The Strokes Headline Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026 First Artist Lineup
The three day festival bill also includes Jamiroquai, FKA Twigs, Kasabian and more.
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New York indie rock icons The Strokes are headlining Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the festival is pulling out all the stops to ensure a massive birthday bash, with the festival stretching to three days in the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka from August 14 to 16, 2026.
Along with The Strokes, the first lineup 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 blew us away with his recent Adelaide show.
The diverse first bill also includes Boy Soda, Alex Warren, Suede and a stack of Japanese acts, including rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel, one of Japan’s biggest-selling acts of all time.
The Tokyo leg of Summer Sonic will be held at ZOZO Marine Stadium and Makuhari Messe in Chiba, while the Osaka edition takes over Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park in Suita.
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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Accompanying the announcement of the festival’s return, 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.
