A social media post sparked a frenzy: Sónar published a teaser emulating its own demise and wake. The alarm was instantaneous: was this the end of the festival? Would there be no Sónar in 2027? Nothing could be further from the truth: Sónar was announcing its rebirth. After more than three decades, the organisers have set out to recapture that urban, festive, and intimate spirit that defined the original Sónar.
The festival has chosen to reinvent itself for its 34th edition. From 17 to 19 June 2027, Sónar will return to its purest essence with a change of venue: Sónar by Day leaves Fira Montjuïc behind to head back to the city centre, the very setting where it was born in 1994. Yet this change of location does not come alone: it is paired with a return to the traditional night-time format, which will once again be condensed into two dates at Fira Gran Via.
In addition, the festival has unveiled an initial wave of 30 artists headlined by the return of Carl Cox (who has not played Sónar for over twenty years) alongside heavyweight names such as Bonobo, Tokischa, Peggy Gou, Yung Lean, and Jessie Ware.
Barcelona welcomes back Sónar by Day
The standout headline is that Sónar by Day returns to the city proper. On Thursday 17, Friday 18, and Saturday 19 June, the festival’s daytime programme will relocate to Barcelona’s seafront to revive a more intimate and accessible gathering. The move aims to streamline access and create an inviting space where audiences and artists share the setting in a more informal, relaxed atmosphere.
This return to the water also reunites live music and the Sónar+D programme under one roof. The debate forum and creative laboratory will once again sit side by side with the core festival, bringing together creators, researchers, and technologists to reflect on artificial intelligence, emerging digital tools, and critical thinking.
Sónar by Night will remain at its customary home at Fira Gran Via on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 June. The site will retain its four signature stages – SonarClub, SonarPub, SonarLab, and SonarCar – to accommodate large-scale live shows, high-impact audiovisual productions, and DJ sets stretching through until dawn.
Sónar 2027 line-up: first confirmed artists
The opening roster of confirmed acts once again crosses genres with absolute freedom. If one name has ignited maximum excitement, it is Carl Cox. The acclaimed British DJ will step behind the decks at Sónar more than two decades on from his last appearance at the festival. Joining him will be two defining voices on the contemporary circuit: South Korea’s Peggy Gou and Dutch sensation KI/KI, the undisputed benchmark of current trance.
Among the announced performers, Bonobo also stands out, arriving to showcase his new album, Distance in Static, featuring a visual and stage production designed by Pierre Claude, the creative mind behind the live shows of Air, Gesaffelstein, and Phoenix.
Another major highlight will be the festival debut of Dominican trailblazer Tokischa. The artist has emerged as a global powerhouse through high-profile collaborations with Rosalía, Madonna, and Skrillex, and this June she brings her raw, unfiltered dembow straight to the Sónar stage.
The Sónar bill is rounded out by the rap of Sweden’s Yung Lean, the disco-tinged pop of British singer Jessie Ware, the return of Japan’s Cornelius with his album Refractions, and performances by Goldie, Aurora Halal, and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith.
The programme also features Romy (of The xx), the techno mastery of Oscar Mulero, Honey Dijon’s Sinister project exploring Detroit roots, and a live four-handed modular improvisation by Collabs3000, the collaborative project uniting Chris Liebing and Speedy J.
There will also be room for unexpected back-to-back pairings, such as Ed Banger founder Busy P alongside Mexico’s Girl Ultra, a joint set from Funk Assault (Alarico and Chlär), Job Jobse, SALOME, and a collaborative session between Donato Dozzy and Batu.
From the underground to urban sounds
As ever, the festival carves out a central platform for emerging sounds and the alternative scene. Sónar will host Goldie with a live jungle and drum ’n’ bass set, alongside New York duo Frost Children and their blend of EDM and emo sensibilities.
Urban music will be represented by TK MAMI (touring her record TK MAMI UNIVERSITY), the roots-infused reggaeton of Granada’s Kristina, Madrid collective Disobey Sound System, and Zaragoza’s Drizzyclare.
The list of this initial 31-artist wave is completed by names including Yu Su, Tash LC, duo Opal Sunn, and Colombia’s Adriana Lopez with her project Suut.
Tickets for Sónar 2027 on sale now
Early-bird passes for Sónar 2027 are now available on the official website at a special launch price, across SonarPass and SonarPass+D tiers (both standard and VIP).
The 2027 celebrations will once again spill out across the entire city through Sónar Week, featuring showcases staged in various urban spots, alongside the OFFSónar parties at Poble Espanyol, Sónar District sessions, and the return of Sónar Kids at the Parc del Fòrum.
All signs suggest that in 2027 we will witness a different yet unmistakably familiar Sónar. The festival has “died” only to return to what it always was: an essential Barcelona event that basks in the sound of the sea during the day, before turning the volume up to full blast at night. The countdown has begun.