Despite the recent snowfall, it is time to prepare for the summer.
The initial lineup waves for two of Japan’s major music festivals were just revealed. On Aug. 19 and 20, Japanese and British musicians Blur and Kendrick Lamar will headline Summer Sonic, which will also occur in Tokyo and Osaka. Soon after, Niigata Prefecture’s Fuji Rock Festival, set to take place from July 28 through 30, revealed that American bands Foo Fighters and The Strokes would perform on the festival’s main stage with pop singer Lizzo.
These two announcements stood out because so few domestic artists were included. These events frequently include a few Japanese names to draw attention, even though these exposes have historically focused on showy, well-known names at the beginning. Two J-pop titans, Yoasobi and Official Hige Dandism were featured on Summer Sonic, whereas none were present on Fuji Rock.
The message appears to be clear: The 2021 editions of both events took place while the country’s borders were closed to foreign visitors; the 2022 season saw a slow return of non-Japanese artists, but the shadow of COVID-19 remained ever-present (each set began with an MC warning the audience not to shout or sing along, which was primarily disregarded); and now, the year 2023 seems to herald a triumphant return to a pre-pandemic sense of “normal.” The latter opinion is not subdued. The festival’s website promises attendees that this year’s event will “make you shout out that you feel amazing!”
This change had to occur. Major concerts have returned to being a mainstay of the live environment as borders have reopened. In the last week, Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic’s respective promoters, Smash and Creativeman, put on live performances by the Backstreet Boys, Pavement, Wet Leg, and Fontaines, D.C.
During the pandemic, the Japanese music scene changed to focus nearly entirely on homegrown artists. The all-domestic roster for Fuji Rock in 2021 was a decision that allowed the event to take place and give fans some excitement, but it needed to capture what makes Fuji Rock unique. The journey of performers to the mountains worldwide is an essential component of the experience.
The international lineup also serves as a means of luring back tourists, which the Japanese government is eager to promote as it strives to welcome a record number of international travellers in 2025. Promoting the chance to see a diverse range of international artists attracts non-Japanese patrons, particularly those from Asia, which was already starting to become significant to the nation’s music culture before the epidemic. Balming Tiger from South Korea and Jatayu from India are on the initial lineup of Fuji Rock, which is especially eager to attract festival-goers from nearby nations.
The festival business could receive a massive boost from a surge of non-Japanese tourists who decide to attend a significant live music event while in the nation. According to travel firm JTB, Japan will receive 21 million foreign tourists this year. As Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic prepare to host more prominent people, they can draw in new listeners, increasing sales and introducing them to Japan’s largest summer gatherings. That would benefit society well beyond the summer of 2023.
