The run leading up to the release of the ACL Festival lineup reminds me a lot of March Madness. Everyone has their favorites, rivals, and dark horses. And when all is said and done – no one gets it exactly right. Picking the “winners” takes on a life of its own – and has as much emotion wrapped up in it as following your favorite team. Mention the words “The Cure” – and you’ll get an immediate reaction. Who are the bubble teams? Is Mumford in or out? Killers? Is this the year for a wild card?

And much like sports – even when your team isn’t in the hunt, it’s still a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Whether my picks make it to the card or not, I’ll be standing there in October and loving every minute of it.