SUMMER SONIC 2026 Set to Mark 25 Years With Three Day Run

“SUMMER SONIC 2026” has officially been confirmed.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, one of Japan’s largest and most influential music festivals will return for three days from August 14 to 16, 2026. The Tokyo edition will once again take over ZOZO Marine Stadium and Makuhari Messe in Chiba, while the Osaka edition will be held at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita. As always, the festival will bring together a diverse lineup of major domestic and international artists, with performer announcements set to roll out from February.

Alongside the announcement, a statement from Creativeman Productions CEO Naoki Shimizu was released, marking the milestone year and setting the stage for what promises to be a landmark edition of “SUMMER SONIC.”

Launched in 2000, a full decade after Creativeman was founded in 1990, SUMMER SONIC was born with a clear ambition. Under the banner of “Traveling Without Moving,” it set out to bring the thrill of world class music festivals to Japan without the need to cross borders, boldly becoming the country’s first large scale festival to be held simultaneously in Tokyo and Osaka.

From its very first year, the festival welcomed a wave of major domestic and international artists, led by Green Day. In 2003, Radiohead closed the festival with a performance that would go down in legend, firmly establishing SUMMER SONIC as a name recognized around the globe. Since then, countless artists have gone on to become global stars after appearing at the festival. Following milestone 10th and 20th anniversary editions expanded to three days, the 25th anniversary in 2026 now sets its sights on breaking its own record, aiming for 330,000 attendees over three days, the largest in its history.

To the approximately 4.7 million people who have joined SUMMER SONIC and SONICMANIA over the past 24 years, we offer our deepest gratitude. We hope to create yet another unforgettable summer together. Next year, a lineup of electrifying and compelling acts will take the stage with the intensity of a once in a lifetime moment. Long awaited reunions and brand new discoveries are about to begin again. Until the first lineup announcement arrives in February, we wish you a wonderful holiday season.

Naoki Shimizu