Ultra Music Festival, one of the world’s most renowned electronic music events, has reached its 25th edition. Held annually since 1999 in Miami, Florida, this iconic festival will return to Bayfront Park from March 28 to 30.
While there are numerous exciting new features in store, let’s take a step back before announcing the first phase of this year’s lineup.
A Brief History of Ultra Music Festival
Ultra Music Festival was founded in 1999 in Miami, co-founded by CEO Russell Faibisch. Initially, UMF was a one-day event until 2006, when it expanded to two days from 2007 to 2010. Since 2011, the festival has extended to its current three-day format.
It’s worth noting that the early editions didn’t take place at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami. The festival has rotated through several venues:
– 1999 to 2000: Collins Park, Miami Beach
– 2006 to 2011: Bicentennial Park, Downtown Miami
– 2019: Virginia Key, Miami
– 2001 to 2005 | 2012 to 2018 | 2022 to present: Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami
Over the years, the Ultra brand has expanded globally, with events across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Ultra editions are held in various locations, including Ibiza, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; São Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Seoul, South Korea; Japan; Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Split and Hvar, Croatia.
Notable Performances and Milestones
Some of the most iconic artists to perform at Ultra Music Festival include David Guetta, Carl Cox, Martin Garrix, deadmau5, Avicii, Hardwell, Skrillex, The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, and many more.
Over the years, various editions have witnessed memorable events. Here are a few highlights:
- 2013: To mark the 15th anniversary, Ultra was held over two weekends instead of one, and Swedish House Mafia—composed of Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Steve Angello—performed their farewell set.
- 2014: Martin Garrix made his debut at just 17, inviting Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike on stage to perform their collaboration, Tremor. That same year, deadmau5 humorously played a remixed version of Garrix’s hit Animals during his set.
- 2015: SteveAoki performed two sets: a solo 30-minute performance followed by another 30 minutes alongside Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, forming the trio 3 Are Legend. Skrillex also headlined the festival’s closing as Jack Ü with Diplo, performing their hit Where Are Ü Now with Justin Bieber, who made a live appearance after a break from performing.
- 2018: To celebrate Ultra Miami’s 20th anniversary, Swedish House Mafia reunited on stage after their 2013 disbandment, delivering a surprise performance for the fans.
- 2022: Hardwell, a longtime Ultra favorite, returned after a hiatus since 2018, marking his comeback on the Ultra stage.
These are just a few standout moments from Ultra Music Festival’s vibrant history. Now, let’s shift back to the present.
First Phase of the 2025 Line-Up: New Artists and Legendary Returns
Ultra Music Festival has announced its first wave of artists for the 25th edition, revealing both familiar faces and exciting new additions. This year, for the first time, the festival will feature an exclusive back-to-back set from Anyma and Solomun. The Croatian DJ will also bring his record label, Diynamic, to Ultra for the first time, hosting a dedicated stage at the RESISTANCE MegaStructure. Diynamic’s debut at Ultra will include a solo headlining set from Solomun and first-time festival performances from celebrated artists such as English experimental electronic pioneer Four Tet, Dutch tech-house sensation Mau P, and more.
The announcements don’t stop there. House music icon Carl Cox, who has performed at Ultra 19 times over the past 22 years, returns after missing the 2024 edition. For the festival’s 25th anniversary, he promises a special DJ set and will debut his brand-new live show as a headliner at the RESISTANCE MegaStructure. Since his first Ultra appearance in 2001, the legendary British DJ and producer has become integral to the festival’s history, influencing its identity with each performance.
In 2005, Ultra Music Festival made history by inviting Cox to curate his own stage, which began as a modest tent known as “Carl Cox & Friends.” Now, in its 25th year, Ultra will see Carl Cox take command of RESISTANCE’s MegaStructure with “Carl Cox Invites.” This curated experience will bring together electronic music’s trailblazers, featuring the underground’s most in-demand talent alongside emerging stars in house and techno.
Another exciting addition to this year’s Ultra Music Festival is the debut back-to-back set from deadmau5 and Pendulum—a world-exclusive performance. Although deadmau5 and Pendulum have previously shared the Ultra stage when deadmau5 joined Pendulum’s 2016 Main Stage set for a rendition of “Ghosts ‘N’ Stuff” (featuring Pendulum’s Rob Swire), this upcoming b2b DJ set will be the first large-scale collaboration between these two electronic heavyweights. Alongside their joint set, both deadmau5 and Pendulum will also deliver individual headline performances.
For his solo set, multi-platinum producer deadmau5 will present the “Retro 5pective Set”, a nostalgic journey through his classic catalog, featuring only his most iconic tracks without any new material. Pendulum, meanwhile, will perform a live set—their first Ultra live appearance since 2022—bringing their dynamic, high-energy sound back to the Ultra stage.
New and Returning Headliners
House music megastars Dom Dolla and John Summit are set to bring their joint project, Everything Always, to Ultra’s Main Stage, marking the super duo’s debut in Miami. Since launching in 2023, Everything Always has quickly become one of electronic music’s most sought-after acts, blending their unique styles into an immersive, high-energy experience.
For the first time in Ultra’s history, Axwell—a member of Swedish House Mafia and five-time GRAMMY nominee—will perform solo on the Main Stage as a headliner.
Ultra legends Above & Beyond will return for the 25th anniversary, offering an exclusive set. The trio, missing from Ultra since their last set at the ASOT stage in 2018, will bring their emotive trance sounds back to celebrate this milestone.
Another pillar of Ultra, Armin Van Buuren, will once again headline the Main Stage. Since his debut at Ultra in 2005, the GRAMMY-nominated powerhouse continues to captivate audiences, pushing the boundaries of trance. Earlier this year, he delighted fans with a surprise appearance by Jon Bon Jovi, who premiered an unreleased remix of “Keep the Faith”. For Ultra 2025, Armin will host both a Main Stage set and a reprise of his A State of Trance (ASOT) stage, marking its 13th Ultra takeover.
Hardwell will also headline the 25th edition’s Main Stage. Building on the momentum of his powerful return last March and his surprise closing set in 2022, Hardwell blends his signature big room sound with a techno twist. His label, Revealed Recordings, remains integral to Ultra’s identity, even after his four-year hiatus from 2018 to 2022.
Martin Garrix, who made his debut at Ultra in 2014 at just 17, will also return for 2025, headlining the Main Stage. Known for his worldwide hit Animals, Garrix has become one of Ultra’s young legends, missing only the 2018 edition.
Three-time GRAMMY Award winner and multi-platinum artist Zedd will take the Main Stage once again following his 2023 set, which featured a surprise appearance by rapper Ice Spice. This year’s headlining set will be his first at Ultra since the release of his latest album, “Telos”, which dropped earlier this summer.
LSZEE, the collaborative project between CloZee and LSDREAM, will make its monumental Ultra debut in 2025, combining CloZee’s ethereal soundscapes with LSDREAM’s deep bass for a transformative experience.
Celebrating a Quarter Century of Music Innovation
Ultra Music Festival’s 25th anniversary will also feature the highly anticipated return of two pioneering electronic artists: Gesaffelstein and Nero. Gesaffelstein, known for his dark, atmospheric productions, will perform at Ultra for the first time since 2014, while GRAMMY-winning trio Nero will return for the first time since 2016, bringing their unique blend of dubstep and drum and bass.
With many Main Stage acts revealed, let’s now turn to Ultra’s second major stage, the Resistance Stage. But before we move on, it’s worth highlighting a special tradition at Ultra: representing one’s nation with a flag. This custom symbolizes the unity and global connection that Ultra fosters among its attendees.
A Focus on Underground with RESISTANCE Stage
Ultra Music Festival’s renowned underground brand, RESISTANCE, will once again present a lineup of sought-after house and techno artists across two iconic stages: The MegaStructure and The Cove.
Richie Hawtin, a mainstay at the RESISTANCE MegaStructure, will make history with his first-ever live performance at Ultra 2025, showcasing his groundbreaking live show “DEX EFX X0X”. This performance, rooted in Hawtin’s signature digital manipulation and immersive DJ style, blends early influences with the latest in digital innovation, embodying Hawtin’s visionary approach to the future of electronic music.
A stellar lineup of headliners will populate RESISTANCE’s stages, including Drumcode label head Adam Beyer and KNTXT leader Charlotte de Witte, who returns after her celebrated Main Stage debut at Ultra 2023. They’ll be joined by Boris Brejcha, the German pioneer of “high-tech minimalism” who debuted his label F*CKNG SERIOUS in the U.S. at Ultra 2022. Also joining is Miss Monique, a regular on the ULTRA Worldwide circuit, who captivated RESISTANCE audiences at ULTRA Europe, ULTRA Korea, ULTRA Japan, and ULTRA Hong Kong in 2024.
British techno producer Eli Brown will deliver his first solo set at Ultra after his 2024 performance with Oliver Heldens’ techno alias HI-LO. Ukrainian duo ARTBAT will return to electrify RESISTANCE with their chart-topping records, while Italian hard techno innovators 999999999 and French industrial techno prodigy I Hate Models will add their influential styles to the mix, guaranteeing a powerful, cutting-edge experience for the RESISTANCE crowd.
Ultra Music Festival 2025 proudly welcomes the renowned hardstyle label Dirty Workz back to the UMF Radio stage for the fourth consecutive year. Since making history by introducing Ultra’s first-ever hardstyle stage in 2022, Dirty Workz has brought high-energy hardstyle, jumpstyle, and happy hardcore beats to the festival. This year, they will continue their tradition, delivering an intense lineup that pushes the boundaries of electronic music genres.
In line with Ultra’s dedication to encompassing every corner of the dance floor, the 2025 festival will, for the first time, feature a psytrance stage. Curated by the powerhouse duo Vini Vici, this new addition marks a historic milestone for Ultra, expanding its range to include the hypnotic, high-tempo sounds of psytrance and bringing an entirely new dimension to the festival’s dynamic atmosphere.
Festival Culture and Community
Ultra Music Festival’s Phase 1 lineup for 2025 is a masterful blend of world-class artists, paying tribute to the past, present, and future of electronic music. This initial lineup is a tour-de-force of genre-spanning talent, showcasing everything from groundbreaking global debuts to the return of beloved festival veterans. With Phase 1 setting the stage, fans can look forward to more exciting artist announcements as the event approaches.
For a taste of the Ultra experience, we’re thrilled to share the “Ultra Miami 2024 Aftermovie: Music Is The Answer.” This video captures the energy and spirit of last year’s festival, highlighting the vibrant community and unforgettable performances.
You can also watch a short clip, Ultra Asked, where festival-goers describe what Ultra means to them.
Lastly, enjoy a snippet from the fifth episode of UMF TV, which showcases Ultra’s legacy and the groundbreaking performances that have defined the festival’s history.
Ultra Miami has long been the stage for both legendary icons and rising newcomers, consistently showcasing electronic music’s most dynamic and electrifying artists. The festival’s carefully curated lineup brings together the best of the genre, promising unforgettable performances year after year.
Tickets are available for purchase directly on Ultra’s official website.
Grab yours soon to be part of this milestone celebration!
