Of course twenty years of music fit into one single lineup. And so much more than that. Primavera Sound Barcelona 2020 presents the full lineup of its 20th anniversary, that will take place from 3rd to 7th June in the Parc del Fòrum and that will welcome the most far-reaching, open and inclusive list of artists in its history: a real collection of disciplines, emotions and origins that celebrates the role of the festival as a central pillar of the cultural zeitgeist in the last two decades. 211 artists of 35 nationalities form a lineup that more than ever looks back as well as looking forward, with as much passion as on the first day. Every one of Primavera Sound lineups has been a snapshot of the music of its time. So the lineup of the 20th anniversary of the Barcelona festival had to be a snapshot of all of that time, a party that would reflect the identity that had been built over the years with the same enthusiasm with which we started 20 years ago. The enthusiasm we know we share with all of you. All those Primavera Sounds that you can remember, and all of those you can imagine, are represented this year.
“The admiration that we feel for each and every one of the artists that we programme makes us an artistically democratic and horizontal festival, all the names have the same weight. We are proud to welcome Tyler, The Creator again almost a decade after his first appearance at the festival in 2011 with Odd Future, now proclaimed the new king of hip hop thanks to his superb latest album IGOR. But we are also proud to have the earthquake Little Simz, back by popular demand for the second year running; Lana del Rey at the height of her creativity with the critically acclaimed Norman Fucking Rockwell! and Weyes Blood with her beautiful and intricate songwriting; The Strokes about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the seminal Is This It and Fontaines D.C. as the flag bearers of a new generation of guitar bands; Bad Bunny as the shiniest star of contemporary urban music and Bad Gyal who has become the emblem for an entire generation; Pavement for an exclusive reunion to play in Barcelona and at NOS Primavera Sound Porto and the comeback of Bikini Kill at the perfect moment; the eternal innovators Massive Attack and the reencounter, at last, of Chromatics; the country pop star Kacey Musgraves and King Princess who is destined for brilliant pop glory; the titan of North American hip hop Young Thug and the king of slow motion folk Bill Callahan; Beck for his first visit to the festival and the relentless Brittany Howard with her first solo album. All the music at this festival is important.”
A festival doesn’t celebrate 20 years without a constellation of names around it that forms its own universe, setting it apart from the rest and allowing it to build its own mythology whilst paying tribute to the musicians who, from the festival’s point of view, are legendary. Because the icon of soul Mavis Staples, the great lady of Catalan song Maria del Mar Bonet, the re-discovery of the Brazilian gem Arthur Verocai, the living legend Iggy Pop, the tireless Kim Gordon presenting her first solo album under her own name, two reggaeton pioneers DJ Playero and Ñejo, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott thrashing out their pre, during and post-The Housemartins career, the new resurrection of the gothic legends Bauhaus, the idols of post-hardcore Jawbox, the eternal Jeff Mills, The Jesus and Mary Chain dusting off their album Darklands for the occasion (and playing on the Wednesday –free for the general public) and the veteran grindcore turbine Napalm Death are all universal icons in 2020. Total respect to them all.
