A City of Beats.

SOUNDSTORM drew record crowds when it launched in 2019, but from 2020 to 2024 excitement dipped as people kept saying it was the 'same every year', and long walks between stages, late planning and safety concerns hurt trust and slowed ticket sales, according to the Effie Saudi entry. For 2025 MDLBEAST decided to rebuild the festival as a city designed for its fans and prove the change before day one.

MDLBEAST redesigned Downtown and divided the site into four districts named after the points of the compass, with 14 stages, 'turning Riyadh into a city of beats' (MDLBEAST). Bold Creatives, The Bold Group's creative and content arm, built a 3D WebGL digital city where fans could explore DWN TWN and its districts before construction was finished, and every like, comment and share fed a City Pulse Index that reflected fan engagement in real time (Campaign Middle East). The entry adds that the lineup was released with some acts held back, that comments and shares unlocked routes, stages and zones, and that content was tailored by audience: women saw route visibility, facilities and safety touchpoints, VIB guests and travellers comfort, access and arrival guidance. On site, the same system drove wayfinding and safety cues on LED screens and signs. SOUNDSTORM ran in Riyadh from 11 to 13 December 2025.