The song is a “is a fusion of two songs that never felt all the way complete,” says frontman Noah Learmonth. The verse and the chorus are from two respective unreleased tracks, and were put together in this new-wave anthem. 

Learmonth explains the song: “At its core, it explores the feeling of being confused by the culture around you, and the isolation that often comes with that confusion.” Radio Free Alice worked with previous collaborators Ewan Pearson and Peter Katis on the track. Katis’ previous collaborations include The National, Interpol and Bloc Party. While Pearson is celebrated for his work with Depeche Mode, Metronomy and more.  

Rolling Stone said of the Melbourne newcomers, “Paying homage to bands of the ’80s like The Smiths and The Cure, their brand of post-punk is energetic and playful, prioritising hooks and fun over dark atmospherics. It’s a nostalgic sound which never comes off as pastiche.” 

‘Kick in the Shins’ is the band’s second single of 2026, the first being last month’s ‘Lunch Money.’ ‘Lunch Money’ was also Radio Free Alice’s first track released since signing with Atlantic Records. The release also coincided with the band’s slot at New York’s Governor Ball and a sold out headline show in the same city. 

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More music is still to come from one of Melbourne’s most exciting new bands. Speaking to WRSU 88.7 FM in February, Learmonth revealed that after releasing an EP each year over the least three years, Radio Free Alice’s debut album is on the way. Learmonth says the record is “overdue” but “that we were forced to wait so long is cool, too, because we feel very ready.” The singer describes the album as “eclectic” saying “on one end, you’ve got indie punk banger vibe, and then you’ve got slow, kind of Lou Reed ‘Coney Island Baby’ vibe. It’s just very broad.” They have been putting together songs for their debut for a long time and because of that, Learmonth “[doesn’t] feel pressure” for its release. “I’m pretty confident that we’ve got it,” he said. 

The band joined breakout hits Geese on their sold-out Australian leg this February. And most recently have continued their UK/Euro Festival tour, appearing at Belguim’s Rock Werchter Festival and France’s Main Square Festival. Still to come are slots at Tramlines and Truck Festivals as well as one at Reading this August. 

Radio Free Alice UK/Euro Festival Tour 2026 Dates: 

24/7 – Tramlines Festival – Sheffield, UK 

25/7 – Truck Festival – Abingdon, UK 

31/7 – Y Not Festival – Derbyshire, UK 

08/8 – Boardmasters Festival – Newquay, UK 

21/8 – Frequency Festival – Saint Pölten, Austria

23/8 – Babylon Soundgarden Festival – Istanbul, Turkey

27/8 – Into the Great Wide Open – Vlieland, Netherlands 

29/8 – Reading Festival – Reading, UK 

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Originally released 2 September 1996, ‘Coming Up’ marked a turning point in the band’s career. A then 18-year-old Richard Oakes was added to the recording lineup, and at the same time, the band pivoted their sound towards glamorous anthemic pop. The band remembers the album as their proving ground. Oakes says, “You’re at your most creative in a band if you’ve got something to kick against and ‘Coming Up’ was us doing that. It was like, ‘No, we’re not done. Just you watch.’” The reinvention of the band’s sound on the album was meant to assert Suede as an unforgettable and influential force to the masses. Keyboardist Neil Codling says, “That was always part of what Brett [Anderson, lead singer] was trying to do. He’s trying to poison the mainstream.” 

For their efforts, ‘Coming Up’ earned Suede their second Mercury Prize nomination. The Guardian gave the album 4/5 stars and it peaked at Number 1 on the Official UK Albums Charts when it released. Singles ‘Trash,’ ‘Beautiful Ones,’ ‘Filmstar,’ Saturday Night’ and ‘Lazy’ were all featured in the UK Top 10 and would become staples of Suede’s live sets for years to come. All of these tracks (and more) are to be featured on the forthcoming, ‘Coming Up’ 30 release.

‘Coming Up’ 30 will include a rare recording of ‘Beautiful Ones (Radio 1 Evening Session 29th August 1996)’ originally performed live at the BBC for Mark Radcliffe’s show. Additionally, the music video for ‘Beautiful Ones’ has been remastered to celebrate the anniversary, watch it below. 

Also getting restored are the iconic original artworks and designs for the album. The restoration has been lovingly done by the original design team in collaboration with Peter Saville and photographer Nick Knight. Additional content in the ‘Coming Up’ 30 release includes new sleeve notes by famed music journalist and biographer, Miranda Sawyer. 

Release formats for the album will include half-speed black vinyl, Pink and Blue blended coloured vinyl (as an indie exclusive), 5CD deluxe box set and digitally.

Suede will also be going on tour this autumn, co-headlining UK arenas with Manic Street Preachers. The tour begins on 28 October at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro Arena. From there they will visit Cardiff’s Utilita Arena, London’s O2 and the Bournemouth International Centre. Any remaining tickers are available here. 

Co-headline 2026 Tour with Manic Street Preachers 

28/10 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow, UK 

30/10 – Leeds First Direct Bank Arena- Leeds, UK 

31/10 – Manchester Co-op Live – Manchester, UK 

3/11 – Cardiff Utilita Arena – Cardiff, UK

4/11 – Cardiff Utilita Arena – Cardiff, UK

6/11 – The O2 Arena – London, UK 

7/11 – Birmingham Utilita Arena – Birmingham, UK 

11/11 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena – Nottingham, UK 

12/11 – Bournemouth International Centre – Bournemouth, UK 

 ‘Coming Up’ 30 Full Tracklist:

Vinyl

1. Trash
2. Filmstar
3. Lazy
4. By the sea
5. She
6. Beautiful ones
7. Starcrazy
8. Picnic by the motorway
9. The chemistry between us
10. Saturday night

CD1 2026 master

1. Trash
2. Filmstar
3. Lazy
4. By the sea
5. She
6. Beautiful ones
7. Starcrazy
8. Picnic by the motorway
9. The chemistry between us
10. Saturday night

CD2 Steven Wilson mix

1. Trash
2. Filmstar
3. Lazy
4. By the sea
5. She
6. Beautiful ones
7. Starcrazy
8. Picnic by the motorway
9. The chemistry between us
10. Saturday night

CD3 The B-sides

1. Europe is our playground (original single mix)
2. Every monday morning comes
3. Have you ever been this low?
4. Another no one
5. Young men
6. The sound of the streets
7. Money
8. Sam
9. W.s.d
10. Jumble sale mums
11. This time
12. Saturday night (original demo)

CD4 The B-sides / bonus tracks 

1. These are the sad songs
2. Feel full-length (single version)
3. Saddle
4. Digging a hole
5. Graffiti women
6. Duchess
7. Rent (live)
8. Saturday night (live)
9. Asda town
10. Together
11. Bentswood boys
12. Shipbuilding

CD5 Coming Up at the BBC

1. Trash
2. Filmstar
3. Lazy
4. By the sea
5. She
6. Beautiful ones
7. Starcrazy
8. Picnic by the motorway
9. The chemistry between us
10. Saturday night

In their Instagram post announcing the tour the band said they will be playing at “some of [their] favourite venues across the country.”

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The tour will see Britpop icons play a host of intimate venues. Beginning at the Leeds University Stylus (1,000 capacity) and hitting the Edinburgh Queens Hall (900 capacity) as well as London’s Electric Ballroom (1,500 capacity) along the way, the Yeah Yeah Yeah Tour will provide fans with a unique opportunity to see Cast up close and personal, after last year’s massive Live ’25 appearance. 

Before the reunion tour, Cast supported Oasis at many shows across their career, including the legendary Knebworth ’96 shows. Frontman John Power described getting the call from Liam Gallagher and his partner Debbie Gwyther about supporting Live ’25, saying the two were “buoyant” when they asked, “Do you wanna open for Oasis?” Power said, “Are you kidding me?” 

The forthcoming tour is in support of ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’, the band’s 8^th studio album. It came out in January and peaked at Number 8 on the UK Official Album Chart. This was the band’s first album in the Top Ten since 1999.  Of the achievement the band said, “it’s such an incredible feeling and a fantastic achievement for the band so massive thanks to you all for your incredible support and for all buying the record. We’ve truly felt the positivity from every single one of you.” 

The album came from a great deal of freedom, Power told NME last year: “there was a window of opportunity – Youth was free, the studio was free, and the band were free – and I thought, let providence prevail.” He said, “It was more than just trying to capture a vibe – it was about trying to record something majestic.” Listen to the lead single, ‘Poison Vine Feat. P.P. Arnold’ below.

Before their October run, Cast is spending their summer at a string of festivals. Their next appearance is 17 July at London’s Alexandra Park. From there, they will headline Humberfest in North Lincolnshire, appear at Nottingham’s Splendour Festival, the Together Again Festival and many more across the UK. A full list of Cast’s Summer 2026 dates can be found here. 

Tickets for the Yeah Yeah Yeah Tour go on pre-sale from 10am Wednesday 15 July. General sale commences at 10am on Friday 17 July. Fans can signup for pre-sale access here. 

Cast Yeah Yeah Yeah Tour 2026 Dates 

1/10 – Stylus – Leeds University, Leeds, UK 

2/10 – The Queens Hall – Edinburgh, UK 

3/10 – New Century Hall – Manchester, UK 

22/10 – Newcastle University – Newcastle, UK 

23/10 – Electric Ballroom – London, UK 

24/10 – The Dome at Grand Central Hall – Liverpool, UK 

Tickets for the Nothing Better Than This Tour will go on Artist Pre-Sale Wednesday 15 July at 9:00 BST. General sale will take place Friday 17 July also at 9:00 BST, from here. 

The announcement of the Nothing Better Than This Tour comes just after Kasabian played a sold-out headline slot at London’s Finsbury Park. It was the band’s largest ever headline show, with a crowd 45,000 strong. See the band’s commemorative video of the show below. 

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The upcoming winter arena tour is named for a track on the band’s ninth studio album, ‘Act III.’ Serge Pizzorno, lead singer, said of the track, ‘Nothing Better Than This’, “I just wanted to make something with that gnarly bass and you’d instantly know in four seconds, ‘That sounds like Kasabian.’” 

Releasing in 4 September 2026, ‘Act III’  is meant to be a love-letter to live music. NME said the album’s sound “all comes down to four friends making a racket and the feel of playing live.” Pizzorno called that feeling “sacred.” ‘Act III’  is draped in Pizzorno’s hazy vocals and full of guitar-driven pop. The album is also said to be a culmination of Pizzorno’s six years at the helm of one of the UK’s most essential bands of the 21^st century. ‘Act III’  will look forward into Kasabian’s future, while referencing the band’s earliest days, all with a visceral, raw energy. The album is produced by Serge Pizzorno and Mark Ralph at The Sergery and Club Ralph. 

The newest single from the album, ‘Superpowers,’ described as “a Gorillaz-y R&B meets indie departure” showing how ‘Act III’ will push the boundaries of Kasabian into the future. See the music video below. 

Before setting off on the Nothing Better Than This Tour, Kasabian will continue spending the summer hitting festivals across the UK and Europe. Upcoming dates include Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, Leeds Festival (for the very first main stage slot), Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival and more. More dates can be found here. 

Kasabian’s Nothing Better Than This Tour 2026 Dates

11/12 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham, UK 

13/12 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow, UK 

16/12 – Utilita Arena – Cardiff, UK 

18/12 – The O2 Arena – London, UK 

19/12 – Co-op Live – Manchester, UK 

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Chuck on Tour will spend its first leg in North America, seeing dates in Seattle, Vancouver, Chicago, Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles and more. Role Model then arrives in Europe on 11 February. He will play nights in Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, and Paris on the European leg. Finally, two massive dates make up the UK/IE leg. 22 February will see Role Model at Dublin’s 3Arena. And two days later (24 February), he will spend a night at London’s OVO Wembley Arena. 

The North American leg will be supported by Samia. And Keni Titus, American singer-songwriter, will support the UK/IE and European legs. 

Role Model’s (real name, Tucker Pillsbury) third album, ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’  releases on 7 August via Interscope. It’s lead single, ‘High Hopes 3000’ has been released. Clash calls the track “a colourful pop feast” and DIY says the song “is an earworm hoedown that sees him balance romantic cynicism with a yearning for connection.’ See the music video below.

Pillsbury released his second album, ‘Kansas Anymore’ in 2024. On it, the singer departed from his bedroom pop and alternative beginnings, and leaned into country and folk influences to great acclaim. DIY gave the album an four stars calling “a record ostensibly about heartbreak and homesickness,” “so overwhelmingly fun” and that it, “[uses] both genre and trope in parallel ways with just the right level of self-awareness and humour along the way.” 

The runaway single of the project was ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.’ The track was from the deluxe version of the LP, ‘Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye).’ The jaunty dance number laden with twangy guitars is perhaps most well known for its bridge. During live performances, a tradition has emerged in which Pillsbury beckons, “Where’s my Sally tonight?” before a guest joins him on stage to perform the rest of the song. Notable guests have included Charli XCX (on SNL US), Lewis Capaldi, Niall Horan and Olivia Rodrigo. 

Before heading on tour, Role Model will make summer appearances at Reading & Leeds Festivals as well as at Ireland’s Electric Picnic.

Tickets for Chuck on Tour go on pre-sale Wednesday 24 June at 10 AM local time. Fans can sign up for pre-sale here. General sale is Friday 26 June at the same time, and the UK sale can be accessed here. 

Chuck on Tour 2027 Europe, UK/IE Dates 

11/2 – Tempodrom – Berlin, Germany

13/2 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands

14/2  – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands

15/2  – Forest National – Brussels, Belgium

17/2  – Mitsubishi Electric Halle – Düsseldorf, Germany

19/2  – Zénith Paris – La Villette – Paris, France

22/2  – 3Arena Dublin – Ireland

24/2  – OVO Arena Wembley – London, England

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An exlcusive to NME revealed that Jennings’ film will show the band’s “extraordinary journey from obscurity to cultural touchstone.” It is said to “capture the spirit” of Talking Heads Stop Making Sense (1984) and The Band’s Scorsese-directed performance film, The Last Waltz (1978). 

Jennings has previously directed music videos for the band including 1997’s ‘Help the Aged’ and 1988’s ‘A Little Soul.’ His other directorial credits include The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Son of Rambow (2007), Sing (2016) and Sing 2 (2021). He has also helmed other music videos for acts such as Blur, Radiohead, Fatboy Slim and more. 

What Do You Do For An Encore? is set to have a 90-minute runtime, inlcuding narration from Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, a “kinetic” cinematic expereince of the band’s historic performances as well as never-before-seen archival material.  

Pulp’s London O2 sets took place in June 2025 as part of the world tour for their album, ‘More.’ It was their first release in 24 years. 

Commemoration of these performances continues, as the band concurrently announced a live album aptly titled, ‘Live!’. On the title, Cocker commented, “a concert is an event where songs come back to life. That’s why this album is called ‘Live!’ It’s both a statement of fact (it’s a recording of a live band) and a challenge (come on! Everyone come alive!).” 

Pulp released two singles from the album: the fan-favorite ‘Disco 2000’ and the shows’ closer, ‘A Sunset.’ The video for ‘A Sunset’ can be seen below. 

‘Live!’ will be relased via Rough Trade Records on 28 August. It will include the massive 20-song setlist, spanning Pulp hits and deep cuts. Physical releases for the album come in the form of double black vinyl, a 2 CD set and a special blue vinyl pressing, which will be available exclusively through the band and Rough Trade’s webstores as well as in independent record shops. 

In the band’s announcement they shared that ‘Live!’ will be issued to accompany What Do You Do For An Encore?, though there is no release date yet for the concert film. 

NME called Jenning’s film, “a vibrant tribute to a band of brilliant misfits, whose unique blend of irony, rebellion, and razor-sharp social commentary resonated with generations of listeners and helped define an era of British culture.”

Pulp will be playing their 2025 comeback album, ‘More’, in full at the Royal Festival Hall on 18 July. The special performance will be in celebration of Rough Trade Record’s 50^th birthday. Other upcoming appearences for the band include headlining Manchester’s Wythenshawe Park on August 28, and headline slots at End of the Road 2026 and Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival. 

The organisation is run by Oxford University students and has existed since 1823. The Debate Society has previously hosted an illustrious guestlist of world leaders in politics, popular culture and academia. Previous musical guests include Sir Elton John, Hozier, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Jonny Marr of The Smiths and many more. 

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The Debate Society seeks to bring a unique and wide-ranging array of guests for their members to listen to as well as challenge. On their official site they state, they have “been part of some of the biggest and most important discussions to shape world history.”

Casablancas’ appearance comes on the heels of The Stroke’s politically charged Coachella set. The band closed their set with a montage which took aim at the CIA and the United State’s government. Among the images shown was one of Martin Luther King Jr. accompanied by text which read “US Govt found guilty of his murder in civil trial.” Casablancas also made digs against Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, wearing a shirt with the Amazon logo, replaced with the word “crime.” 

The Oxford Union Debate Society described The Strokes as “one of the most influential rock bands of the 21st century” and that Casablancas “helped redefine guitar music in the early 2000s.” It is clear Casablancas does not take his industry position for granted, he frequently uses the notoriety to make bold and unflinching statements about some of the world’s most powerful figures. In 2024 he spoke to NME about his frustrations with billionaires, calling them, “‘bad guy’ people.” He said their “main weapon” is “distraction.” He said “the fact we can’t unchain ourselves from this song or [stop being] hypnotised by this nonsense is the biggest challenge and biggest confusion I have.” This intrepidity is sure to be welcomed and perhaps challenged by the Debate Society’s members. 

This appearance comes in anticipation of The Stroke’s new album, ‘Reality Awaits’ due to release June 26. It will be the band’s first release 2020. Shortly after announcing the album, the band announced the ‘Reality Awaits The World’ Tour, beginning this summer. The tour will stretch into this coming fall and visit the North America, Europe, Japan and the UK. This marks the The Strokes first full UK/IE Tour in 20 years. They will visit the O2 Arena in London, Manchester’s Co-op Arena, Dublin’s 3Arena and more this autumn. Tickets can be found here.   

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Casablancas will appear at the University of Oxford tomorrow, Thursday 28 May at 4:30 PM. Non-members are able to attend the event as guests of Union members for a fee of £12.50. 

The big winners this year are Sam Fender, for Songwriter of the Year, Rosalía for International Songwriter of the Year, Lola Young for PRS Most Performed Work (for her single ‘Messy’) and CMAT for Best Album (‘Euro-Country’). 

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Jacob Alon, a skyrocketing Scottish-born singer-songwriter, took home 2 awards last night. Their song ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’ won Best Song Musically and Lyrically, and they also won the Rising Star award. 

Honorees for the night included George Michael and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Both were honored with Academy Fellowships. 

For Michael’s posthumous honor, his former Wham! bandmate, Andrew Ridgeley accepted the award. Ridegely said of the acceptance on behalf of Michael, “it’s an honour and a privilege to bear witness to his work full stop, and to accept on his behalf, he would have been immensely proud to be recognised by the academy in this way, to be placed amongst some of the finest songwriters.” 

Yorke’s honor was presented by surprise guest, Harry Styles. He said Radiohead is his “favourite band.” He also said Yorke “has time and time again shown us what the future sounds like,” calling him a “restless creative” and “an artist in its truest form.” 

Other winners include Kano for the Visionary Award, which recognises an artist who’s “musical vision has made a clear impact on fellow creators.” Calvin Harris picked up the Icon award for his work across his 15 year career. And Lily Allen won the award for Outstanding Song Collection which recognises an artist’s entire catalog of songs. 

CMAT took home Best Album for her 2025 work, ‘Euro-Country.’ The Ivors Academy commended the work, saying, “CMAT blends confessional songwriting with sharp humour, vivid storytelling, and social commentary while exploring themes of identity, relationships, and modern anxieties through a personal lens.” ‘Euro-Country’  is CMAT’s third album. It was nominated for the 2025 Mercury Prize as well as peaking at Number 1 on the Irish Albums and UK Independent Albums Charts. See her acceptance speech below.   

 

 

 

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Rosalía won International Songwriter of the Year. The Ivors Academy noted her work on 2025’s ‘LUX’  as “not only a bold and innovative artistic step forward for Rosalía, but a revelatory project that transcended language and genre barriers.” This marks Rosalía’s first Ivor Novello Award. 

 Elton John was recognized at the Ivors Academy’s first-ever president. The position is described as being “reserved for individuals who have reached the pinnacle of their songwriting or composing profession and are committed to giving back by supporting the community and advancing the Academy’s mission to protect the future of music.” In his speech, John told the audience, made up of some of the industry’s most prestigious songwriters, “No matter what kind of music you write, it’s yours, you own it… It came from your soul, it means a hell of a lot to you. And don’t let people take it away from you, especially AI.”

See the complete list of winners at the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards here. Listen to both winners and nominees of the awards at Amazon Music’s Ivors 2026 playlist, below. 

The festivals, hosted by Live Nation, have been live streamed by Hulu for the past six years. But 2026 marks the first time that UK Disney+ subscribers will be able to watch the iconic festivals simultaneously, with Disney+’s global reach.  “Music festivals are among the most electric, can’t-miss moments in culture, and now Disney+ and Hulu subscribers around the world can experience the excitement,” said Lauren Tempest, Head of Content Planning & Partnerships, DTC at The Walt Disney Company. “As we continue to extend our live offerings, we remain committed to bringing fans the biggest, most iconic moments right as they happen, and are thrilled to bring that vision to life with Live Nation.”

Disney+ aims to pull international streaming fans into the thick of the action. They are set to release an array of artist interviews, behind-the-scenes content and festival highlights along with the live-streamed performances. 

Kevin Chernett, EVP, Head of Global Media Partnerships at Live Nation said, “Music festivals used to be experiences reserved for the people who could physically be there. Now they’re becoming global live moments that fans want to experience together in real time, no matter where they are in the world. Expanding this partnership with Disney+ and Hulu allows these festivals to reach music fans at an entirely different scale.”

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First up of the three festivals is Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival from 11-14 June. It takes place annually on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, and saw 70,000 attendees in 2024. Some of the headlining names this year include The Strokes, Skrillex, Noah Kahan and Rufus De Sol. British acts on the bill include indie rockers, Wet Leg, electronic musician Four Tet and singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri, as well as singer and composer, Blood Orange.    Next is Chicago based Lollapalooza from 30 July to 2 August. Hosting most alternative and rock acts, the festival boasts around 40,000 attendees annually. Olivia Dean and Charli XCX are among the headliners for 2026. They are joined by Lorde, The Smashing Pumpkins, John Summit, Jennie, Tate McRae and The XX. Many UK artists are on the bill for this year including Wet Leg, Blood Orange, Wolf Alice, Jim Legxacy, CMAT, kwn, Beabadoobee and Cruz Beckham and the Breakers. 

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Finally, rounding out the trio is autumn-set Austin City Limits. The Texas-based festival will be celebrating its 25^th year across two weekends: 2-4 October and 9-11 October. Charli XCX is also among the headliners, she is joined by Lola Young, Skrillex, Kings of Leon, Rufus De Sol, Lorde and Twenty One Pilots as well as many more. Other acts from the UK set to perform there include Paris Paloma, CMAT, Suki Waterhouse and Blood Orange. 

Disney+ has stated additional details about the livestreams will be made available ahead of each festival. 

Beginning in May 2027 and running through the summer, the anniversary series promises to include multi-night residencies, special one-off performances as well as exclusive shows from up-and-coming acts as well as icons. 

British singer-songwriter, Maisie Peters, is the first artist announced for the run of shows next year. She will perform her debut headline set at the O2 Arena on May 8 2027. The announcement was posted to their Instagram this morning (May 15), with a video of Peters atop the iconic London venue. 

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The O2 says Peters “represents the next generation of talent to take to The O2 stage, ushering in a new era of headliners and reflecting the venue’s ongoing commitment in presenting artists from grassroots to the global stage.”

Peters says being the first artist announced is “such an honour.” In her Instagram post, Peters further explained her gratitude “I never take for granted the ability to sell 50 tickets, let alone 15000 and so this really does feel like the milestone of all milestones, and I just couldn’t be prouder of myself and my team.” 

Steve Sayer, GM of the O2 Arena and SVP spoke to MusicWeek about the anniversary programming, saying the O2 team sees this as “a real opportunity to set the venue up for more success for the next 10 to 20 years.” He says the O2 is “at the top of [their] game” and that they have “invested heavily in the venue and the experience of the artists, the fans and our premium guests.” 

The O2 Arena hosts over 200 events annually, including live music concerts, award ceremonies and sporting events. Since opening in June 2007, it has hosted over 3,000 events. The arena is run by AEG and their partnership with O2 has resulted in over 4 million Priority Tickets sold to fans via their Priority Platform. 

Gareth Griffiths, Director of Partnerships and Sponsorships for Virgin O2 Media says, “We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with AEG and everything we have achieved together at The O2 in London – countless memories made at shows which have shaped music and entertainment as we know it, putting the fan at the centre of the experience every step of the way. Now, we look towards the future and artists like Maisie Peters who are at the top of their game and will truly define live music for the next twenty years; the perfect first artist to celebrate this milestone with us next year.”

Sayer told MusicWeek booking Peters was deliberate: “ we intentionally wanted to book and work with those first-time headliners that are breaking through. The industry has had incredible success over the last three or four years with female artists selling out arenas, selling out stadiums and headlining festivals, and The O2 has been at the forefront of that. So it was definitely a conscious programming decision to ensure the first headline artist was fully representative of what The O2 is world famous for, and what’s really fuelling the growth in the industry right now.”

Several other names are due to be announced for the O2 Arena’s anniversary summer. Until then, tickets for Maisie Peters 2027 O2 Arena debut go on sale Friday May 22 at 10 am. Priority tickets will be available for Virgin and O2 users from Wednesday May 20 at 10 am.