES Schedule:

Electric Forest, Forecastle, Pitchfork, Sloss Music and Arts, Panorama, Bumbershoot, Life Is Beautiful

Like Olsen, Staples is nearing headlining status, and for good reason — he’s one of rap’s best live acts, largely thanks to his scathing onstage commentary. He visits a long list of U.S. and international festivals this summer promoting his album Big Fish Theory, out June 23.

LIZZO Schedule:

ESSENCE Fest, Capitol Hill Block Party, Made in America, LouFest, The Meadows

Easily one of the best performers on the festival circuit right now, Lizzo earned headlines for her standout performances at SXSW, and deserves a breakout summer for her huge vocals and wild stage show.

ODESZA Schedule:

Electric Forest, Bonanza Campout, Forecastle, Sloss Music & Arts, Karoondinha Music & Arts, Bumbershoot

From the spectacle to the crowds, seeing EDM acts at music festivals can be exhausting. On a scale of one to The Chainsmokers, electronic duo Odesza is among its genre’s best, earning top billings at Electric Forest and Forecastle this summer.

THE REVIVALISTS Schedule:

Mountain Jam, Electric Forest, Arroyo Seco Weekend, Summerfest, Levitate Music Festival, Karoondinha, Life Is Beautiful, Austin City Limits

The dynamic New Orleans rockers are among the summer’s hardest-working bands, performing at a string of bluegrass festivals in addition to larger stages like Summerfest.

FRANCIS AND THE LIGHTS Schedule: