Capital Summertime Ball 2025 UPDATES: Fans slam ‘poor’ Wembley Stadium line-up as headliners and ticket prices revealed
FANS have slammed the "poor" line-up of this year's Capital's Summertime Ball with Barclaycard.
The full line-up for the event has now been announced live on air on Capital, with Mariah Carey, Will Smith, KSI and Jessie J among those performing.
But this year’s line-up is proving controversial among fans, with tickets costing up to £420.
One wrote on X: “Not spending nearly £200 just to enjoy not even half the line up.”
Another wrote: “Have we woken up in a different era?! Mariah Carey & Will Smith as Summertime Ball headliners.”
@Natashaxx_99 added: “Capital Summertime Ball 2025 headliners being Mariah Carey and Will Smith has me very confused."
Others, however, were more supportive of Mariah Carey's top billing, with one posting on X: "It’s a special occasion! A cause for celebration.”
You can follow our live blog, below, for all the latest updates ...
How to get tickets
Tickets are now on sale for the show. Good luck. We’ll keep you updated here with all the best fan reaction.
Remember: the only way to buy tickets is to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.
Tickets on sale – but expect a sell-out
Last year was a sell-out event with Becky Hill, Raye and Sabrina Carpenter, taking to the stage.
This year’s headliners include Mariah Carey, and Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, with the event again expected to sell out.
Other artists appearing this year include Rita Ora, below.
Credit: Instagram Those positive vibes didn't last long ...
Here are some more comments about this year's line-up (organisers may want to look away now ...)
Tickets on sale now
Tickets are still on sale – including pitch slots, which cost £86.74.
What fans REALLY think of the line-up
We'll bring you some of the best comments from social media on the event – with this year's line-up proving the most controversial in its 16-year history.
Let's start on a positive note ...
Summertime Ball – what you need to know
Capital’s Summertime Ball is an annual outdoor gig that showcases headline performances from worldwide acts.
The concert is usually held on either first or second Saturday or Sunday of June by the radio station, Capital.
This event is returning for summer 2025 and Capital radio is pulling out all of the stops to make it the biggest and best yet.
Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard takes place on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at Wembley Stadium.
'Tasteless children' – some love for the line-up
Here's a good counter post about the "disappointing" line-up..
@MickaelKing wrote on X: "It is actually wild seeing literal tasteless children in the replies to Capital FM complaining about the SummertimeBall line-up, because it isn’t full of one hit dance artists. Mariah Carey, Will Smith, JADE, Busted, McFly, Jessie J… literally COUNTLESS hits between them!!!"
We'll bring you more fan reaction over the next few hours – and also let you know when the show is sold out.
Tickets on sale now
Tickets are now on sale for the show. Good luck. We'll keep you updated here with all the best fan reaction.
Remember: the only way to buy tickets is to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.
A veritable pop feast – but not all fans are happy
From Brit-winner Lola Young to 90s legends Mariah Carey and Will Smith, this year's line-up is proving controversial among fans.
One wrote on X: “Not spending nearly £200 just to enjoy not even half the line up.”
It comes after we revealed ticket prices cost from £80 to more than £400.
Another wrote: “Have we woken up in a different era?! Mariah Carey & Will Smith as Summertime Ball headliners”.
@Natashaxx_99 added: “Capital Summertime Ball 2025 headliners being Mariah Carey and Will Smith has me very confused.
“For a show that usually has headliners who are currently relevant on the radio and charts, to having these older artists that most younger listeners wouldn’t even recognise is strange.”
In case you missed it earlier, here is the full line-up
- Mariah Carey
- Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff
- Benson Boone
- Busted Vs McFly
- Dasha
- Jessie J
- KSI
- Zara Larsson
- Reneé Rapp
- Lola Young, pictured below
- Tate McRae
- Myles Smith
- Remember Monday
- JADE
- James Hype
- Rita Ora
Credit: Getty
Less than 20 minutes until ticket time
Tickets to Capital’s Summertime Ball go on general sale at 9am.
The only way to buy tickets is to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.
‘The line-up is absolutely huge’
It was Capital Breakfast presenters Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby who revealed the artists who will be performing at the Summertime Ball.
“We cannot wait for Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard to be back!” Jordan, Chris and Sian said in a joint statement.
They continued: “It’s the UK’s biggest summer party and this year’s line-up is absolutely huge.
“The atmosphere, the anthems, the energy, it is going to be unreal."
Jordan North, Sian Welby and Chris Stark announced the line-up live on Capital 'It's a special occasion!'
There's a lot of love for Mimi out there.
One posted on X: “Stop making me bankrupt!” – Mariah will also be appearing at – while another wrote: “It’s a special occasion! A cause for celebration”.
There are, however, some sceptics out there, one writing: “Boring! The crowd is too active for Mariah Carey to mime through her ballads”, a possible reference to recent reports that at a recent American Music Awards ceremony.
Mariah Carey will be headlining the Capital Summertime Ball this yearCredit: Instagram/@Mariah_Carey Expect a sell-out
Last year was a sell-out event with Becky Hill, Raye and Sabrina Carpenter, taking to the stage.
This year’s headliners include Mariah Carey, and Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, with the event again expected to sell out.
Other artists appearing this year include KSI, below.
Credit: AFP How to get tickets
Tickets to Capital’s Summertime Ball go on general sale in less than an hour.
To buy tickets, you will need to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.
Welcome back ...
Thanks for following us. We'll keep you updated here with all the latest developments and the best fan reaction.
Thanks for following us
We’ll be back bright and early on Wednesday morning when tickets go on general sale to bring you all the latest developments and the best fan reaction. See you then.
And in case you missed it, here is the full line-up.
- Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff
- Mariah Carey
- Benson Boone
- Busted Vs McFly
- Dasha
- Jessie J
- KSI
- Zara Larsson
- Reneé Rapp
- Lola Young
- Tate McRae
- Myles Smith
- Remember Monday
- JADE
- James Hype
- Rita Ora
Mariah Carey is headlining the Capital Summertime Ball with Barclaycard this yearCredit: PA:Press Association Busted Vs McFly – what you need to know
One of the first acts announced was Busted Vs McFly, the noughties bands who go mic-to-mic against each other.
Their appearance at the Summertime Ball is part of a nationwide tour.
James Bourne, who is in Busted, with Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis, said: “The whole tour is to find out who’s a better band. Fans can decide.
“They can come and support their band and they might change their mind. It’s going to be a fight to the death.”
Credit: Getty How Capital plans to make it the ‘biggest and best yet’
Capital’s Summertime Ball is an annual outdoor gig that showcases headline performances from worldwide acts.
The concert is usually held on either first or second Saturday or Sunday of June by the radio station, Capital.
This ‘highly anticipated’ event is returning for summer 2025 and Capital radio is pulling out all of the stops to make it the biggest and best yet.
Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard takes place on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at Wembley Stadium.
General tickets on sale tomorrow – expect a sell out
Tickets to Capital’s Summertime Ball go on general sale on Wednesday April 30 at 9am.
To buy tickets, you will need to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.
‘A cause for celebration'
It’s fair to say some Mariah Carey fans are looking forward to seeing their idol at Wembley in June.
One posted on X: “Stop making me bankrupt!” – Mariah will also be appearing at – while another wrote: “It’s a special occasion! A cause for celebration”.
There are, however, some sceptics out there, one writing: “Boring! The crowd is too active for Mariah Carey to mime through her ballads”, a possible reference to recent reports that at a recent American Music Awards ceremony.
Credit: Getty Event expected to sell out
Tickets to Capital’s Summertime Ball go on general sale on tomorrow (April 30) at 9am.
Last year was a sell-out event with Becky Hill, Raye and Sabrina Carpenter, taking to the stage.
This year’s headliners include Mariah Carey, and Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, with the event again expected to sell out.
Other artists appearing include Rita Ora, below.
Credit: Getty
Where there's a Will ...
Since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022, the Men in Black star has been staging a carefully choreographed comeback, which included an appearance at the Coachella festival in the US last year.
His appearance came a month before the release of the latest instalment in his most famous film franchise, Bad Boys.
Will Smith in a publicity portrait for the film Men In Black in 1997 No ticket? No problem!
Even if you can’t make it to Wembley Stadium, you don’t have to miss out seeing superstars Mariah Carey and Jessie J or rising pop minstrels Lola Young, pictured below, and Benson Boone
Tune into the show online from wherever you are to join in the fun.
Global Player will be streaming the Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard.
The stream goes live from 3pm on Sunday June 15.
Wembley bound – Zara Larsson
Zara last performed at the Summertime Ball in 2023.
With a string of chart-topping hits and impeccable dance moves, she has become the poster girl for pop.
But Zara has revealed that as a young woman in the industry she has struggled to be taken seriously.
Sitting down with Sun on Sunday backstage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee in 2023, the Lush Life hitmaker admitted she has had to overcome sexism to make her name in music.
The singer said: “I think it happens everywhere when you are a young girl and you are working.
“I have been lucky to have a good team around me. I try to surround myself with a lot of women, I really do.”
Credit: James Robinson Photography General sale tickets – what you need to know
Tickets to Capital’s Summertime Ball go on general sale on Wednesday April 30 at 9am.
To buy tickets, you will need to download the Global Player, the official Capital app on your smartphone or tablet.