Every year, it seems as though the amount of both American and international festivals multiply. 2012 was no exception, as hundreds of festivals delivered countless hours of music to eager fans. Not only was it the year of the biggest festivals, but it was the year of the most live streamed festivals. In the US, it seemed as though every major festival live streamed the entirety of their weekends to fans, while some of Europe’s largest and most notorious festivals also took advantage of the live streaming medium. When deciding our list of top festivals, we considered the ones who went above and beyond to provide fans with an exceptional live streaming experience.

Note: Due to the overwhelming number of requests for additional information about IROCKE rankings, we have prepared this FAQ.

1. Tomorrowland Festival

Tomorrowland Music Festival has quickly become the world’s largest electronic music festival. Taking place in Belgium, Tomorrowland debuted TomorrowlandTV, the best produced live stream we’ve yet to see.

2. iTunes Music Festival

Not only did iTunes Music Festival run for 30 consecutive days and bring top notch talent, but the festival was created with the intention of being live streamed for free to thousands of people.

3. Coachella

For those of us who could not attend Coachella in person this year, the live stream was a lovely alternative. Multiple channels meant we could watch bands perform at the same time. Coachella certainly did it right.

4. Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits never fails to book a breathtaking array of talent. This year ACL streamed more than forty sets throughout the weekend, greatly upping their total from previous years.

5. Global Citizen Festival

Global Citizen Festival was live streaming gone philanthropic. The humanitarian festival was designed to bring the world together through the live streaming medium.

6. Bestival

Bestival is one of the premier music festivals in the UK, and getting to watch the live stream for free from overseas was quite a treat.

7. Lollapalooza

It was quite breathtaking watching the Lollapalooza live stream. Phenomenal music backed by a pristine Chicago skyline — what more could you ask for?

8. iHeart Radio Music Festival

The biggest radio event in music soon became one of the biggest live streaming events as well. Las Vegas’s iHeart Radio Music Festival may have sould out in ten minutes, but the live stream kept fans entertained for hours.

9. Ultra Music Festival

Ultra Music Festival was quite possibly the first major music festival to live stream in 2012. High definition cams and seamless set transitions made the Ultra live stream quite tantalizing.

10. Virgin Mobile FreeFest

The Virgin Mobile Free Fest combined our favorite rock musicians with today’s best electronic acts. Our only regret is that the live streaming festival only lasted one day!