Heard It Here First

New York City is going to become even MORE electric on September 19th & 20th when Experts Only Festival returns to Randall’s Island! Coming back for year two, phase one of the lineup is officially out, featuring major artists like John Summit, GRiZ, Soraya, Prospa, Subtronics, and more of our favorites. Experts Only is a dance music record label founded by prominent house artist John Summit, who has brought his creative vision to life. This festival has a wonderful balance between house and bass music, with a tastefully curated lineup of both mainstream festival names and rising star artists. 

Last year marked the debut of the Experts Only Festival, and unsurprisingly, it completely sold out! It brought out names like Ayybo, Cassian, LP Giobbi, Green Velvet, TEED, and even more insane talent! Although Experts Only is primarily a house label, we’re excited to see a stacked lineup of bass this year, like LYNY, Rohaan, Subtronics, GRiZ, and Taiki Nulight. Several artists from this lineup have remixes or collabs with John Summit, such as GRiZ’s “Where You Are” dubstep remix, the “Gassed Up” collab with Subtronics, and the fresh “SATA” tune with Rohaan.

Let’s dive into some of our favorite acts for Experts Only Festival 2026!

John Summit

The Experts Only founder himself, John Summit, is one of the biggest electronic artists in the world, and his story as an artist is nothing less than iconic! From working as an accountant to becoming a legendary house DJ/producer, Summit is an inspiration to many artists. He’s crossed several milestones throughout his career, such as going on a world tour, creating his own record label, and now he’s back with year two of Experts Only Festival! He’s had several hit tracks, like “Where You Are” and “Deep End,” which have significantly grown his fan base. You can expect high energy, electrifying tech-house with vocals from phenomenal singers like HAYLA, Julia Church, MKLA, and more! Summit’s currently in the trulls of a new album, “CRTL ESCAPE,” which just dropped last week.

GRiZ

A true musical genius, the one and only GRiZ is taking the stage at Experts Only Fest! We’re incredibly happy to see this legend back after taking a two-year hiatus. Known for alternating between tearing up the saxophone and DJing during his live sets, a GRiZ performance is an electro-funk, bass journey that will leave you feeling euphoric. He has so many heaters like “Good Times Roll” and “2-Step Nassau.” If you had the pleasure of attending his own Seven Stars Festival, you know GRiZ is a truly exceptional artist, with a fueled passion for music and his community of fans. 

Soraya

An absolute stunner of a producer, Soraya is an artist you need to catch at Experts Only Fest this year. The emerging genre-defying artist has been on a massive wave of momentum, dropping hot tunes like “Brain Delay” on Maccabi House and “Danse de L’amour” under Gorgon City’s label. The Filipino-American queen is known for lively house, techno, and indie dance grooves, delivering undeniable high energy in every set!

Prospa

London-based duo, Prospa, are set to light up the stage at Experts Only Festival, serving driving house rhythms and upbeat melodies. Since 2013, the duo has been carving a distinct path through dance music, making so many bangers like “Don’t Stop” and “Free Your Mind.” Prospa continues to impress us all with their ability to take the crowd on a ride of energizing tunes with sets that last all night long. These guys never disappoint, and we already know they’re about to give us a performance of classic cuts flipped with underground beats. 

Subjohnics (John Summit B2B Subtronics)

This year, Subtronics is making an appearance for a special back-to-back with John Summit, officially known as Subjohnics. It all started at Lost Lands back in 2019 when Subtronics had everyone’s jaw on the floor once he brought out special guest John Summit on the stage. Since then, they’ve had a handful of surprise Subjohnics sets, such as their legendary EDC Vegas 2023 B2B!  Although they both have completely different sounds, they masterfully fuse house and bass together, making for a contrasted yet fluid performance. Subtronics is one of the most well-known dubstep artists today, having made popular tracks like “Mind Pluck” and “Black Ice,” two fan favorite dubstep heaters. John Summit back-to-back with Subtronics will be a truly captivating, unforgettable performance that you need to witness yourself!

The full lineup hasn’t been unveiled yet, and Experts Only Festival 2026 is already on fire with so many epic names! We’re anticipating a weekend of infectious grooves and perhaps even a few surprises. Randall’s Island is a spectacular location for this event, allowing for an outdoor, multi-stage festival that’s going to be thriving this September. John Summit and his Experts Only team continue to flourish in the dance music scene, and we hope to see you at Randall’s Island this September!

What artists are you hoping to see on the roster when the full lineup drops? Let us know in the comments below!

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