12 music events you can’t miss in 2025

We love music, and thought we’d share a lineup of cool shows that the SystemOne team and our friends will attend this year. This list spans a wide range of genres, so there’s something every musical palate will enjoy!

1. Half Me International Tour—Australia, Japan, North America & Europe (1 March–22 November 2025)

Half Me is a German metalcore band doing a world tour this year. If you’re into heavy and progressive metal, this band delivers raw energy and an intense live experience. The next leg of their tour includes a bunch of cities and dates in the US, as well as some European countries. We’ll share the EU dates here:

• 6 June—KiFF, Aarau, Switzerland
• 27 June—High 5ive Summer Party, Stockholm, Sweden
• 12 July—Helltown Festival, Helsingborg, Sweden
• 5 September—Pell-Mell Festival, Obererbach, Germany
• 22 November—Core Fest, Im Wizemann, Stuttgart, Germany

Half Me is managed by 1182 (eleveneightytwo)—check out our interview with their manager Max to learn more about what it means to be a manager vs booking agent.

2. World Club Dome—Frankfurt, Germany (6–8 June 2025)

This event transforms Deutsche Bank Park into a massive dance floor, hosting some of the world’s top EDM artists. Known for its high production value and vibrant crowd, World Club Dome is a must if you’re a die-hard dance music fan looking for something fun to do in Germany.

Organized by BigCityBeats, this is a massive commercial production, with corporate sponsorship and large-scale marketing campaigns. It resembles Tomorrowland in its scale and approach.

Major acts performing:

• Tiësto
• Steve Aoki b2b Salvatore Ganacci
• Rita Ora
• Don Diablo
• Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
• Jamie Jones
• Boris Brejcha
• Nervo

3. Electric Love Festival—Salzburg, Austria (3–5 July 2025)

Set in the beautiful Salzburgring, Electric Love is one of Europe’s leading electronic music festivals. It mixes mainstream EDM, hardstyle, and techno with scenic mountain views and immersive stage setups.

This is another major EDM event backed by commercial sponsors and large booking agencies. It draws huge international crowds and follows the big-stage festival format.

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Major acts performing:

• Alan Walker
• Hardwell
• Steve Aoki
• Timmy Trumpet
• Major Lazer Soundsystem
• Dom Dolla
• Deborah De Luca
• Robin Schulz
• Marlon Hoffstadt

4. Parookaville—Weeze, Germany (18–20 July 2025)

This famous and imaginative festival constructs an entire city dedicated to electronic music. With stages themed like power plants, airports, and churches, Parookaville offers a surreal, immersive experience that’s out of this world. Definitely a bucket list item for EDM fans or if you’re looking for a unique festival experience.

Parookaville is a high-budget, heavily branded global mega-festival owned by Parookaville GmbH and run by a group of major music brands (partners and sponsors) and event production companies. Burnagement is the festival’s booking agent.

Major acts performing:

• Afrojack
• Hardwell
• Timmy Trumpet
• Steve Aoki
• Armin van Buuren
• Robin Schulz
• Alok
• ARTBAT
• KSHMR
• Indira Paganotto

5. Open Beatz—Herzogenaurach, Germany (25–27 July 2025)

Open Beatz blends house, techno, and EDM across multiple color-coded stages. Set in a forest lit up with vibrant light shows, it’s a magnet for Europe’s eclectic dance music crowd. Despite hosting around 30,000 visitors each day, the festival maintains an intimate feel. The decoration and integration with nature are standout features that enhance the festival experience.

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6. Wacken Open Air—Wacken, Germany (30 July–2 August 2025)

As the world's biggest heavy metal festival, Wacken Open Air is legendary. It’s been rocking since the nineties and brings together metalheads from across the globe. Lineups feature a mix of classic acts and new titans in the scene.

While it began as a small local fest, Wacken is now one of the largest metal festivals in the world, owned by WOA Festival GmbH. It operates at a massive scale with corporate partners.

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Major acts performing:

• Guns N' Roses
• Machine Head
• Gojira
• Papa Roach
• Within Temptation
• Apocalyptica
• Dimmu Borgir
• Saxon
• Saltatio Mortis

7. Heavy Music Awards—London, UK (21 August 2025)

Honoring excellence in rock, punk, and metal, the Heavy Music Awards is known for its fan-driven nominations and powerful live performances. The 2025 edition takes place at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, an eclectic Art Deco cinema turned music venue.

Some background: While now professionally run and gaining mainstream attention, the Heavy Music Awards was launched independently in 2017 to give fans a voice in the rock and metal scene. It’s not tied to a corporate festival brand and still relies on fan voting and independent sponsorship.

The official lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but notable award nominees often play at the event. We’re holding thumbs for:

• Bring Me The Horizon—Nominated for Best Album (POST HUMAN: NeX GEn), Best UK Artist, and Best UK Live Artist.
• Linkin Park—Nominated for Best Album (From Zero), Best International Artist, and Best Album Artwork.
• Sleep Token—Nominated for Best UK Artist and Best UK Live Artist.
• Green Day—Nominated for Best International Artist and Best International Live Artist.
• Spiritbox—Nominated for Best International Artist and Best International Live Artist.
• Poppy—Nominated for Best Album (Negative Spaces) and Best International Artist.

8. Bootshaus Events—Cologne, Germany (TBD 2025)

Bootshaus is more a year-round electronic club venue in Cologne than a single festival, but its curated 2025 events will include some of the top names in techno, hardstyle, and bass music. Check their calendar for major party weekends.

While independently managed to an extent, it frequently hosts globally recognized brands like Elrow or Resistance, and it’s part of a larger promotional circuit.

Major acts performing:

• Steve Aoki
• Indira Paganotto
• Eli Brown
• Luude
• Holy Goof
• Héctor Oaks
• Shlømo
• Miss Bashful
• DBBD
• SHOKI287

9. Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)—Amsterdam, Netherlands (22–26 October 2025)

A global hub for electronic music professionals and fans, ADE offers a hybrid of conference panels, workshops, and over 1,000 performances in venues across Amsterdam. It’s a key calendar moment for the global electronic scene.

Some background: ADE started in the mid-90s as a smaller industry conference and has grown into the world’s largest electronic music and conference event—it’s now backed by major sponsors like Heineken and Audio-Technica and supported by the Buma Cultuur Foundation, a Dutch music rights organization.

Many independent artists, labels, and promoters participate in ADE, often hosting their own club nights or underground showcases within the official schedule.

Major acts performing:

• Chris Liebing
• Dave Clarke
• Skepta
• Confidence Man
• Meute
• STOOR

Meet us at ADE! The SystemOne team hangs out at ADE each year to meet booking agents in person and showcase our artist booking agency platform.

There are three more events that happen in the beginning of the year—check them out below and make sure to book early!

10. ILMC—London, UK (TBC, 2026)

The International Live Music Conference (ILMC) is an invite-only gathering of live music professionals. With panels, showcases, and networking events, ILMC plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of live entertainment globally.

If you’ve never been invited to ILMC, you need to find two existing delegates to nominate you for an invite.

11. The NAMM Show—Anaheim, USA (20–24 January 2026)

The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show is a century-old music industry event featuring new product launches, live performances, and professional education sessions. Held at the Anaheim Convention Center, it brings together manufacturers, retailers, and musicians from around the world.

While it’s not a music festival per se, you can expect to see some great acts perform at NAMM. Musical legends like Stevie Wonder, Jack White, and Peter Frampton have graced the stages.

12. South by Southwest (SXSW)—Austin, Texas, USA (12–18 March 2026)

SXSW is a major global showcase for emerging talent across music, film, and tech, with hundreds of performances happening citywide in Austin. It blends cultural commentary with discovery and industry access.

Major acts performing:

• Grupo Frontera
• John Summit
• Koe Wetzel
• Sofía Reyes
• NSQK
• Twin Shadow
• Samara Cyn
• Yasmin Williams
• Gurriers
• Immersion

Are you a booking agent with some great shows to share? Let us know, we’d love to learn more about you!