CNN —

Music festivals are facing a crisis.

On the brink of what should be another exciting summer festival season, dozens of music festivals are shutting down.

The trend has been simmering for years — the longstanding Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago isn't returning this summer, following similar announcements last year from Atlanta's Music Midtown and Kickoff Jam in Florida. Meanwhile, festivals like Jay-Z's Made in America festival and Delaware's Firefly Music Festival haven't returned since 2022.

This year, more than 40 festivals have already been canceled, according to one count.

These cancellations aren't the only signs that something is awry in the festival scene. For the second year in a row, tickets to Coachella — the preeminent festival in the California desert that once

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