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Summer Sonic Festival

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Summer Sonic Festival
The Marine Stage at Summer Sonic Tokyo in 2015
GenreRock, alternative, electronic, metal, hip hop and pop
DatesAugust (2000–2019, 2022–)
September (2021)
Locations
  • Fujiyoshida, Japan (2000)
    Fuji-Q Highland
  • Chiba, Japan (2001–present)
  • Osaka, Japan (2000–present)
  • Shanghai, China (2017)
    • Shen Di Ecology Park
    • Shanghai International Music Village
  • Nonthaburi, Thailand (2024–present)
    Impact Muang Thong Thani Challenger Hall 1–3
Years active2000–2019, 2021–present
Websitewww.summersonic.com

Summer Sonic (サマーソニック, Samā Sonikku) is an annual music festival held on one weekend in August simultaneously in both Chiba (branded as Summer Sonic Tokyo) and Suita (branded as Summer Sonic Osaka), Japan. Organized by Creativeman Productions, Summer Sonic is one of the largest major music festivals in Japan, and features rotating lineups with artists performing one day in Chiba and the following day in Suita, and vice versa.[1][2] The lineup often features major international acts alongside Japanese artists from major and independent record labels.

The festival was first held in 2000 at the Fuji-Q Highland resort in Yamanashi Prefecture. The festival moved to Chiba in 2001, just east of Tokyo, and has been held simultaneously in Chiba and Osaka since 2002. The festival is often accompanied by separately ticketed overnight events held exclusively in Chiba featuring an EDM-centric lineup, which have been branded variously as Sonicmania or Midnight Sonic. The 2009, 2011 and 2026 editions of the festival were held over three days, while all other editions have been held over two days. International editions of the festival have occasionally been held outside Japan, including Shanghai in 2017 and Bangkok in 2024.[3][4]

History

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Summer Sonic Festival was founded in 2000 in Japan, by Naoki Shimizu, CEO of Tokyo promotions company Creativeman Productions Ltd.[5] Addressing the ever-growing demand for western music, the festival drew established and emerging musical acts of most genres to become, by 2010, Japan's biggest music event.

The Tokyo event takes place at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba City, which overlooks Tokyo Bay, with the main stage located in nearby Zozo Marine Stadium, as well as an additional stage located on Makuhari Beach. In Osaka, the festival was first held at WTC Open Air Stadium before moving to Maishima Sports Island in 2007. In 2024, the Osaka event was moved to Expo Commemoration Park in nearby Suita.

In 2011, the festival established Sonicmania, a separately ticketed overnight event focusing on electronic dance music. It is traditionally held at Makuhari Messe the day before the festival.[6][7] In some years, the festival has instead featured a similar event named Midnight Sonic, which regular festival ticket holders are also permitted to attend.

In 2019, B'z was announced as the first Japanese headliner in the festival's twenty-year history.[8][9] Further Japanese headliners have included Ado and L'Arc-en-Ciel, both in 2026.

The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An abridged version of the festival, branded as 'Supersonic', took place in September 2021 with restrictions in place and a typhoon affecting day one. Possibly because of the logistics of moving people around during a pandemic, the 2021 lineup was mainly electronic. Controversy arose when some foreign DJs were allowed to enter Japan without having to quarantine, despite the quarantine requirement for most other international arrivals.[10][11]

Summer Sonic celebrated its 25th edition of the festival in 2026, returning to a three-day format for the first time since 2011.

Performances

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Lineups for the festival in past years are as follows. The artists in bold are the headlining acts for that year.

2000

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2001

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2002

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2003

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2007

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2008

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2009

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2010

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August 7 Chiba / August 8 OsakaAugust 7 Osaka / August 8 Chiba

2011

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August 13 Chiba / August 14 OsakaAugust 13 Osaka / August 14 Chiba

2012

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August 18 (Chiba)/August 19 (Osaka)August 19 (Chiba)/August 18 (Osaka)

2013

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August 10 Chiba / August 11 OsakaAugust 10 Osaka / August 11 Chiba

2014

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August 16 Chiba / August 17 OsakaAugust 16 Osaka / August 17 Chiba

2015

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August 15 Chiba / August 16 OsakaAugust 15 Osaka / August 16 Chiba

2016

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August 20 Chiba / August 21 OsakaAugust 20 Osaka / August 21 Chiba

2017

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August 19 Chiba / August 20 OsakaAugust 19 Osaka / August 20 ChibaAugust 26 Shanghai / August 27 Shanghai

2018

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August 18 Chiba / August 19 OsakaAugust 18 Osaka) / August 19 Chiba

2019

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August 16 Chiba / August 18 OsakaAugust 17 Chiba / August 16 OsakaAugust 18 Chiba / August 17 Osaka

2020

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Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021

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September 18 Chiba / Osaka CancelledSeptember 19 Chiba / Osaka Cancelled

2022

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August 20 Chiba / August 21 OsakaAugust 21 Chiba / August 20 Osaka

2023

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August 19 Chiba / August 20 OsakaAugust 20 Chiba / August 19 Osaka

2024

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August 17 Chiba / August 18 OsakaAugust 18 Chiba / August 17 Osaka

2025

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August 16 Chiba / August 17 OsakaAugust 17 Chiba / August 16 Osaka

2026

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August 14 Chiba / August 15 OsakaAugust 15 Chiba / August 16 OsakaAugust 16 Chiba / August 14 Osaka

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ The last Dream Theater show with Mike Portnoy on drums

References

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  1. ↑ "Makuhari Messe". Japan National Tourism Organization. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  2. ↑ St. Michel, Patrick (24 July 2015). "Too many music fests?". The Japan Times. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Summer Sonic expands to Shanghai with LUNA SEA, Placebo, the Kooks and more". 21 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "Summer Sonic announces Bangkok festival in 2024". NME. 27 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Hoban, Alex (25 August 2009). "Turning Japanese: Tokyo's promotional powerhouse, Aug 2009". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Sonicmania 2014". 22 July 2015. {{cite web}}: Text "Music in Tokyo" ignored (help)
  7. ↑ SONICMANIA ステージ別ラインアップ発表！. 5 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Text "CREATIVEMAN PRODUCTIONS - Part 2011" ignored (help)
  8. ↑ B’z、『サマソニ』日本人初ヘッドライナーに決定. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  9. ↑ B'z「SUMMER SONIC」で日本人アーティスト初のヘッドライナーに. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  10. ↑ "Summer Sonic 2022". tokyocheapo.com. Tokyo Cheapo. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  11. ↑ Ashcraft, Bryan (17 September 2021). "Zedd Just Showed The Unfairness Of Japan's Travel Ban, Sept 2021". kotaku.com. Kotaku. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
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