Taipei is set to solidify its position as a vibrant epicenter of pop culture and music with the official launch of the 2025 “TRENDY TAIPEI” festival. Announced during a press conference at the esteemed Taipei Music Center on July 31, this highly anticipated 14-day event, themed “TRENDY TAIPEI: IT’S NOW,” promises an immersive celebration of music, art, technology, gaming, audiovisuals, and fashion. Running from August 25 to September 7, the festival aims to transform the entire city into a dynamic creative laboratory, showcasing Taipei’s innovative spirit and rich cultural landscape.
A Citywide Symphony of Sound and Innovation
Building upon the success of its 2024 pilot edition, the 2025 TRENDY TAIPEI is significantly expanded, featuring an impressive lineup of over 150 music performances and 39 professional forums. The festival’s ambitious programming is structured around three core pillars: The Concert Economy, Industry Trends, and Urban Actions. This holistic approach is designed not only to entertain but also to foster industry development, boost tourism, and activate consumption across the city. Mayor Chiang Wan-an emphasized the festival’s goal to extend music beyond traditional concert halls, allowing its rhythm to permeate alleys, cultural venues, shopping districts, and even MRT stations, creating an undeniable pulse throughout Taipei.
One of the most anticipated components is the newly introduced TRENDY TAIPEI Boom: Taipei Arena Series, featuring top artists from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea from September 5 to 7. Tickets for these major concerts are already in high demand. Complementing this, Taipei Very Live, also known as Super Live Taipei, will ignite 22 to 23 live houses and music restaurants across the city from August 8 to September 7, offering over 50 diverse performances spanning rock, jazz, and pop genres. This initiative aims to define Taipei’s vibrant nighttime music map.
Global Perspectives and Industry Convergence
The “Industry Trends” pillar sees the return of the TRENDY Fusion Forum, scheduled for September 4 and 5 at Ambi Space One. This cutting-edge, intelligent, and immersive venue, located within Taipei 101, provides a fitting backdrop for discussions on global pop culture and music. Renowned international figures slated to share their insights include Sebastian Masuda, the visionary pioneer of Japanese Kawaii culture, and Cha Haley, a leading strategist in the K-pop industry and CEO of Parastar Entertainment.
Simultaneously, the Taipei Music Expo (TMEX), Asia’s leading music industry expo, will take place from August 28 to 31 at the Taipei Music Center. This year, TMEX is expanding to a four-day event, bringing together representatives from 10 Asia-Pacific countries and 60 exhibitors, including major festivals such as Busan Rock Festival, Seoul’s Zandari Festa, and Thailand’s Big Mountain Festival. The number of international delegates attending TMEX has significantly increased from 25 to over 100, underscoring its growing global influence and its theme: “Tune in to Taiwan. Sync with Asia.”
Co-hosted with TMEX is the JAM JAM ASIA Asian Music Festival (JJA), which promises a genre-crossing showcase of contemporary Asian talent. The festival will feature more than 50 groups from 10 Asia-Pacific countries, with a star-studded lineup including Taiwan’s Sunset Rollercoaster, Thai rock powerhouse Potato, Korean American electronic innovator Yaeji, Japanese genre-bending group ALI, and Singaporean Mandopop icon Tanya Chua. JJA will also introduce two free stages, “OPEN UP!” and “Echo Stage,” providing platforms for emerging artists.
Urban Engagement and Cultural Impact
Beyond ticketed concerts and professional forums, TRENDY TAIPEI emphasizes “Urban Actions” to integrate music and art into the city’s daily rhythm. Special attractions include the TRENDY Double-Decker Bus, offering live performances while touring key Taipei landmarks, and a striking Giant Electric Guitar installation at City Hall Plaza, inviting public interaction. Furthermore, special TRENDY TAIPEI themed carriages will operate on the Taipei Metro, extending the festival’s reach throughout the city.
Taipei, with its robust pop music and creative industries, serves as the ideal host for this ambitious undertaking. The city’s investment in cultural infrastructure, exemplified by the Taipei Music Center, which opened in 2020 as Asia’s first dedicated pop music center, provides a solid foundation for such major global events. By integrating various creative fields and fostering international collaboration, TRENDY TAIPEI is poised to not only reflect current trending events but also to set new ones, further cementing Taipei’s status as a leading cultural hub in Asia and a “trendsetting machine” on the world stage. The festival is a powerful demonstration of the city’s continuous innovation and its commitment to using culture as a unifying language for both residents and international visitors.
