Festival Radar: Chicago 2025

As the birthplace of house music in the late 1970s, through to juke and footwork in 2000s, the city of Chicago has earned its place in dance music legend. With its storied history and cultural impact permeating across the globe, DJs, producers and live performers descend on the Windy City every year — including at Lollapalooza. 

The brainchild of Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza was first held in 1991 as a farewell tour for Farrell, but after hugely positive feedback on the event and its diverse range of performances — including Janes Addiction sharing their set with rapper Ice-T — Farrell decided to turn Lollapalooza into an annual festival. Focusing initially on the alternative rock suited to the world of Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza expanded into electronic music, garnering a reputation for hosting an in-the-know blend of experimental, rave and wider dance acts. 

Now, the festival hosts around 400,000 people every summer in Chicago, making it one of the biggest festivals in the United States. Ravers from all across the U.S. and beyond make the annual trip to the Midwest to hear genre’s pioneers, emerging acts and top-tier mystery guests. For some DJs and producers, like Kentucky-born, Los Angles-based Daniel Allan, performing on this festival stage is a massive milestone, especially for electronic music. “I was just this kid making rap beats in Louisville, Kentucky, but when I started being a festival goer, I realized I could actually do this myself,” Daniel remembers. 

“I will never forget my first Lollapalooza. I was 16 years old, had $200 in my wallet and I bought a ticket. I saw Skrillex perform [and from there] I was a full raver kid. I went five years in a row. I would get there at 11a.m. and stay till 10p.m.; in the front row, raging hard.” When Daniel first performed at Lollapalooza, “it was one of the biggest bucket list items” for him as a developing artist. You can hear more of Daniel’s story and the impact the festival has had on his career on his episode of Sound Advice. 

Whether you’re Chicago-bound or absorbing the city’s sounds from a distance, we’ve put together a selection of electronic tracks from artists ready to take the stage at Lollapalooza 2025. From stadium-honed acts like drum & bass duo Chase and Status, EDM renegade Flux Pavilion and tech house trio RÜFÜS DU SOL to underground experimentalists like 2hollis, dance-pop crossovers like The Blessed Madonna, and much, much more, the expansive world of dance music is on full display at Lollapalooza once again.

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LISTEN TO THE FESTIVAL RADAR: CHICAGO 2025 PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD

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Barry Can’t Swim, “Different”
Scottish dance breakthrough and Ascending alum Barry Can’t Swim released this track on his second album, 2025’s ‘Loner,’ via Ninja Tune.

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Dom Dolla, Kid Cudi, “Forever”
Tech house hitmaker Dom Dolla links up with genre-agnostic rapper Kid Cudi for this euphoric, hugely danceable 2025 track.

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RÜFÜS DU SOL, “Edge of the Earth”
Taken from their 2024 album ‘Inhale / Exhale’, this track shows off the Australian dance trio’s skills for building a trance-like atmosphere.

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Magdalena Bay, “Killing Time”
The title track of Magdalena Bay’s second album, 2024’s ‘Imaginal Disk,’ this track shows the alternative indie-pop due on fine form, with a ‘60s-inspired earworm harmony.

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Daniel Allan, DEEGAN, “Start to Slip”
Known for his collaborations, LA-based dance producer Daniel Allan creates a hands-in-the-air moment on this driving track with DEEGAN. You can hear more about Daniel Allan’s journey on his episode of Sound Advice.

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Flux Pavilion, “Phantasmagoria”
The EDM renegade flexes on this track from his 2024 EP, ‘Fluxiverse Vol. 2.’

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2hollis, “nerve”
Blending EDM, hyperpop, rap and alternative guitar shredding, vocalist and producer 2hollis brings high drama to dance music.

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Knock2, Naliya, “shake!the!city!”
San Diego’s Knock2 recruits Naliya for this dancefloor-shaking track from the former’s 2025 album, ‘no limit’.

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Jigitz, Lay Bankz, “dollaz n dollaz”
Brooklyn-based producer Jigitz links up with Philly rapper Lay Bankz for this summer banger, blending driving dance beats with rapidfire party bars.

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Prospa, “Heartbeat (Dance The Night Away)”
UK-based DJ/producer duo Prospa draw from classic jacking Chicago house on this 2024 track.

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Sammy Virji, Skepta, “Cops & Robbers”
It’s a UK link up! Rising garage producer Sammy Virji collaborates with rapper Skepta on this track, taken from the former’s forthcoming 2025 album, ‘Same Day Cleaning.’

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Nimino, Maverick Sabre, “Beside Of Me”
Irish vocalist Maverick Sabre brings a tender power to this collaborative track with UK producer nimino, out on Counter Records.

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Fcukers, “Bon Bon (Confidence Man Remix)”
NYC’s cheekily-named Fcukers get the remix treatment from Aussie duo Confidence Man, with a bumping UK garage vibe.

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Maribou State, “Blackoak”
The long-running UK duo are back with their first track in three years; “Blackoak” opens their 2025 album, ‘Illuminating Love.’ In this exclusive interview, Maribou State joins us on Sound Advice to talk more about how they adapt their studio sound for the road, and finding inspiration in early influences like Massive Attack and The Prodigy.

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Overmono, “Blow Out”
Welsh brothers Overmono’s synthesizer-based dance music blends house, garage, trance and more into emotive anthems. This track dropped in 2024.

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Clonee, Funkdoobeist, “X-Rated”
Tech house producer Clonee draws on the vocal talents of ’90s rap group Funkdoobeist for this 2025 track.

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salute, Peter Xan, “gbesoke” 
Rising Manchester DJ/producer salute makes it bounce on this collaborative track with UK rapper Peter Xan.

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Chase and Status, Stormzy, “BACKBONE”
Grime rapper Stormzy brings a heavyweight vocal to this fresh anthem, produced by long-running drum & bass duo, Chase and Status.

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Mau P, “People Talk People Sing”
One of the hottest names on the Dutch dance scene right now, Ascending artist Mau P knows how to make a memorable dancefloor track.

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ISOxo, “KGM(irl)*”
Blending EDM, trap, hyperpop and other internet-based sounds, ISOxo makes high octane dance heaters for moshpits.

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Marlon Hoffstadt, Rian Brazil, “Need U (Extended)”
Dutch trance-crossover DJ/producer Marlon Hoffstadt works with newcomer Rian Brazil on this bumping club track.

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BUNT., “Only Friends”
German dance producer BUNT. shared that this track is about “being in love with someone who doesn’t love you.”

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The Blessed Madonna, Kylie Minogue, “Edge of Saturday Night”
Chicago dance lifer The Blessed Madonna delivers a crossover hit on this collaboration with the Aussie Princess of Pop.

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LAYZ, “Shockwave”
Bass producer LAYZ rattles heads with this track, which dropped in 2025 on Bassweight Records.

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Azzecca, “Dance of the Desert (Extended)”
Chicago DJ/producer Azzecca turns up the heat on this tech house track, which dropped in spring ‘24 on Higher Ground.

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Gryffin, Excision, Julia Michaels, “Air”
Gryffin teams up with Canadian bass producer Excision and Grammy-nominated pop vocalist Julia Michaels on this euphoric 2025 track.

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Mary Droppinz, MYTHM, Connie Francis, “PLB”
This hard-hitting collaboration between Mary Droppinz and MYTHM draws from the late Connie Francis’ hit track “Pretty Littler Baby.”

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Viperactive, “Anxious”
With high energy breaks, blending EDM with drum & bass, Viperactive lives up to his name’s wordplay.

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Levity, NITTI, “Like This”
It’s Chicago versus Miami on this collaborative Levity and NITTI track, full of raw festival energy.

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Two Friends, Alexander Stewart, “Wrong Way”
LA-based duo Two Friends hit up Canadian vocalist Alexander Stewart for this wry track about healing from a breakup.

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LISTEN TO THE FESTIVAL RADAR: CHICAGO 2025 PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD

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