Sónar Is Dead? What the 1994-2026 Funeral Means for Sónar 2027 and Istanbul

Sónar declared itself dead on 27 October 2026 with a 1994-2026 funeral video and a death notice in La Vanguardia. What happened, why now, what it means for Sónar 2027 tickets and for Sónar Istanbul.

Written By Techno Airlines

Published October 28, 2026

Reading Time 6 Minutes

Credit: Photo: Nachetere / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

Table of Contents

Sónar has not been officially cancelled. On 27 October 2026 the Barcelona festival declared itself dead with a “1994-2026” funeral video, a death notice in La Vanguardia and a condolence book in place of its website. It has not issued a statement, withdrawn its 2027 dates (17 to 19 June) or offered refunds, and most of the Spanish press reads the stunt as the opening of a relaunch campaign. Here is what happened, why it is happening now, and what it means for ticket holders and for Sónar Istanbul.

View Sónar’s “Sónar is dead” video on Instagram

What did Sónar post on 27 October 2026?

On 27 October 2026 Sónar published a 21-second video of a black coffin engraved “Sónar 1994-2026”, flanked by white wreaths and two small screens playing old footage, captioned “Sónar ha mort. Sónar ha muerto. Sónar is dead.” The campaign ran on several fronts at once:

Instagram: every earlier post on @sonarfestival was removed, leaving the funeral reel as the only post on the grid.
Print: a black-bordered death notice ran in that morning’s print edition of La Vanguardia, Barcelona’s main daily, and similar adverts appeared around the city.
Website: sonar.es now shows only a condolence book where visitors can leave a farewell message, signed off with “The Sónar family thanks you for your support. Thank you for being part of our story.”
YouTube: the same video went up on the official channel under the title “Sónar is dead”.

One detail is worth a second look. The video does not end on the coffin. It cuts to black and shows the Sónar logo next to an empty square box. That is our reading rather than anything the festival has said, but an empty frame beside a logo looks a lot more like “something new goes here” than a full stop.

Is Sónar really over?

Nothing official says so: as of 28 October 2026, Sónar has not cancelled its 2027 edition, announced refunds or explained the campaign. According to La Vanguardia, the team “neither confirmed nor denied” that the death notice is a prelude to a relaunch. Spanish outlets including Crónica Global and Sonicaworks report that the organisation will share news “in the coming days”.

The timing points the same way. Sónar usually reveals the first artists for its next edition in November; the first 2026 names landed on 20 November 2025. A dramatic funeral a few weeks before that window reads more like a teaser than a closure notice. The most common theories in the Spanish and international press are a new name, a new identity or a new format for 2027, possibly still backed by the current owners.

Why would Sónar “kill” itself now?

The funeral comes after the most turbulent two years in Sónar’s history, which began when its ownership became a political issue. The key steps:

2018: the founders sold a majority stake to Superstruct Entertainment while keeping creative control.
June 2024: the investment firm KKR bought Superstruct, in a deal reported at around 1.3 billion euros.
2025: a boycott backed by BDS over KKR’s investments saw more than 50 artists and collectives withdraw from the line-up.
October 2025: founders Enric Palau, Ricard Robles and Sergio Caballero, together with partner Ventura Barba, stepped away after more than 30 years. Superstruct called it an “orderly and cordial transition”, and François Jozic of Brunch Electronik became CEO.
June 2026: the first edition without the founders moved the whole music programme to a single site at Fira Gran Via in L’Hospitalet, with Sónar+D at the Llotja de Mar. The festival claimed 150,000 visitors, down from a claimed 161,000 in 2025.
October 2026: two long-serving Sónar+D figures, Antonia Folguera and Andrea Faroppa, left. Folguera told La Vanguardia the event had become “a corporate thing where only people with corporate visions remain”.

The last full edition before the funeral still drew big names, from Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens to KETTAMA and a long-awaited Sónar debut from The Prodigy:

What happens to Sónar 2027 tickets?

If you bought a Sónar 2027 pass, nothing has changed yet: no cancellation has been announced and your ticket is still valid. The presale opened on 22 June 2026, with prices from 155 euros for a SonarPass up to 295 euros for the VIP pass that includes Sónar+D. Buyers who added the Flex option can cancel for a full refund until 1 March 2027.

Our advice is simple. Do not panic-sell a pass on a resale site this week, keep the 1 March 2027 Flex deadline in your diary, and follow the Sónar Barcelona 2027 page, which we will update as soon as the festival explains itself.

Catalogue cover of the first Sónar festival, Barcelona 1994, festival de músiques avançades — The catalogue of the first Sónar, Barcelona 1994. Image: Laboa.xyz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

What does “Sónar is dead” mean for Sónar Istanbul?

Sónar Istanbul 2027 is still listed for 9 and 10 April 2027 on the official Sónar Istanbul website, which on 28 October 2026 carried no reference to the Barcelona campaign. The Istanbul edition debuted in 2017 and celebrated its 10th edition at Zorlu PSM on 10 and 11 April 2026, with Charlotte de Witte at the top of the bill, supported by %100 Müzik. The 2027 venue and line-up have not been announced.

The link matters because Istanbul is not a separate festival that borrows the name. The Sónar Istanbul website is still credited to Advanced Music, the Barcelona company behind Sónar, so any rebrand in Barcelona would very likely reach Istanbul too. Whether that means a new name on the April posters or simply a new look is pure speculation for now. Sónar’s other big international edition, Sónar Lisboa, already skipped 2026 and has said it will return in 2027.

For Turkish fans the practical answer is the same as for Barcelona: nothing has been cancelled. Keep an eye on our Sónar Istanbul 2027 page and the wider Istanbul festival calendar.

Our take

Festivals do not usually buy a death notice in the city’s biggest newspaper to announce a real closure. They write a statement, apologise and explain refunds. Sónar has done none of that. What it has done is make 32 years of history the story again after two years in which the headlines were about boycotts, owners and departures. Whatever comes next has to answer the question this campaign raises: if the old Sónar is dead, what exactly is being born? We will know soon, and we will update this page the day it lands. Until then, browse the rest of the festivals in Spain and our full techno festival calendar.

FAQ

Is Sónar festival dead?

Not officially. On 27 October 2026 Sónar posted a “Sónar is dead, 1994-2026” funeral video and ran a death notice in La Vanguardia, but it has not cancelled any edition or issued a statement. Most observers expect a relaunch announcement.

Is Sónar 2027 cancelled?

No. As of 28 October 2026 the 2027 edition, announced for 17 to 19 June 2027 in Barcelona, has not been cancelled and no refunds have been offered.

When is Sónar 2027?

Sónar 2027 was announced for 17, 18 and 19 June 2027 in Barcelona. The venue and line-up have not been published.

What happens to my Sónar 2027 ticket?

It is still valid. Presale passes went on sale on 22 June 2026, and buyers with the Flex option can cancel for a full refund until 1 March 2027.

Is Sónar Istanbul 2027 still happening?

Yes, as far as anyone knows. The official Sónar Istanbul website still lists 9 and 10 April 2027, and it has not commented on the Barcelona campaign. The venue and line-up have not been announced.

Who owns Sónar?

Sónar is run by Advanced Music, which has been majority-owned by Superstruct Entertainment since 2018. Superstruct has been owned by the investment firm KKR since 2024. The founders left in October 2025, and François Jozic is the CEO.