History

Release Athens – History

Launched in 2016, Release Athens has grown into one of Greece’s leading music festivals, establishing itself as a major destination for live music in Athens and the wider region.

Over the years, the festival has welcomed an extensive list of internationally acclaimed artists, including Arctic Monkeys, Massive Attack, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Slipknot, Kylie Minogue, Iggy Pop, New Order, Pulp, Judas Priest, The Offspring, The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Avenged Sevenfold, Gojira, PJ Harvey, Siouxsie, Dream Theater, Liam Gallagher, Sigur Rós, London Grammar, Rosalía, Jamiroquai, Cypress Hill, Thievery Corporation, Nightwish, Sabaton, Parkway Drive, Manowar, Röyksopp, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Alice In Chains, Disturbed, Fontaines D.C., Bauhaus, IDLES, Amon Amarth, Helloween, Megadeth, Richard Ashcroft, Hozier, Wu-Tang Clan, James, Interpol, The Smile, Primal Scream, Aurora, Pendulum, Mastodon, Cigarettes After Sex, Johnny Marr, Sepultura, Slowdive, Róisín Murphy, Bruce Dickinson, Moderat, OMD, M83, Accept, Archive, Beirut, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Anthrax, Blind Guardian, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Hives, Viagra Boys, Jinjer and Testament, alongside many more international and Greek acts.

Spanning rock, metal, pop, electronic, hip-hop and alternative music, Release Athens has built its identity around diverse lineups, high production standards and a strong focus on the audience experience, bringing together hundreds of thousands of music fans across genres and generations.

In 2027, the festival expands beyond Greece for the first time with the launch of Release Sofia, bringing the experience, know-how and identity developed through a decade of Release Athens to Bulgaria and extending the festival’s presence in Southeast Europe.