Last week’s “leaked” Summer Sonic 2017 lineup turns out to be legit as the festival made an official announcement today.
Summer Sonic has confirmed the first wave of performers, including headliner Calvin Harris, 5 Seconds of Summer, Charli XCX, Justice, Kesha, and Liam Gallagher.
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The acts topping the bill have stirred disappointment and criticism among long-time fans and social media users. One commenter wrote she was “hoping for some significant changes” but now that it’s out, the lineup is “still balls.”
Others consider giving up attending Summer Sonic entirely and show support for Japan’s other festival giant, Fuji Rock, who’s yet to reveal its lineup.
Some didn’t focus on the crowd-drawing big players but the next names on the list like Summer Sonic habitué Phoenix, Sum 41, Royal Blood, Circa Waves and Good Charlotte. Check out all the artist confirmed thus far below.
Last Tuesday (Jan 31), fans got a glimpse of the lineup this year’s performer Zara Larsson unknowingly “leaked” on Facebook. The post has since been removed but you can see the screenshot here.
😳!hahahaha😝😝😝😝😝Is this answer?? @zaralarsson #サマソニ #summersonic #zaralarsson pic.twitter.com/4GRZ0kwKXJ
— Zara♡ (@zara__good) January 31, 2017
Summer Sonic has always featured “mainstream” acts and more evidently so in recent years as electronic music dominates the charts, but for a festival that has astonished rock fans all over Asia with the likes of Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Arctic Monkeys in initial details announcements, it’s a bit odd of the organiser to release a DJ name first, never mind bill one as headliner.
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What do you think? Can we still be hopeful about the next batch of artists? Should all the DJs perform at Sonicmania, the festival’s nighttime EDM-oriented event, instead of on the Main Stage?
Summer Sonic returns to Chiba Marine Stadium & Makuhari Messe, Chiba (Tokyo) and Maishima Sports Island, Osaka on August 19-20, 2017.