Sónar Festival 2025 Reported a Record Attendance of 161,000 People!
Between the Avant-garde and the Madness of the Masses
3,0 / 5,0 | 
Sónar Festival 2025: Digital Art Meets Club Culture - Barcelona Becomes a Hotspot for Electronic Music · Source: Sonar Festival
[16 June 2025] Sónar 2025 impressively demonstrated that it remains one of the most important events for electronic music and digital culture, with a total of 161,000 visitors. Attendance exceeded last year’s by around 7,000 people, with visitors enjoying Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night, OFFSónar, and numerous other events during Sónar Week. For several days, Barcelona once again became a cultural melting pot for music, technology, and creative expression. More than 1,400 artists, speakers, and exhibitors shaped the extensive program. I was right in the middle of it.
All About the Festival in Barcelona
The Festival Brought Electronic Music Back to the Forefront
The daytime festival featured an impressive mix of international club music and local live performances. MOCHAKK, Honey Dijon, and the British duo Overmono shared the stage with Alizzz and the flamenco-inspired Yerai Cortés. Emotional highlights included the concert honoring Ryuichi Sakamoto and the Spanish premiere of the audiovisual project “Concrete Waves.”
At night, there was one big party, but there was more than one. In addition to audiovisual spectacles such as BICEP’s “CHROMA” show, artists like Peggy Gou, Four Tet, Jayda G, and Richie Hawtin provided nighttime ecstasy. The vast halls of Fira Barcelona were impressive. Meanwhile, the Sónar+D innovation program enriched the festival with over 100 intellectual activities related to AI, digital identities, and immersive technologies. Additionally, synthesizer developers and technology companies showcased interesting new products related to music and DJ equipment. Technics also celebrated its 60th anniversary with exciting events.
A Cultural Heavyweight With Record Numbers
Offsónar (Drumcode, Afterlife) and Sónar Week complemented the official festival program with concerts, exhibitions, and collaborations throughout the city. Noteworthy events included a concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana featuring works by Steve Reich and Raquel García Tomás and an exhibition titled “The Art of Navigation” at Foto Colectania, which remains open until December. The “Interficies Sensibles” event at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion underscored the festival’s ambition to extend its influence beyond music into digital and urban culture.
In 2026, the festival will undergo a significant transformation. For the first time, all elements will be brought together in one place: the Fira Gran Via. This step marks the beginning of a new chapter, promising not only simplified logistics, but also opportunities for new synergies. The goal is to intensify the festival experience and create new formats and offerings. Advance ticket sales for 2026 will begin on June 17, 2025, with special SonarPasses. Who’s up for joining us next year?
Digital Art Meets Club Culture – Barcelona Becomes a Hotspot for Electronic Music
[13 May 2025] The 32nd edition of the popular Sónar Festival will take place from June 12 to 14, 2025. During this time, Barcelona will once again become a hub for electronic music, digital art and technological innovation. Similar to the Amsterdam Dance Event, the festival is divided into two main sections: By Day and By Night. By Day features panel discussions, workshops, equipment exhibitions, concerts, DJ sets and audiovisual performances, while By Night attracts visitors with nightly performances by international artists. Sónar+D, a congress focusing on the intersection of creativity, technology and business, runs parallel to the festival. A must for networking and partying!.
Sónar Festival 2025 Combines Techno, Culture and AI Discourse
This year’s Sónar Festival line-up features over 100 acts, including big names such as Arca, BICEP, Eric Prydz, Four Tet, Helena Hauff, Honey Dijon, Peggy Gou, Overmono, Dixon, Skrillex b2b Blawan, Armin van Buuren b2b Indira Paganotto, Alva Noto & Fennesz, Actress & Suzanne Ciani, Max Cooper, Plastikman, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Skee Mask b2b Actress, Jayda G, Sega Bodega, Pa Salieu, Animistic Beliefs & Jeisson Drenth, Maria Arnal, Juliana Huxtable, Saint Abdullah, Eomac & Rebecca Salvadori, Forensis & Bill Kouligas, Nathy Peluso, Branko, Polo & Pan, Safety Trance, Blawan live and Josh Caffé live.
Special highlights include performances by Skrillex b2b Blawan and Armin van Buuren b2b Indira Paganotto. Nathy Peluso will also present her remix project Club Grasa live. It sounds like a lot of party fun and excessive nights in the clubs and off-locations in and around downtown Barcelona.
Sónar+D 2025: Film Meets AI and Other Cultural Highlights
Sónar+D takes place at the Palau de Congressos de Fira Montjuïc and offers more than 100 formats, including lectures, panel discussions, interactive exhibitions, workshops, performances and audiovisual experiments, as well as hardware and software exhibitions from some of the music industry’s biggest names. This year’s congress will focus on the present and future of the creative industries, in particular the role of artificial intelligence and its impact on art and society. Special attention will be given to the +Rain Film Festival, dedicated to AI-generated films. Very exciting!
But That’s Not All: OFFSónar!
In addition to the main program, the festival is expanding its reach with Sónar Week and OFFSónar. From June 10th to 15th, Sónar Week offers a wide range of cultural activities in collaboration with different institutions in Barcelona. OFFSónar brings international club culture to Poble Espanyol, with events featuring renowned labels and artists (Afterlife, Drumcode, and more). The festival will open with a special concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana, featuring works by Steve Reich and Raquel García-Tomás.
Please note: Tickets for these events must be purchased separately from the event organizers.
Tickets for Sónar Festival 2025 are already available online, with a variety of options and prices, including discounts for young visitors and installment plans. For more information and the full program, visit the festival’s official website.
More Information
This might also interest you
