Born Richard Starkey, Starr has been a monumental figure in British music since joining The Beatles in 1962. Although best known for his work behind the kit for The Beatles, Sir Ringo, now 85 years old, has forged an incredibly successful solo drummer-singer-songwriter career, releasing 21 studio albums and 54 singles since the band split in 1970. Previously added alongside the rest of the “Fab Four” as a group, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an individual in 2015 for “Musical Excellence”, and in 2018 he was knighted by Prince William for services to music. Since 1989 he’s toured the globe with his All-Starr Band, a supergroup with a rotating roster of rock’s finest artists, including Toto’s Steve Lukather, Joe Walsh of Eagles, and on occasion his son, fellow drummer Zak Starkey.

After announcing he was moving away from full-length albums to more concentrated EPs in 2021, he released his first LP since 2019 in January last year. ‘Look Up’ marked a shift in sound towards country music, due to Starr beginning a partnership with American writer and producer T Bone Burnett. Formerly a guitarist for Bob Dylan, Burnett’s work on film scores have bestowed upon him an astonishing 13 Grammy Awards from his Americana and roots soundtracks on movies including Cold Mountain and country music-oriented Crazy Heart. Crazy Heart also won him both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Sir Ringo is quoted by the BBC as saying “I’m blessed to have T-Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records.”

The first single from his new project released yesterday, Tuesday the 3rd of March. Titled ‘It’s Been Too Long’, the track is a groovy little number, rolling along with Sir Ringo’s drumming and singing. The overall template is very Beatles-adjacent, but made distinct by the twanging country guitars and the female backing vocals. Guest features are provided by country artists Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jarosz.

Also confirmed to be on the album ‘Long Long Road’ is a cover of guitarist Carl Perkins’ 1959 song ‘I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore’. Nicknamed “The King of Rockabilly”, The Beatles had previously covered three of Perkins’ songs, with Starr himself singing on their versions of ‘Honey Don’t’ and ‘Matchbox’. Sir Ringo explained that Perkins’ influence is felt throughout the record, saying “I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record and he found this beautiful track I’d never heard before, ‘I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore’.

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The full album ‘Long Long Road’ will release on label Universal Music Enterprises on the 24th of April, with a cast of extras including Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, and Billy Strings. You can check single ‘It’s Been Too Long’ on Sir Ringo’s official Youtube channel, and pre-order physical versions or pre-save the album on streaming platforms here. See below for the full track listing:

1. Returning Without Tears
2. Baby Don’t Go
3. I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore
4. It’s Been Too Long
5. Why
6. You and I (Wave of Love)
7. My Baby Don’t Want Nothing
8. Choose Love
9. She’s Gone
10. Long Long Road

Zach Top, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn have been announced as the three headliners for the 2026 edition of C2C: Country to Country. The festival runs March 13 to 15 across London’s The O2, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Belfast’s SSE Arena, bringing some of the biggest names in country back to UK and Irish audiences.

For Zach Top, these shows will mark his UK debut. The Academy of Country Music’s reigning New Male Artist of the Year headlines The O2 on March 13, joined by Scotty McCreery, Waylon Wyatt and Noeline Hofmann. Top has been steadily gaining momentum in Nashville with a 1990s inspired, neo-traditional sound that sets him apart from the mainstream pop country trend. The track ‘I Never Lie’ first gained traction on TikTok, giving Top wider recognition and highlighting how digital platforms now circulate more traditional leaning country sounds.

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Keith Urban returns to C2C for the first time in seven years, beginning his run in Glasgow. Urban will be joined by Russell Dickerson, Tyler Braden, Alana Springsteen and Bayker Blankenship. Grammy award winning Urban has carved out a strong following in Europe with arena ready shows that mix country with crossover pop rock.

Brooks & Dunn will headline C2C for the first time, opening in Belfast before continuing to Glasgow and London. It will be their first UK appearance since 2010. The duo will be joined by Drake Milligan, Kameron Marlowe, Ashley Cooke and MacKenzie Carpenter.

Since its debut in 2013 with Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood at The O2, C2C has grown into the largest country festival outside North America, drawing tens of thousands each year. Alongside its marquee names, the festival has consistently provided a platform for emerging acts from Nashville, the UK and Europe. BBC Radio 2 returns as broadcast partner, while the Country Music Association continues to back the Spotlight Stage and songwriter showcases. Sarah Trahern, chief executive officer of the Country Music Association, said: “Helping rising country artists take their music to international audiences and working alongside the industry that champions them worldwide remains central to our mission.”

C2C 2026 also arrives as the festival expands across Europe, with new editions in Rotterdam and Berlin earlier in March featuring Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean and other rising American artists. Tickets for the UK shows go on sale Friday September 26 at 10am local time. The thirteenth edition of C2C once again balances established stars with fresh voices, underlining its role as the key gateway for country music outside the United States.

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The announcement comes after nearly a year of musical silence from Harris, following his last album ‘96 Months‘ (2024) and a collaboration with Ellie Goulding on the track ‘Free‘. The forthcoming single is expected to blend electronic elements with country motifs, reflecting a growing trend among DJs like Avicii and Diplo, who have explored similar fusions.

Calvin Harris has been a dominant force in the music industry since his debut album ‘I Created Disco‘ (2007). He holds the record for the most top ten hits from a single studio album, with nine tracks from his 2012 album ‘18 Months‘ reaching the UK top ten, including ‘We Found Love‘ in collaboration with Rihanna, ‘Feel So Close‘, and ‘I Need Your Love‘ featuring Ellie Goulding. His most recent chart-topping single ‘Miracle’, another collaboration with Ellie Goulding, reached number one in April 2023.As the DJ embarks on this new musical journey, fans are eager to see how he will blend his electronic roots with country influences. While ‘Smoke the Pain Away’ is set for release next week, there has been no official confirmation regarding a full country-inspired album. This single may signify a broader exploration of genre fusion, but details about subsequent projects remain unknown. Fans are encouraged to keep an eye on Harris’s official social media accounts for any hints about what’s next.

The tour kicks off on September 11, 2025, at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town and continues through Birmingham, Manchester, and Belfast before eventually wrapping up in Dublin. Each venue will offer an intimate concert experience, featuring crowd favourites such as ‘Change My Mind’ and ‘Different ‘Round Here.’

Can’t wait to bring the Damn Country Music Tour to the UK next year! Tickets go on sale at 9 AM local to the general public on Friday, December 6, but you can get pre-sale tickets starting Wednesday, December 4 on my website: https://t.co/FxniTwPdni pic.twitter.com/BcFnrFWGoD

— Riley Green (@RileyGreenMusic) December 3, 2024

Tickets for the Damn Country Music Tour will be available to the general public starting Friday, December 6, 2024, at 9:00 AM. Fans who participated in the presale on December 4, 2024, had the first opportunity to secure spots, but plenty of tickets remain for others to grab. As this is Green’s highly anticipated debut UK tour, tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

Riley Green, a rising star in the country music scene, has built his authentic reputation with his storytelling lyrics. Born in Jacksonville, Alabama, Green grew up with a deep appreciation for southern rock, which is evident in his music. His small-town roots and childhood love for music have allowed him to create heartfelt ballads and classically rowdy country anthems.

Green first gained attention with his EPs and breakout single ‘There Was This Girl’, which climbed the country charts and solidified his place in the genre. Since then, he has released multiple albums, including Different ‘Round Here, which features one of his biggest hits, ‘I Wish Grandpa’s Never Died.’ Green’s ability to combine incredibly personal lyrics with captivating melodies has earned him a dedicated well-deserved fanbase.

Throughout his career, Green has collaborated with many talented country stars. He teamed up with Ella Langley, another rising star in the genre, for the track ‘You Look Like You Love Me.’ This duet became a fan favourite on social media due to its catchy chorus and even reached No. 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart. Langley has also joined Green on stage for many live performances, further cementing their musical partnership. Another notable collaboration is with the popular Luke Combs on ‘Different ‘Round Here (Remix)’, which blends both of their soulful voices beautifully. Green’s ability to connect with both established and emerging talent has broadened his repertoire to a diverse audience.

For many, Riley Green’s music feels like coming home. It evokes nostalgia, a celebration of simple pleasures, and the unbreakable bonds of family and community. His Damn Country Music Tour, fittingly named, embodies these themes while inviting listeners to join a shared experience of storytelling through song.

Riley Green’s Damn Country Music Tour not only presents his music but also reflects his journey from being a small-town Alabamian boy to performing on some of the biggest stages, both in America and internationally. Green’s blend of pure authenticity and country charm will no doubt win him even more fans worldwide.

ticket information can be found here.

Ten years and four Grammys later, Isbell released Weathervanes with his band 400 Unit. 2023’s Weathervanes marked the sixth studio collaboration between Isbell and 400 unit, seeing features from some of folk’s and country’s biggest names, including Grammy winning singer-songwriter Amanda Shires, Mickey Raphael of Willie Nelson’s Family band, string musician Morgan O’Shaughnessey, and producers Sylivia Massy and Ian Rickard.

2023 also brought Isbell to the silver screen, with the singer playing Bill Smith in Martin Scorsese’s western thriller Killers of the Flower Moon. Having previously worked with Killers of the Flower Moon’s lead actress Lily Gladstone on the television drama, Billions, Isbell continues to prove himself as a promising artist on both stage and film.

Off the back of their latest release, Isbell and 400 Unit will be touring the United States and Europe throughout 2024. Having already played two intimate live shows in London this month, Isbell and Co. will be returning to the US, playing across 26 states from February to August. Starting in November, Jason Isbell and 400 Unit will be travelling back across the Atlantic, playing shows in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK. Beginning at Brighton’s Dome, the group will be in the UK from November 18th to 25th, tickets to which will be on general sale January 31st and can be purchased here.

The full UK setlist can be found below.

November 2024

18/11/2024 – The Dome – Brighton

19/11/2024 – O2 Apollo – Manchester

20/11/2024 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh

22/11/2024 – Bristol Beacon – Bristol

23/11/2024 – The Civic at The Halls – Wolverhampton

24/11/2024 – Stockton Globe – Stockton-On-Tees

25/11/2024 – Eventim Apollo – London

The artist grew up in Illinois and states that a lot of the influences for the music she writes, which she labels as country, came from her midwestern-based childhood growing up on her “daddy and grandaddy’s farm.” She says “I spent my time in the woods, fields and rivers of Illinois. I grew up around cattle, horses, tractors, and radios that played old country, gospel, and classic rock and roll. I relate a lot to Loretta Lynn, even though I’m not from the South. She grew up in a rural area as well. She also had babies before she got her start. I may not be from the south, but I am country.”

The ‘Change of Heart’ singer earned nominations for Artist of The Year, Album of The Year and Song of The Year at the Americana Honors and Awards and tied for the most nominations of any single artist in 2023. 

Price held an enthralling performance at Lafayette back in August 2023. The Kings Cross, London venue opened and closed in 2020 due to the pandemic before reopening for good in 2021. It has a capacity of 600 and even though just two years old, has hosted big names such as The Pretenders, Loyle Carner and Charli XCX. 

Watch the official music video for ‘Change of Heart’

The singer Kicks off the tour in Manchester on the 26th of January at Gorilla before heading further north to Scotland. Carrying on to Vicar Street in Dublin, before playing her final date at KOKO in London on January 30th.

You may hear songs from the artist’s third studio album ‘That’s How Rumors Get Started’ which features collaborations with Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton but definitely on the cards are songs from the fourth album ‘Strays’, released on January 13th 2023 and the singers’ latest suit =‘Strays II’, released on the 20th October 2023. 

Watch Margo Live 

26/01/2024 – Gorilla, Manchester

27/01/01/2024 – Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow

28/01/2024  – Vicar Street, Dublin

30/01/2024  – Koko, London

Tickets are on sale November 3rd HERE.

This new release is a retreat for Morrison. Playing the smoky music he was brought up with, he reminisces about where he comes from, to which he adds a smooth soulful modernisation without fully ridding of its initial essence. As a child, when he first started delving into the musical world in Belfast, he played in a skiffle band which was a rooting of what sort of music he was passionate about.

Moving On Skiffle will be a 23 track album hosting a combination of enduring classics of the era enhanced by the musicians rollicking stylistic input as well as original arrangements and entailing lyrical twists. Steaming from the folky roots, a skiffle fest is well on its way. He has successfully kept the ice cold by gradually releasing singles from the LP. Five tracks are now live, featuring unbeatable timeless tracks of the era.

He first released “Streamline Train” a few months back. A song originally written by the American blues singer Red Nelson in 1936. The crackly bygone recording has taken and moulded into a soulful strutting version by Morrison. He then released “I’m Moving On”, a country standard first released by Hank Snow in the 1950’s. Taking a classic sound to remake the ethos of the country folk chime and inducing his characteristic twist as well as some finishing gospel backing vocal touches.

“Worried Man Blues” is the third single release of the album. Another skiffle cover of an original written song by Carter Family in 1964. A track many blues artists have re written and reimagined but never failed to hold it’s magical purity. Following these he releases “This Loving Light Of Mine”, a rolling interpretation of Harry Dixons “This Little Light Of Mine” back in 1962. Finally, Van Morrison has just released his last single “Freight Train”. Positioning the track as the starting song of the bunch to perfectly set the scene for the experience about to unfold. It is a jazzed up version of Elizabeth Cotten’s writing, with a few added vocal harmonies and organ inputs.

The album is just around the corner and expect the enlivened robustness of the 1950’s skiffle moulded into a brand new album. An album global tour is to come along with its release, set to start on the 13th March in Milton Keynes and run through until the 19th September, finishing on the other side of the world in California, USA.

Click here to pre-order the album.

The Northumbria-born, London-based singer released her debut EP ‘Something American’, in July 2017, which was followed by several singles including ‘Love Has All Been Done Before’. The EP caused a stir in America, where Rolling Stone coined her an artist you need to know. The singers British take on Americana has had her labelled as a country singer, which Bird has has deemed a little restrictive.

Speaking about the album, Bird said: “This album is my experience, direct and undiluted, of the past two years. Every decision I’ve made has culminated into this magical process, just as every word I’ve written has spun into these songs. It changes in style, like most of my music, and tries to dodge boxes and genres but the consistency is me – a young woman really trying to figure it out’.

Bird spoke to NME last year about how moving t0 New York City to record her debut album “clarified everything” for her following an “anxious phase in London”. The US has been an “idealistic” place for her to be creative, where, she said, there was a “freedom of eccentricity that I feel is sometimes a bit shunned in the UK”.

Bird has been playing since the tender age of 12, when she first picked up her grandmother’s guitar. She has been writing for several years, to date she’s filled three notebooks with lyrics and ideas. During her teens, Bird played at scores of open mic nights, before winning a place at the notorious performing arts Brit School in London. Jade Bird plays London’s The Garage on January 29 and Paradise Noord in Amsterdam on February 13. Get your tickets here.

Track listing:

‘Ruins’
‘Lottery’
‘I Get No Joy’
‘Side Effects’
‘Uh Huh’
‘My Motto’
’17’
‘Good At It’
‘Does Anybody Know’
‘Love Has All Been Done Before’
‘Going Gone’
‘If I Die’

Hunter and the Bear on stage. Photography Francesca Paolozzi

It would be a pretty difficult task to meet a more down to earth group of guys than Hunter and the Bear. In their own words, they play the kind of music they want to listen to, and are three best friends who just want to play as many gigs as possible, due to their love of being on the road. Their sound, is according to Will “a folky mix of rock and country with an emphasis on rock”. It’s a unique sound, one that you might not necessarily hear too much in the UK these days, particularly since the disappearance of a particular band who I shan’t name. But as a threesome they all share different tastes which brings about their sound. “Will is a massive Elton John fan, Josh is a massive fan of Arctic Monkeys, we all listen to rock n roll, folk and country and that mix is what brings us our sound”, states Jimmy. There is no particular influence when it comes to writing, with the boys showing each other the different sounds they have been listening to and then taking it from there. “The way it usually works is someone will show the rest of the band a group they’ve been listening to, and then the others will either be like no or yes and then if it’s a yes we go through a period of everyone listening to the band”, according to Josh. “Its funny though coz when we listen back to our songs we can tell who we’ve been listening to at that time, but in terms of sitting down and thinking who do we want to write like, is not really a thing that we do”, Jimmy adds firmly.

Photography Francesca Paolozzi

Although the three of them are now based in London, it is a far cry from where they spent their upbringing, with Josh hailing from Yorkshire and Jimmy and Will both Scotsmen. Moving down south to the capital city could prove daunting for any young group of lads, but is a choice they are starting to see the rewards of now. “For me where I’m from is so far out in the middle of nowhere, in the mountains by the sea and things like that and its such a different lifestyle and its the simple life up there, people love what they do up there, there’s a big fishing community and things like that”, Will reveals solemnly. “I got used to the city when I was at uni (in Newcastle), Jimmy doesn’t live in a city either even though he sounds like he’s from Glasgow. It does take getting used to, London is massive. But it’s wicked though”. London is often said to be the place to be if you are in a band and want to make it, and is a view shared by the group, with Josh saying “The thing has been quite obvious from the start, people have been saying to us if you want to do this then you’ve got to be in London. There’s no point being somewhere else”.

No matter how impressive a year 2013 has been, Hunter and the Bear are looking for more next year. When asked about their plans for next year, Jimmy immediately responds “A new EP for sure and a big festival season”. Josh back this up, saying “The masses are the target right now and we just want to be at one every weekend and be on the road, we love being on the road”. Going from strength to strength seems to run in the blood in the group, and they never seem to be left resting on their laurels. Your aims change all the time, when we started our aim was to play once every couple of weeks then it was once a week, then we wanna play here, want to play a festival, when you reach these things you can’t believe it at the time, but you want to move on so quickly to the next thing, so hopefully we’ll keep moving that way”, states Will, reassuring the fact that they won’t be happy sat on their backsides allowing their instruments to gather dust. Josh wraps things up by saying “We’re pretty hungry for more as well, we’ve got a lot of ambition. We’ve got to that point now where the cogs are moving and we want more, so I don’t think the trains gonna stop”.

Photography Francesca Paolozzi

As the three of them step out onto the stage at 02 Academy 2 at Islington, they are welcomed with not just warm applause, but volcanic eruption hot applause. As they effortlessly glide through their set with tracks from their recent EP Dusty Road amongst others, their fans adoring eyes never venture far from the stage. Not happy with the length of their set, they come back on for an encore, and you can tell by the bewildering looks etched across their faces that they did not expect this kind of reception. As lead single from Dusty Road Forrest On The Hill gets it’s second play of the night, you start to feel that something special is brewing up here.

Waitin comes straight out of Rose’s critically acclaimed second album The Stand In which was released to universal praise earlier this year. Blending country with a bit of folk, a dash of pop and a pinch of rock, it certainly has enough to distinguish Rose from other singers from similar genres and makes her stand out like a rose amongst a field of weeds.

Having originally started out in punk rock, Rose always brings the energy associated with punk to the stage when she’s blaring out her groove-filled country tracks. Having already played on these shores earlier this year with two sold out shows in London in February, we are thankful to say she is coming back for more. If you like your country music slightly different to what you’d normally hear from the genre, get yourself down to one of these shows in September and wear your finest denim while you’re at it. Dates are below.

September 1st – End of the Road Festival

September 2nd – Proud Cabaret, Brighton

September 3rd – Fleece, Bristol

Wednesday 4th – Bullingdon, Oxford

Thursday 5th – Glee, Nottingham

Saturday 7th – Leeds College of Music, Leeds

Monday 9th – ABC2, Glasgow

Wednesday 11th – The Sage, Gateshead

Thursday 12th – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

Friday 13th – The Ritz, Manchester

Saturday 14th – Festival Number 6, Portmeirion

You can listen to Waitin below, which is released on September 16th. The Stand In is available to buy now.