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Radio 1’s, Greg James announced the third and final lineup of acts this morning and it’s filled with wonderful additions to finalise an already incredible weekend. James shared with listeners that Dean would also be joined by a variety of other established artists, including Niall Horan, Myles Smith, CMAT, Kehlani and Dermot Kennedy.

Dean has simply taken the world by storm in this past year, even taking home a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in February of 2026. Not only has she solidified herself as a star through her Grammy win, the ‘Man I Need’ singer also took home four awards at the BRITS including Best New Artist.

Joining the bill days before Dean’s set are DJ’s Fatboy Slim and Sonny Foreda making for an action packed dance music celebration. Following on from this, the Saturday lineup is set to see incredible performances from Zara Larsson, Louis Tomlinson and Lola Young. The weekend is set to be an action-packed music venture.

Also featured on the Sunday bill are acts in the likes of Jorja smith, Maisie Peters, Charlie Hedges, Holly Humberstone, Maia Beth and countless other up and coming names.

One Direction fans are bubbling with excitement as two former members take the stage over the weekend. Both Tomlinson and Horan are set to have new music releasing this year, fans may potentially be lucky enough to hear some brand new material.

Saturday’s attendees are in for a treat; blonde bombshell, Larsson has experienced a renaissance of sorts with her latest album ‘Midnight Sun.’ Her music is everywhere, taking over social media platforms, Olympic skaters dancing to her tracks and TikTok dance trends in her name. It is safe to say the Swedish singer songwriter has come back around with a newfound hunger for stardom, and we cannot wait to see her dominate the Sunderland stage.

One of Britains biggest music events, the festival spans from May 22 – 24, set to feature three exciting stages, Main Stage, New Music Stage and BBC Introducing Stage.

Sunderland last hosted Radio 1’s Big Weekend way back in 2005 in which the event saw performances from Gwen Stefani, Foo Fighters and the Black Eyed Peas.Thousands of fans are set to attend the three-day event, making for a gorgeous weekend to remember featuring over 100 acts.

Tickets for the first day went on sale last week and Saturday and Sunday tickets are set to go on sale from 17:00 GMT Wednesday 11 March, Sunderland’s local residents are set to get priority.

General sale day tickets cost £44.50 per day whilst VIP tickets cost £106.00.

Praise for its ability to host in towns that do not often see music events, Radio 1’s Big Weekend provides attendees with a joyous weekend close to their hometown.

Grab your tickets now!

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Sam Fender’s headline slot is no surprise. With two Number 1 albums already under his belt, he’s set to release his highly anticipated third album, ‘People Watching’, in February. Fender’s summer tour doesn’t kick off until June, meaning fans at the Big Weekend will be among the first to hear the album’s new material.  

Blossoms are still riding high after their Number 1 album ‘Gary’, released last year, and Wet Leg, who headlined at 2023’s Big Weekend, make a return to the festival after three years of extensive touring.  

Lola Young knocked Gracie Abrams off the top of the UK Charts last week with her hit ‘Messy’, and featured on Tyler, The Creator’s October album, ‘CHROMAKOPIA’. Myles Smith played the  Music Introducing stage at last year’s Big Weekend, and called it a “dream come true” to return to the festival. Smith was also shortlisted for the BBC Introducing Sound of 2025 Award, eventually coming 4th.

This year’s Big Weekend marks the event’s first return to the North West since 2007, when it was held in Preston. Liverpool’s iconic Sefton Park will play host this year, as part of a busy first half of the year which will also see the park hosting a candlelight concert and a DJ set from Danny Rampling.  

The format has changed over its two-decade-long history, with stages coming and going, but if the previous years are to be repeated, then fans will be treated to four different stages. With the Main Stage, Future Sounds, Dance Stage, and BBC Introducing, there will be plenty of acts to see for fans of all genres.

Quality lineup so far guys

— John Hamilton (@stigcocard) January 28, 2025

BBC Radio 1’s Head of Station, Aled Haydn Jones, said: “We’re thrilled to bring Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 to Liverpool. Liverpool’s vibrant music scene and rich history make it the perfect setting for this iconic event. It’s set to be an unmissable weekend.” 

Taking place over 23-25 May, the festival lines up with the final day of the Premier League season. With Liverpool Football Club on track to lift the trophy, the city could become euphoric, making the weekend even more special for those lucky enough to attend. 

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Tickets for the Big Weekend used to be free, but this changed in recent years, with 2024’s tickets costing £34 all in. They are released in batches and will prioritise local residents first. This approach has led to the BBC saying the event brings superstars to your doorstep, and it’s hard to argue with them when they have Sabrina Carpenter performing in Luton, and The Jonas Brothers in Dundee. 

The Big Weekend kicks off the UK’s festival season and is followed by the likes of Download Festival and Glastonbury in the following month. The first phase of tickets can be expected to be released toward the end of March and anybody wanting to snag a ticket should keep an eye out for any announcements.

Yesterday, the BBC turned off comments on a video of CMAT’s Big Weekend performance last Sunday as there had been numerous comments body shaming the 28 year old. The video depicted the Irish chart topper ripping off her jacket and revealing a tighter outfit underneath.

The pop star did not shy away from confronting her haters on X, formerly Twitter. She wrote, “yesterday the BBC had to turn comments off a video of me performing at the Big Weekend because so many people were calling me fat in the comments”, followed by her light hearted statement: “I didn’t realise it was ILLEGAL to have a HUGE ASS !!!! I am GUILTY as CHARGED”, showing that she is not going to let the distasteful comments affect her.

However, according to her X post, this is not the first criticism she has received over her weight, as her infamous BRIT awards outfit went viral in South American, and she says “now people are calling me fat in Spanish”. The outfit was spoken about across social media for days after the event, shaking the perception of ‘acceptable’ attire, as it exposed the top of her buttock, in line with the exact amount of breast that is typically exposed in dresses.

The BBC is no stranger to this situation, as last year the guideline that discourages users from posting about artist’s they are not fans of, was violated again after Billy NoMates’, real name Tor Maries, Glastonbury performance. The “insane” levels of abuse resulted in Tor Maries requesting the video posted by BBC 6 Music, to be deleted. The guideline also includes a strict no-tolerance of hateful comments about gender, disability, race, sexuality, and religion.

The excitement began only a few months ago when Radio 1 announced that their annual Big Weekend would be taking place at Stockwood Park in Luton. Since then, they have announced numerous huge names, leading to tickets selling like hotcakes. Unfortunately, all tickets are now sold out, however if you are a keen listener to BBC Radio 1 then you might find yourself approached with the chance to win tickets their competitions, or alternatively, you can look for resale tickets on Ticketmaster.

The highly anticipated festival is taking place May 24th-26th, and is set to be one of the biggest festivals this year, with some of the biggest names in the music industry appearing. The headliners are as follow: Chase and Status on Friday, Raye on Saturday, and Coldplay and Vampire Weekend on Sunday. Appearing alongside these names are other incredibly talented artists such as Olly Alexander, the UK’s Eurovision contestant this year, The Last Dinner Party, who have performed huge slots at Coachella this year already, and, arguably the most famous dance pop singer at the moment, Becky Hill.

Attendees of Radio 1’s Big Weekend are no strangers to the huge performances, as in previous years there have been sets from: The 1975, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Billie Eilish. This makes this year’s line-up no different from the rest, especially as the majority of tickets sold out in days. However, this does not beat 2022, when Saturday tickets sold out within an hour.

Nonetheless it is shaping up to be an extremely exciting weekend, and not just for those attending. If you didn’t manage to grab tickets in time, then don’t worry! BBC iPlayer will have all of the weekend’s events, completely free and available for you to watch as the weekend unfolds, additionally, BBC Radio 1 will be discussing events, gossip and performances live with your favourite presenters or, if you’re busy across the whole weekend, you can watch the festival on demand.

The band, based in Brighton, has enjoyed massive success over the years after announcing themselves on the rock scene in 2014 with their self-titled debut album. The overwhelming warm feeling for the band is set to be put to the test however, as the duo were filmed criticising the crowds at Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

Performing on the festival’s main stage, frontman Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher mocked the audience accusing them of a lacklustre vibe and labelling them ‘pathetic’. During the band’s set, Kerr addressed the masses saying, “well, I guess I should introduce ourselves seeing as no one actually knows who we are. We’re called Royal Blood and this is rock music. Who likes rock music? Nine people, brilliant.”

Kerr went on to castigate the crowd, telling them that the band needed to clap for themselves since the reaction from spectators was pathetic. As the set came to a close, Kerr could be seen throwing down his guitar and walking off the stage as he gave the finger to the perplexed crowd.

The BBC removed the performance from their online coverage but reaction to the band has drawn many into a debate as to where and who the fault lies with: some have slammed the band, others have supported the duo and some have even laid blame at the festival’s door.

Some fans have expressed shock at the band’s behaviour, pointing out that Royal Blood need not show up to play festivals if they do not feel they fit in with the bill, with a Twitter user commenting, “the arrogance is absolutely off the scale.” Others have accused the band of being entitled whingers, lacking a respect for the audience. Some fans of the group have weighed in, saying a large band who have the ability to sell out festivals deserve more of a reaction from fans and can understand the reaction.

The rock band Royal Blood have got live music the wrong way round. You don’t get automatic applause & affirmation from a crowd; you have to earn it. Talk abt entitlement. And don’t try it in Dundee where folk ran Churchill out of town! pic.twitter.com/81EM6S6UCo

— Gerry Hassan (@GerryHassan) May 30, 2023

Still some others believe the festival should take responsibility adding a band to the lineup that may not exactly fit in with the rest of the headlining acts. Attracting a younger more pop slanted concert goer, some believe Royal Blood may have been comfortable on a more rock oriented festival instead of Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

State of the responses to this. Royal Blood will be co-headlining at the biggest festival in the world this summer. They deserve the crowd to be giving it a bit. Proper music like this is dying now a days. Kids haven’t got a clue. — Ryan (@Ryan0102030406) May 29, 2023

Festival organisers put them on between Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi, who’s idea was that?

— Askern Music Fest (@AskernMF) May 29, 2023

No matter which way one feels about the ‘tantrum’ thrown by a famous act, the debate surrounding on stage meltdowns will continue to divide opinion, with Royal Blood by no means being the first band to lose their cool in front of large audiences.

Styles, teen heartthrob for anyone between the ages of 10 and 16 back in the 2010’s, quickly made a name for himself both as a member of One Direction, and now as maybe the most popular male solo artist working in western pop music today. He headlined California’s Coachella festival just last week, he’s poised and ready to embark on a sold-out world tour this summer – performing to millions of fans in some of the world’s most iconic venues like London’s Wembley Stadium and Copenhagen’s Royal Arena – and is on the precipice of the release date for his hotly anticipated 3^rd album Harry’s House (May 20^th).

Harry’s House Live From London. May 24th. pic.twitter.com/Ld7GpJVLig

— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) May 3, 2022

Now, we’ve all been there. A major artist with the capability to sell out 2 night’s the size of Wembley Stadium has decided to take on a super intimate venue… you simply have to be there. Chances are, you probably won’t be. But if you want to give yourself an extra chance then you have 2 options. Firstly, you can find yourself a friend with an American Express Membership, they have exclusive access to a presale for the show that starts next Tuesday (May 10^th) at 8am. If you don’t have any friends that fancy, you can always try option 2; pre-order the picture-disc version of Harry’s House before May 9^th, and you’ll be sent another presale link from Styles’ website. That’ll get you in alongside the O2 priority bunch at 10am the same day. But regardless of how many different methods you try, it’ll be a nightmare. Brixton Academy has a capacity of around 5,000… so good luck.

Styles will also be appearing on Coventry at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2022. Some of the network’s most played artists will join Styles as headlining acts. Set to take the main stage on Saturday 28th May 2022 are Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, Aitch, AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, Central Cee, Joel Corry and Yungblud. Full details confirming all headlining acts will soon be confirmed, as well as Friday’s main stage acts that have yet to be announced. The event will make its comeback on 27th-29th May 2022 at War Memorial Park, and see 80,000 music fans flock to Coventry to see some of music’s biggest acts perform.

Your final #BigWeekend Sunday headliner is @Harry_Styles

This is going to be SO special. A full solo festival set

Head here for everything you need to know: https://t.co/4t4HBZtjzI pic.twitter.com/MZxZvfUfc1

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) April 25, 2022

Your final #BigWeekend Sunday headliner is @Harry_Styles

This is going to be SO special. A full solo festival set

Head here for everything you need to know: https://t.co/4t4HBZtjzI pic.twitter.com/MZxZvfUfc1

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) April 25, 2022

The annual three-day concert series has become BBC Radio 1’s flagship music event and is set to return to a traditional live format this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019 and 2020 festivals were presented online. The music event will make its comeback on 27th-29th May 2022 at War Memorial Park, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend will see 80,000 music fans flock to Coventry to see some of music’s biggest acts perform.

Some of the network’s most played artists will join Styles as headlining acts. Set to take the main stage on Saturday 28th May 2022 are Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, Aitch, AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, Central Cee, Joel Corry and Yungblud. Full details confirming all headlining acts will soon to be confirmed, and Friday’s main stage acts have yet to be announced.

The festival has become known for showcasing both new and established acts across many stages; this year the event will consist of the Main Stage, Future Sounds Stage, Radio 1 Dance Stage and BBC Music Introducing Stage. The Future Sounds Stage is a new addition to the event and will play host to both commercially successful and emerging artists.

Billed to perform at the Future Sounds Stage on the Sunday are Foals, Alfie Templeman, Griff, Holly Humberstone, Joy Crookes, Koffee, Rina Sawayama and Wet Leg. Sawaymama has spoken about her upcoming performance, “I cannot WAIT to come and play at Radio 1’s Big Weekend for the first time!! It’s going to be such a moment.” On Saturday 28th May 2022 the Future Sounds Stage will be home to Sam Fender, Easy Life, Fontaines D.C., KSI, Mimi Webb, Pa Salieu, Sigrid and Tom Grennan. Salieu has also spoken on his forthcoming appearance, “Excited to be finally performing in my home town Coventry as part of Radio 1’s Big Weekend. I know the Coventry crowd will do our city proud and show all the other artists the energy of the Midlands.”

General tickets are selling out fast for the event but a small amount were held back; these tickets were made available to purchase today. Tickets were made available via three tiers, 60% of entry tickets were allocated for Coventry City Council residents. 2% were then allocated for those living in the remaining Coventry, Birmingham and Leicester postcodes, and the remaining 15% were then made available for the rest of the UK to purchase.

Full coverage and highlights of the event will be aired on BBC Radio 1 throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The broadcasts will be available to watch live and on-demand via the BBC iplayer and BBC Sounds.

Click here for more ticket information.

Ed is playing the Main Stage at @BBCR1‘s #BigWeekend this May! pic.twitter.com/LIMLKxy56n

— Ed Sheeran HQ (@edsheeran) March 14, 2022

Sheeran has spoken on his upcoming performance at Coventry’s War Memorial Park, “I can’t wait to kick off festival season and perform in front of a live audience at Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2022 in Coventry. See you all there!”

The “Shape Of You” singer is amongst eight headlining acts who will take to the Main Stage on the second day of the festival. Saturday’s main stage acts also include Calvin Harris, Aitch, AJ Tracey, Anne Marie, Central Cee, Joel Corry and Yungblud. AJ Tracey and Anne Marie also joined Sheeran in last year’s event, where the three acts participated in a virtual event that was held in lieu of a live festival. BBC Radio 1 took to social media to share the headlining acts that will perform on the main stage on Saturday.

Some #BigWeekend line-up news! Performing on the Main Stage on Saturday 28th May: @CalvinHarris @EdSheeran @OfficialAitch @ajtracey @AnneMarie Central Cee @JoelCorry @Yungblud Everything you need to know about this year’s event: https://t.co/GNEZRXbbVS pic.twitter.com/uswiaDjRkJ — BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) March 14, 2022

The event has also announced Sunday’s main stage acts, George Ezra, Becky Hill, Dermot Kennedy, Jax Jones, Lorde and Mabel will headline the festival’s closing day. A long list of up-and-coming acts have also been confirmed to play the BBC Music introducing stage, the smaller stage aims to showcase emerging artists whilst providing a perfect platform in which to grow a fanbase and career and has remained a vital part of the event. Taking the stage this year are Alfie Indra, Crawlers, Danniella Dee, Hope Tala, Lizzie Esau, piri & tommy, Queen Millz and Sad Night Dynamite.

Two further stages have also been confirmed for Saturday, and both feature an impressive line-up of acts. Set to take the Future Sounds Stage are Sam Fender, Easy Life, Fontaines D.C., KSI, Mimi Webb, Sigrid and Tom Grennan. The BBC Music Introducing Stage features Artemas, Celina Sharma, Deyah, Jordan Mackampa, Tamera, Thomas Headon, USNA and Willow Kayne.

The British YouTube sensation, KSI, has spoken on his appearance at the three-day event, “Ya boy KSI is performing at Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2022. Cannot wait to get out and perform in front of you all in Coventry. Expect all the hits and maybe even a few surprises!”

Head of Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones has provided the following statement concerning this year’s event, “We are kicking off the UK’s festival season in true Radio 1 style with an incredible line up of acts already on the bill, and more exciting names to be revealed this week. We can’t wait to bring our flagship live music event to Coventry for 2022.”

#BigWeekend is coming to Coventry from the 27th – 29th May!

Want to be there? Find out everything you need to know before tickets go on sale on Friday 18th March: https://t.co/IVIdwjCF62 pic.twitter.com/WDjT0QqfnG

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) March 11, 2022

Ticket sales for Radio 1 Big Weekend 2022 go live on 18th March 2022. Tickets are limited to two per person and the availability has been divided into three sections. 60% of tickets are reserved for Coventry residences, 25% are for people who reside within the neighbouring towns, and the rest of the tickets will be released for general sale. A detailed step by step guide on how to get your ticket can be found here.

The new video features a heavy theme of an Intergalactic fantasy world, the video’s premise sees the ‘Yellow’ performers embark on a journey to the fictional planet Kaotica, described as a “colourful trash planet”. The group are accompanied by dancing aliens. Playing the group of dancing aliens characterised as a street gang, is the Ambiguous Dance Company, a modern dance act located in Seoul. The band are also joined by a gaggle of otherworldly characters such as robot dogs.

Throughout the video giant holograms are also at play, further confirming the video’s fantastical theme. The resident aliens featured in the video communicate with a make-believe language, this language is also a component amid the artwork. The Mercury prize nominee’s new video exists within a science fiction world akin to films within the same genre. The video itself references such films as ‘The Terminator’, ‘Blade Runner’ and 1997 film ‘The Fifth Element‘ which stars Bruce Willis also on an intergalactic journey to find a cosmic weapon.

See below to watch Coldplay’s new psychedelic video.

The music video was directed by Dave Meyers, an American director responsible for such videos as DMX’s 1999 hit ‘Party Up (Up in Here)‘, ‘Adore You’ by Harry Styles and the smash hit ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish. With an impressive list of work from 1995, Meyers has accumulated a lot of accolades during his career. The director’s most recent being Best Video from MTV Europe Music Awards for his work on the music video ‘ME!’ by songstress Taylor Swift.

Meyers had this to say concerning his recent collaboration with Coldplay: “The video is a metaphor for how, right now, we all feel alienated, far removed from our world, almost like we’re on an alien planet. And ultimately we find love in the streets and that euphoria shoots us off into the stratosphere of our own energy and higher power.”

The single ‘Higher Power’ is one of the singles from the band’s upcoming ninth studio album and is the first instalment in a three-part musical journey entitled ‘Music Of The Spheres‘. This will be the name of the band’s ninth studio, a release date has yet to be confirmed.

The four-day event which began this Friday 28th May 2021 will bring over 100 live acts to the screens of fans everywhere and will continue into the Spring bank holiday weekend, ending on Monday 31st May 2021. Fans will get to enjoy the headline acts perform live in various locations, a live performance from Coldplay will be played on the stage located at Whitby Abbey and British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will play his set from the banks of the River Alde located in Suffolk; the picturesque landmark managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was cancelled last year but is ready to make up for lost time with an impressive line-up of artists including AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, Brit Award nominee Celeste, Jorja Smith, ‘Californian Soil’ hitmakers London Grammar, Mabel, Britain’s favourite rockers Royal Blood, and alt-rock band Wolf Alice.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, the event will not feature a physical audience nor will it be staged at the event’s usual location. But with the multiple streaming services available to watch the event on, Radio 1’s Big Weekend has become even more attainable for music fans. The event will be available to watch and stream on platforms including Radio 1’s BBC iPlayer and YouTube channels. Fans will also be treated to a specially curated stream of hand-picked performances and exclusive interviews of the event’s performers, accessible from Saturday until Monday.

Radio 1’s BBC iPlayer also features highlights from 2020’s event which was also held as a virtual performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cancellation of the physical event was announced on 13th March 2020 and in late April 2020, the announcement was made that the event would continue virtually.

Click here to stream the event.