In an Instagram update shared on New Year’s Eve, Harvey wrote that she has “been writing songs for my next album and poems for my next book,” describing the creative work as a process that continues to “surprise and challenge” her but one she remains “committed to and love[s]”. No title, release date or label details have yet been announced for either project, but the confirmation signals that a follow‑up to ‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ is now formally in motion.

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The post also looked back on the conclusion of her most recent live run, noting that “2025 saw the end of the ‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ tour in Australia and Japan in March,” which she called “a wonderful experience” and a chance to bring the record to life “in a shared experience”. The album, released in 2023, was widely praised as an immersive, folklore‑infused return that drew on her Dorset‑set narrative poem Orlam.

Alongside the news of fresh writing, Harvey shared a curated playlist of tracks she credits with being “inspiring and strengthening” throughout 2025. Hosted on streaming services under her official account, the playlist runs just over an hour and gathers work from contemporary composers, experimental artists and idiosyncratic songwriters.

The selections include pieces such as “LAD: II. The Slow Melody” and “Wee Rosebud”, alongside modern classical and avant‑garde cuts by artists including Clarissa Connelly, Xenia Pestova Bennett and the Ligeti Quartet. The list underlines Harvey’s long‑standing openness to left‑field influences, echoing the spectral folk, choral textures and text‑driven structures that shaped I Inside the Old Year Dying and its companion book Orlam.

Harvey closed her message by thanking listeners for their support and wishing them “a happy and peaceful year ahead”, framing the new creative cycle as both a continuation and a renewal after two years of touring. With no firm timeline yet in place, fans are left to parse the hints offered by her evolving reading list, visual collaborators and,  now, this playlist of guiding songs.

If the hard-hitting music she has been publicly championing is any indication, Harvey’s next chapter is likely to push further into atmospheric, narrative‑rich territory, drawing strength from the adventurous voices she has chosen to spotlight.

People found the partnership as controversial due to McDonald’s perceived support of Israel, and highlighted how it seemed to stand in conflict with Stormzy’s beliefs. Stormzy had previously been vocal about his support for Palestine, eveb playing at a benefit concert to raise funds for aid in January 2024.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement previously supported a global boycott of McDonald’s, after franchises in Israel gave out thousands of free meals to Israeli forces following Hamas’ attack on the country on October 7.

Stormzy later spoke out against the “twisted narrative” that he took down the post due to the partnership with McDonald’s, and explained that he removed it as well as other posts as part of a ‘clean-up’ of his page.

Stormzy has released a statement to address the ‘twisted narrative’ following backlash over his deal with McDonalds pic.twitter.com/tgczLIJSPs

— Melissa Sigodo (@melissasigodo) February 21, 2025

Stormzy has now made an insightful post to mark the start of the new year, explaining how the past 12 months have been transformative for him, and have seem him try to overcome the feeling of being “crippled by sadness”. He began the post explaining how he faced “a few unexpected turns” at the start of 2025, which “made me more resilient and put the final nail in the coffin of my desire to be understood”. He added how the McDonald’s deal led to “a lot of you [questioning] both my character and my integrity”. He also said that his younger self would have felt “compelled quickly to explain himself, and let you know that there is no world in which he would ever trade his humanity for cash”. Nowadays, he “couldn’t give a single fuck to explain that fact” as he doesn’t “need to explain anyting to nobody”.

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Going forward, he concluded that he has “gained a lot of clarity around who I am as a man and who I am as an artist, and in 2026 I want to honour that clarity with execution”. He ended by sharing how he would be distancing himself from social media going forward, and is currently still working on his fourth album.

On Tuesday, she posted on her Instagram Stories, writing, “This is an honest story post that will get blown up I’m sure. But who cares. As truthfully in a world full of ‘everything is fine, I’m happy, I’m good, life is perfect’ there is grief hurt pain sadness heartbreak and reflection and processing happening this time of year for many of us, along side the good and great or on its own.”

She continued writing, “This year has been heavy and hard in many ways for all of us, for me personally one of the hardest but most magical years of my life. Personally and professionally. But all the sadness has come up this week, it’s the first time I’ve stopped (working and being in public in months) So I’m crying a lot. Writing shit down feeling really low tbh. The lowest I have felt in a while.”

She added that she was experiencing an “accumulation of stuff just making its way to the surface” and she was choosing to “let it out”. She said, “Don’t hold it in people. We are not superhuman or meant to be happy and positive all the time. It’s healthy and normal to cry”. She concluded by saying, “Sending love to anyone feeling this way too right now. No positive end to this. Just I’m with ya. It’s shit sometimes.”

Her sixth studio album ‘Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time’ was released in November, including singles such as ‘No Secrets’, ‘Living My Best Life’, ‘H.A.P.P.Y.’ and ‘I’ll Never Know Why’.

Last night, she ended 2025 by performing on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny on BBC Two, where Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Olivia Dean, Lulu, Craig David, Heather Small, The Kooks, Imelda May, Joe Webb, David Hermlin, and Ruby Turner also played.

She is set to play Victorious Festival in Portsmouth this year, and will join Lily Allen and Scissor Sisters in London in May at the Mighty Hoopla.

After a six-month hiatus in early 2023, Parcels reconvened and took a nomadic approach to writing and recording LOVED. Studios in Berlin, Byron Bay, Sydney, Oaxaca, and Mexico City all hosted the band when recording this album.

The record has 12 tracks, including singles: “Sorry,” ‘Yougotmefeeling’ ‘Summerinlove’ and Iwanttobeyourlightagain’.

Full Tracklist:

• Tobeloved
• Ifyoucall
• Safeandsound
• Sorry
• Yougotmefeeling
• Leaves
• Everybodyelse
• Summerinlove
• Leaveyourlove
• Thinkaboutit
• Finallyover
• Iwanttobeyourlightagain

‘Sorry’ is one of the singles that stands out for its mix of honesty and ambiguity. It blends gentle nylon guitars with lyrics that feel at times heartfelt and at other times distant, making it one of the more complex songs Parcels have released. Other tracks like ‘Safeandsound’ and ‘Finallyover’ don’t have that same ambiguity, they have an obviously hopeful sound.

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‘LOVED’ shows slight growth on Parcels’ behalf. Instead of chasing a perfect, shiny sound, they lean into vulnerability and slight imperfections. This does give the music a slightly more human feel. The album still has the band’s trademark groove, but it also goes deeper; it’s as reflective as it is danceable.

Parcels are gearing up for a big tour following the release of ‘LOVED’. They kick off in late September 2025 with shows across Europe, starting in Düsseldorf on September 25, then in Amsterdam, London (including a date at OVO Arena Wembley), Berlin, Brussels, and Paris.  In October, they’ll take the tour to North America with stops including New York, Boston, Washington DC and Nashville. They’ll finish out the year with shows in Australia, including performances in Brisbane and two nights in Sydney.

Tickets and more information regarding the tour are available here.

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This year sees Swedish House Mafia return to Creamfields with a highly anticipated Saturday headline set on the Arc Stage, reaffirming their status as electronic music royalty. They’re joined by international heavyweights David Guetta, Martin Garrix, and Fisher, each promising high-energy sets designed to keep the crowd moving into the night. Fans of underground sounds will be spoilt with performances from techno powerhouse Amelie Lens, house innovator Jamie Jones, and eclectic tastemaker Four Tet, while UK favourites like Fatboy Slim and Camelphat are set to bring their trademark energy to the stage.

 

 

 

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One of the most exciting exclusives this year is Anyma, who will deliver a UK-only performance blending music with his stunning audiovisual art. Rising Scottish star Ewan McVicar is also poised for a career-defining moment as he closes the brand-new HALO stage: a 360-degree outdoor arena designed for total immersion. Across more than 30 stages, over 300 artists will represent every corner of the electronic spectrum, from trance and drum & bass to house, techno, and everything in between.

The sheer scale of the event, with its sprawling stages, dazzling light shows, and pyrotechnics, creates a sensory overload that festival-goers describe as unlike anything else in the UK. The Arc Stage, with its towering design and jaw-dropping production, remains the beating heart of the festival, while intimate arenas tucked away across the site ensure that even underground sounds get their moment to shine. The new Electric Forest stage, nestled in woodland-inspired décor, adds a fresh twist for 2025, offering ravers a chance to dance under the trees to world-class DJs.

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Sustainability also remains on the agenda, with the Cleanfields initiative encouraging festival-goers to keep camps tidy and recycle responsibly. While the focus is squarely on the music, Creamfields continues to evolve into a more environmentally conscious event, ensuring its legacy for future generations of dance fans.

The release of the single marks the first piece of new music since the untimely departure of long term bassist, Peter Woodin. Fans were quick to notice the absence of Peter on the early dates of Wunderhorse’s current UK tour. The more eagle-eyed fans also noticed quite quickly that Peter Woodin’s replacement looked rather familiar. Seb Byford, singer in band Sun King, who supported Wunderhorse on their 2023 headline UK tour, appears to be the new addition to the band.

Peter Woodin took to instagram to announce his recent departure, saying, “Thank you, and see ya on the next one.” Whilst Wunderhorse themselves stated, “It’s been a great 7 years, but unfortunately our long-standing friend and bass player Peter Woodin will no longer be working with us moving forward. We wish Peter all the best in his future endeavours.”

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New single ‘The Rope’ is set to get the full vinyl treatment, with a limited run of 7”, backed with ‘Arizona (Acoustic)’, available for pre-order from 10AM on the 3rd of June.

Recorded at RAK Studios in London with producer Loren Humphrey (Tame Impala, Florence + The Machine), ‘The Rope’ was finished and recorded just a few weeks before the band set off on their recent UK tour, according to a press release.

The song got its official debut with a performance on Later With Jools Holland on June 1st. Wunderhorse’s debut album ‘Cub’ was an instant success and was the catalyst for the band’s growth until the much anticipated release of their sophomore album, ‘Midas’, which did not hold up to the same critical acclaim as ‘Cub’, but quickly gained popularity amongst Wunderhorse’s eager fanbase nonetheless.

Tom Morgan of Clash magazine commented, “There’s a very fine line between pared-down and underdeveloped, and several tracks on ‘Midas’ tip in the wrong direction.” in response to Wunderhorse’s 2024 album ‘Midas’.  

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The band have just finished a 6 date tour across the UK & Ireland and now set off for a mammoth run of 40 shows, spanning Europe, the US and Australia.

Wunderhorse are also set to play Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, and TRNSMT festivals this summer.

Lola Young has picked up the most nominations this year, including ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’ for her hit track ‘Messy’, ‘Best Album’ for her record ‘This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway’, and the ‘Rising Star’ award.

The ex-Brit School student shot to fame with her toxic relationship love song, ‘Messy’, which reached No. 1 in January, also topping worldwide charts including Australia and Ireland.

At the Ivors 2024, RAYE took home the ‘Songwriter Of The Year’ award. This year, she’s also nominated in the ‘Best Song Musically And Lyrically’ for her tune ‘Genesis’, and in the running for ‘Most Performed Work’ for ‘Prada’, a collaboration between her, Cassö, and D-Block Europe.

Charli XCX is also in the race for the ‘Best Album’ award with her rave-influenced record ‘BRAT’ that took the world by storm in 2024. Other names in the ring for the award are UK rapper/grime legend Ghetts with his highly praised fourth album ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’, and multi-talented musician/producer Berwyn, with his debut studio album ‘WHO AM I’.

Ghetts has also scored a shot at the ‘Best Contemporary Song’ category with his tune ‘Double Standards (feat. Sampha), his second nomination of this year’s awards. Other artists in contention for this prize include JADE with ‘Angel of My Dreams’, Sans Soucis with ‘Circumnavigating Georgia’, Bashy with ‘How Black Men Lose Their Smile’ and Pa Saileu with ‘Allergy’.

In March, it was announced that U2 would receive ‘Fellowship Of The Ivors Academy’, the highest honour that the organization can give. This places the band alongside iconic names such as Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, who was the first international songwriter to receive the award last year.

This year marks the 70^th anniversary of the illustrious awards. The Ivors were made to celebrate the craft and artistry of songwriters. They are judged peer-to-peer by songwriters and composers, for songwriters and composers, rather than by industry representatives or broader audiences.

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, shared his excitement for the 2025 Ivors: “Everyone knows The Ivors are the most joyful celebration of music making in the calendar. Many of the most talented and creative people on the planet get together to celebrate each other’s exceptional originality and craft. Congratulations to all of the remarkable nominees this year. It’s a huge privilege for The Ivors Academy to champion music creation in all its forms.”

Roberto Neri, Chief Executive of The Ivors Academy, also said: “An Ivor Novello Award holds a unique place in music, as it is judged by fellow songwriters and composers, making it the most respected acknowledgement of creative excellence. We are proud to welcome and celebrate the nominees’ achievements and look forward to honouring their work at the 70th edition of The Ivors in May.”

The full list of nominees can be seen below:

Best album

Best contemporary song

Best song musically and lyrically

Most performed work

Rising star

Best original film score

Best original video game score

Best television soundtrack

Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues, is set to come out on September 12 in the US – a UK release date is yet to be announced.

The Spinal Tap 2 teaser features an amp being turned up to 11, a reference to the famous joke in the first film. The level is then turned up to an infinity symbol, before a union jack guitar is revealed, and the screen is set aflame with explosive graphics. We then see the classic Spinal Tap logo, as their famous folky hard rock number ‘Stonehenge’ plays.

The sequel will follow up the iconic comedy film, This Is Spinal Tap. The original followed the fictional rock group and their often-futile endeavours, travelling on a US tour full of gags and mishaps, with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer portraying the main band members.

The original was a modest success in theatres in 1984 but became a cult classic after its VHS release. It’s since been noted as kickstarting the ‘mockumentary’ genre and frequently placed as one of the greatest comedy films of all time. In 2002, it was deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.

Those three lead actors are set to reprise their roles, as well as Paul Shaffer and Fran Drescher who will also return. Some new names set to star are John Michael Higgins, Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman and Nina Conti. There will also be cameo appearances from Elton John, Questlove, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

Last year, director Rob Reiner gave Empire a rundown of the premise behind the return of Spinal Tap, and what its fictional band have been up to since the last film: “Nigel has been running a cheese and guitar shop in Berwick-upon-Tweed,” Reiner told the outlet. “He’s also been performing with a local folk band in the village that play penny whistle and mandolin, and he plays electric guitar with them. We show a little clip of that.”

“David St. Hubbins has been living in Morro Bay in California, and he’s been writing music for podcasts, particularly this one true-crime podcast called ‘The Trouble With Murder.’ He also writes the music that you hear when you’re on hold on the phone.

“Derek is living in London and is now the curator of the New Museum of Glue. He’s curated glue from every country in the world – the whole history of glue – and he shows me around. He’s also been performing with a philharmonic orchestra, and he’s written this kind of symphony about the fact that the devil wears a bad hair piece. It’s called Hell Toupée.”

Film company Bleecker Street have secured the rights for US distribution.

In a joint statement, Andrew Karpen, the company’s CEO, and Kent Sanderson, the company’s president, expressed their excitement for the film.

“We feel privileged for the opportunity to work with Rob Reiner and the brilliant minds behind the original This Is Spinal Tap, and to be part of a film that has resonated with so many. This Is Spinal Tap isn’t just a movie — it’s a cultural touchstone that pioneered the mockumentary genre and left an indelible mark on both film and music. Returning to this world through Spinal Tap II is an extraordinary chance to celebrate its legacy while creating something fresh for both new and devoted audiences,”

The lyrics reference her Christian faith, after converting in 2022, with a press release for the track describing it as the artists “spiritual declaration”.

The verses include: “Holy spirit sing/ Angels with the wings/ The holy water dripping when I drink it from a spring/ And Jesus is king/ He’s got anointing/ When I’m on my knees he washes all my sins”

It’s her first new music since ‘Bells Collection’, her 2023 mixtape which featured contributions from Skrillex, Blaqstarr and Troy Barker.

The track has been released through her independent label OHMNI, which exists alongside her clothing brand of the same name, selling items that allegedly claim to “block electromagnetic frequencies” and “boost fertility” among other benefits – its most famous item is the ironically branded “tin foil hat”, said to supposedly block “99.99 per cent of Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G” from the brain.

The brand describes itself as “last frontier at preserving your privacy, autonomy, and rights over your body and your data,” and “the armour of the modern knight in the age of modern technological warfare.”

Over the past few years, the ‘Paper Planes’ hitmaker has divided her fanbase with controversial views and statements. She’s always been a socially conscious artist, speaking out against inequality and oppression of various groups, and partaking in philanthropic work.

But she’s received backlash for more recent opinions, including stating she’d rather “choose death” over a Covid-19 vaccine and pushing anti-vaxx messages. She’s also come under fire for political leanings – once an advocate for Jeremy Corbyn in 2017, she backed a very different contender for the recent US presidential election, the now re-elected president Donald Trump.

Despite criticising him and his administration in 2017 as having “mental disorders”, she backed the controversial candidate during his run earlier this year. She tweeted in August that “Trump is going to ride America through the most challenging four years coming.” She also mixed religious and political rhetoric, writing that “RFK will inherit America when God is ready to replant and rebuild it righteously,” referencing Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has previously mentioned debunked claims about vaccinations.

Her new single is out on now on streaming platforms – you can listen on Spotify here.

A party 20 years in the making… RT + Like for your chance to win 4 x VIP upgrades, Emperors Field camping & a £100 bar tab!

Escape to the Lakes with The Prodigy, @FatboySlim, @thecourteeners, @KaiserChiefs & more!

Register now for pre-sale access https://t.co/vsh02Dllfo pic.twitter.com/Vgy1r71vNq

— Kendal Calling (@KendalCalling) November 1, 2024

Music Festival Kendal Calling first begun in 2006, as a small-capacity event that welcomed just less than a 1000 people and only lasted two days; the event was held in Abbot Hall Park, and all tickets were sold out before the event. The following year the venue was upgraded due to the extreme demand, and year by year the festival reached higher capacities until reaching a peak of 40,000 attendees last year.

Since its first edition in 2006, Kendal Calling festival has received critical acclamation and many UK artists have expressed the wish to perform on the Cumbria-based stage. In 2010, after only a couple years since its creation, Kendal Calling was awarded Best Small UK Festival, and in 2011 it won “Best Small Festival” at LIVE UK awards.

The festival ranges through a wide set of genres: from indie’s Maximo Park and upcoming London-based indie artist Siobhan Winifred, BRIT award’s rising star The Last Dinner Party, Leeds’s rock band Kaiser Chiefs, Techno group The Prodigy, “Murder on the Dance Floor” singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and many more.

But music won’t be the only form of art presented in Lowther Deer Park, where the festival is set to be held in the upcoming year. In fact, organizers have also revealed that art installations will also be present on the festival grounds.

But the festival hasn’t reached this level of fame without some struggles: after cancelling their 2020 edition due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the organizers also took the decision to cancel the following year’s edition, in 2021, due to the lack of fundings after losing out financially in 2020.

Now, the festival has managed to re-start after the pandemic and both organizers and artists are eager to welcome new and old crowds into the grounds of Kendal Calling. The festival made numbers in ticket sales the previous years, with tickets being sold out within days of their release and the lineup announcement. This year is no different. Despite the lineup being only just announced, Kendal Calling’s tickets are already 70% sold out. Tickets can be accessed here.

Here’s the festival’s story told by their organisers:

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The organizers of Kendal Calling have revealed that there’s more acts to be announced, but it seems like the artists confirmed so far are enough for fans to plan their summer trip to the lake district.

Watch previous performances at Kendal Calling on their YouTube: