Founded in 1994 by Ricard Robles, Enric Palau and Sergio Caballero, Sónar has established itself as one of the world’s most influential electronic music festivals, combining breaking edge performances with digital innovation and contemporary art. Over its 32-year history, the Barcelona based event has welcomed some of the biggest names in electronic music, with its 2026 edition drawing approximately 150,000 attendees and featuring performances from Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Sammy Virji, Skepta and Joy Orbison. However, the festival has now raised questions about its future following an unexpected announcement declaring its own death.
On October 27, 2026, Sónar shared a cryptic video on Instagram featuring a coffin inscribed ‘Sónar 1994–2026’, accompanied by the message “Sónar is dead” in Catalan, Spanish and English. The announcement extended beyond social media, with obituary style advertisements appearing in Barcelona newspapers, including La Vanguardia. Meanwhile, the festival removed its previous Instagram posts and replaced its official website with a digital condolence book, inviting fans to leave farewell messages. Despite the dramatic campaign, organisers have yet to confirm whether the announcement marks the festival’s permanent closure or signals a new direction.
The announcement follows a period of significant change for Sónar, including the departure of its three founders in 2025 and a revised event format in 2026, which brought its musical programming together at Fira Gran Via while relocating Sónar+D to Llotja de Mar. The festival also faced controversy surrounding its ownership links to investment firm KKR, prompting artist boycotts in 2025. Although its future remains uncertain, Sónar’s 2027 edition is still listed for June 17–19 in Barcelona, fuelling speculation that the campaign could introduce a new identity or format. With no official explanation yet released, the electronic music community awaits further details on what comes next for the longstanding festival. 
Watch Sónar’s mysterious announcement here:
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