Now that the festive season has ended, the winter darkness can easily become a bit too much to take. But if you want to brighten up your season a bit more, you can do so by checking out some fantastic music festivals – and there are plenty of great festivals taking place around the world.

The following music festivals are all happening at the start of the year and will guarantee to add some more fun to your New Year!

Sydney Festival, Australia

A trip to Down Under is definitely going to cheer you up, as the summer season is in full swing there. The Sydney festival will also add its own magic to the mix with the line-up including amazing talent like Atomic Bomb! Band and Tex Perkins.

The venues bring their own unique element to the mix, as you can experience music in an old prison among others. You can find more information from the website.

When? January 8-26

Eurosonic Noordeslag, Groningen, the Netherlands

If you want something a bit closer to home, you should head down to Groningen in the Netherlands in mid-January. The city is a little, sleepy university town that will definitely show you a thing or two about proper partying.

The festival is famous for introducing new European talent and you can probably hear some of the bands in Glastonbury this summer. We recommend catching up Kaleo and Deers, with the full timetable available online now.

When? January 14-17

Where’s The Music, Norrköping, Sweden

If you are a fan of Scandinavian music, then Where’s The Music festival in Sweden is a must-see event. The city of Norrköping is a beautiful place on its own and the rock ‘n’ roll festival in February adds its own layer of fun to the location.

There’s plenty of music to enjoy here from classic Scandinavian metal to the more exotic Sami rap. Our pick would definitely be Sweden’s own talent, Jennie Abrahamson. You don’t want to miss this event and as it’s close to Valentine’s Day, you might even want to surprise your other half with tickets!

When? February 12-14

Tallinn Music Week, Estonia

You probably won’t end up meeting any big, famous names at the Tallinn Music Week, but it’s still a great little festival to check out. The city is a fantastic little place with plenty of art-nouveau architecture and relatively cheap prices, providing the perfect backdrop for great music.

The music festival adds plenty of buzz to the city and you have a nice selection of genres available. The artists for this year are not announced yet, but they will be added to the website in February. Furthermore, if you are into classical music, then the Tallinn Music Week has a great selection of classical events as well.

When? March 25-28

If you have a few days to take off, then any of the above events is a great spot for a holiday. You’ll get to experience the cool locations as well as enjoy some great music. If you are looking something a bit closer to home, then make sure to check out the coolest music venues in London. Let 2015 be the year of music!