On the 24th of October, Primavera Sound Barcelona presented the line-up for its next edition, and at the same time launched a reminder to the world: almost a quarter of a century after its official birth, the festival continues to relentlessly pursue its aim of being a musical reflection of its time and place. And this is endorsed by the most influential specialised music press and general media, which over the last few weeks have included Primavera Sound Barcelona 2025 in their lists of the best of the year.
Twelve months tinted with the garish green of BRAT, the best album of the year according to The Guardian, Rockdelux, Jenesaispop, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Billboard, The Telegraph and NME, the album-phenomenon that has consolidated Charli xcx as the perfect model of the modern popstar. The British artist has shared the 2024’s limelight with Sabrina Carpenter whose delightful Short n’ Sweet has been one of Billboard’s the ten best albums of the year for Billboard, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone, and the unstoppable Chappell Roan, who hasn’t even had to release a new album to grab all the spotlight. In a particularly symbolic way, the three of them, the holy trinity of Primavera Sound Barcelona, form the podium of The Guardian’s best songs of 2024.
The next edition of the festival will undoubtedly be marked by their presence, but also by the ever-rising stars Clairo, Magdalena Bay, Jamie xx, Carolina Durante, Still House Plants, Chat Pile and This Is Lorelei, who will present their applauded latest albums at the Parc del Fòrum. And by Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman, united by the duet Right Back to It and both named among the ten best albums of the year in the opinion of Pitchfork, Stereogum, Uncut and Paste. And Cassandra Jenkins, who was awarded best album of the year by Loud and Quiet and The Line of Best Fit thanks to the subtle intricacies of My Light, My Destroyer. And the Irish band Fontaines D.C., of course, authors of the best album according to Mondosonoro and the best song according to Rockdelux of this 2024 that is now coming to an end.
And since, after all, the musical cycle never stops, the next edition of Primavera Sound Barcelona will be the setting for a beautiful paradox that confirms the festival’s global influence: the artists mentioned here will present the music that has topped the best of 2024 lists and others will present the music that will end up dominating the best of 2025. All of this in just over five months.
