Photo Credit: Marc Ducrest

The 60th Montreux Jazz Festival drew in over 250,000 attendees across 16 days of music and over 700 shows and events, featuring a blend of genres.

The Montreux Jazz Festival’s 60th edition has drawn to a close after welcoming more than 250,000 attendees across 16 days of music. The festival combined celebrations of its rich musical heritage with performances from a new generation of global artists, while reaching an impressive 9.5 million viewers worldwide through its extensive livestreaming program.

The anniversary opened with RAYE debuting a specially created performance celebrating six decades of Montreux. Joined by surprise guests Alicia Keys and Mark Ronson, the British star paid tribute to legendary artists like Nina Simone, Prince, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Ray Charles in a unique opening night performance.

The festival also showcased the next generation of artists, with standout performances from Ezra Collective, Joy Crookes, PinkPantheress, Tyla, Conan Gray, Zara Larsson, GIVĒON, Liniker, Sienna Spiro, and Nectar Woode. Elsewhere, John Legend delivered an intimate solo piano performance, Lewis Capaldi closed his set alone with his acoustic guitar, while Nick Cave captivated audiences with a moving rendition of “Into My Arms.”

The closing weekend celebrated Montreux’s jazz legacy with Marcus Miller’s tribute to Miles Davis and Charles Lloyd, who was honored for his extraordinary contribution to the festival almost six decades after first appearing in Montreux.

Beyond the main stages, surprise performances and late-night jam sessions featuring artists including RAYE, Sienna Spiro, Dermot Kennedy, Nectar Woode, and Liniker continued one of Montreux’s defining traditions.

The festival continued to expand its global audience through digital broadcasting, livestreaming 51 concerts—around three-quarters of the ticketed program—for free worldwide. Performances generated over 9.5 million views across YouTube and social media before the festival’s final weekend. RAYE, Zara Larsson, and Moby provided the most-watched performances.

The 60th edition also marked the return to its historic home following the refurbishment of the Congress Centre, home to the famous Stravinski Auditorium and Montreux Jazz Labs stages.

In all, the festival saw a 91% average occupancy across ticketed venues. Over 700 concerts and activities took place, 51 of which were livestreamed for free worldwide. More than 250,000 festivalgoers were joined digitally by over 9.5 million views across YouTube and social media leading up to the festival’s final weekend.