BABYMETAL To Perform At Summer Sonic, Curating The Sonic Metal Stage
The Japanese kawaii metal band will select the lineup for the metal stage at both the Tokyo and Osaka festivals.
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Japanese kawaii metal band BABYMETAL, who are celebrating 15 years as a band, have been added to the lineup of the 25th edition of Summer Sonic Festival.
The powerful trio are fresh from the release of their 2025 album Metal Forth, which topped the Japanese Rock Albums Chart and received positive reviews from critics.
Not only are BABYMETAL performing at Summer Sonic, but the band are also curating the Sonic Metal Stage at both the Tokyo and Osaka editions of the festival.
BABYMETAL join theother recent addition, Japanese rock outfit Bump of Chicken, who are performing at Summer Sonic for the first time despite their 30+ year career.
They will join New York indie rock icons The Strokes, who are headlining the three-day festival from August 14 to 16, 2026, at ZOZO Marine Stadium and Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Tokyo and Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park in Suita, Osaka.
The first wave of artists announced to take the stage also includes UK funk act Jamiroquai, rockers Kasabian, avant-garde artist FKA Twigs, singer-songwriter Steve Lacey, Aussie drum and bass legends Pendulum and a special performance from David Byrne, who recently toured Australia and played Adelaide.
Japanese residents have first dibs on tickets, with the general on-sale not taking place until Saturday 30 May. Find out all the details surrounding the lineup and tickets at summersonic.com.
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Creativeman Productions CEO Naoki Shimizu released the following statement about the history of the festival and what to expect next year.
“Creativeman was founded in 1990, and ten years later, in 2000, Summer Sonic was launched at last. With the message of allowing people to easily enjoy a world-class music festival without travelling overseas - “Travelling Without Moving”- we took on the challenge of creating Japan’s first large-scale festival to be held simultaneously in Tokyo and Osaka.
“From its very first year, many domestic and international artists took the stage, led by Green Day. In 2003, Radiohead delivered a legendary headline performance, establishing Summer Sonic in both name and reality as a festival recognised around the world. Since then, numerous artists who performed at Summer Sonic have gone on to become global stars. Through milestone editions such as the 10th and 20th anniversaries, celebrated with three-day events, the festival now looks ahead to 2026, when its 25th anniversary will be marked by the largest edition ever - three days and a challenge to welcome a record-breaking 330,000 attendees.
“To the approximately 4.7 million people who have joined us at Summer Sonic and Sonicmania over the past 24 years, we extend our heartfelt gratitude, and we hope to once again create unforgettable summer days together.
“Next year, exciting and inspiring acts will come together with a true once-in-a-lifetime spirit to deliver outstanding live performances. Reunions filled with nostalgia and brand-new discoveries will begin again.
“Until the first lineup announcement scheduled for February, we wish you a wonderful holiday.”
Summer Sonic runs from August 14 to 16, 2026, in Tokyo at ZOZO Marine Stadium and Makuhari Messe in Chiba and in Osaka at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita. For more details, visit summersonic.com.
