Noah Kahan‘s 2022 hit ‘Stick Season‘ takes the number one spot for the biggest song of 2024, in the same year where Kahan performed sold out shows at Wembley Arena and was announced as a headliner for next year’s BST Hyde Park. The song was originally released as the lead single of Kahan’s critically acclaimed album ‘Stick Season‘, which peaked at number one on UK charts and has so far spent 81 weeks charting; the song ‘Stick Season’ first debuted on charts in mid-October of 2023 and eventually peaked at number one in January, claiming the title for seven weeks! It is currently Kahan’s only single to achieve the number one position. According to Official Charts, Kahan’s single produced 35,000 sales and 217 million streams, making it the biggest song of the year!

Second is Benson Boone‘s rock ballad ‘Beautiful Things‘, which took nine weeks of climbing charts to achieve the number one position, but eventually did and maintained the spot for two weeks. Boone first gained attention on TikTok, then auditioned for a talent show and gained a sold fanbase; ‘Beautiful Things’ is the artist’s first ever song to achieve the number one position in the UK, but that is not to say Boone is a one-hit wonder: his album debuted at number 16 in the UK, and the single ‘Slow It Down’ reached the fourteenth position. With 1.79 charts units, Benson Boone wins a well-deserved second place on the list of biggest songs of the year.

On the podium at third place, we have chart-topper queen Sabrina Carpenter, who spent 21 weeks at number one. The song that wins third place is ‘Espresso’, one of the highest charting song about coffee ever; ‘Espresso‘ was the lead single off of Carpenter’s album ‘Short n Sweet‘. Originally released in April, ‘Espresso’ took about a month to make its way to number one and claimed the position for seven weeks. With 1.75 charts units, it is one of three songs by Carpenter that made it to the biggest songs of the year list: the others are ‘Please Please Please'(10)  and ‘Taste’ (21).

At number four is Teddy Swims ‘Lose Control‘, which peaked at number two and charted for sixty weeks in the top 100. It counts 67,000 downloads this year and is the artist’s highest charting song, followed by ‘The Door’ at number five and ‘Bad Dreams’ at number six. ‘Lose Control’ was a single off the album ‘I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy‘, Teddy Swim’s first release under a major label, which peaked at number twelve in the UK spending fifty weeks on charts.

Number five goes to Hozier, who achieved his first number one single with viral hit ‘Too Sweet‘, released as part of his fifth EP ‘Unheard‘. Hozier first climbed the UK charts in 2015 with ‘Take Me To Church’ which failed to achieve the top spot of chart peaking at number two. With ‘Too Sweet’, Hozier spent two weeks at number one and another 39 in the UK top 100.

As UK raps biggest success story in the States, Central Cee made the cut with his Lil Baby collaboration, “BAND4BAND”. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier was featured with his soulful jam “Too Sweet”, and his fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C appeared on the list with their bouncy post-punk tune, “Favourite”.

The UK artists received a nod alongside some of the biggest international stars of the year, such as Kendrick Lamar with “Squabble Up”, Billie Eilish with “Lunch”, and Beyonce with “Texas Hold ‘Em”.

Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to. pic.twitter.com/MK51Z77uEb

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 21, 2024

Belfast rapper Jordan Adetunji also grabbed a spot with drill-R&B tune “Kehlani”, as did Ezra Collective & Yazmin Lacey with “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing” and alt-pop star Artemas with “I Like The Way You Kiss Me”.

Last year, Obama promised that the playlists were genuinely curated by him, saying in an interview with comedian Hasan Minhaj that he’s “very scrupulous about making sure that this is stuff I actually like”, while confessing that there are times where he gets suggestions. Earlier this year, he featured recent releases from UK artists Charli XCX, Enny and Artemas on his summer playlist, as well as classic tracks from Nick Drake, Sting and The Rolling Stones.

With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately – and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix. I hope you find something new to listen to! pic.twitter.com/aL400Ctpde — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 12, 2024

He’s kept this annual tradition up since 2015 while he was still in office, sharing both a list of his favourite tunes of the year and an extensive selection of books he’d been reading.

Fontaines D.C have had a successful year, touring the UK and US, playing a packed-out Glastonbury set, releasing their fourth album Romance to critical acclaim, and picking up two grammy nominations – for Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance.

Hozier made a commercial comeback this year, with his single “Too Sweet” propelling him back into the spotlight, topping the Billboard Hot 100 a decade after his breakout hit “Take Me To Church”. He played a sold-out tour in the US, appeared at several festival slots and topped the charts in the US as well as several European countries.

Central Cee has remained UK raps biggest export in 2024. At home, he won multiple MOBO’s and gathered four Brit nominations, all before releasing his debut album, the fittingly named Can’t Rush Greatness, which is scheduled for January 2025. He put out several singles and collaborated with American artists such as J. Cole and Lil Baby.

Cench’s transatlantic success has seen him featured before on the 2023 XXL Freshman Class, the first UK rapper to claim a space on the magazines yearly list. He’s also collaborated with Drake for an “On The Radar Freestyle”, and received recognition from US stars such as Tyga, Travis Scott and Doja Cat. He recently performed alongside Lil Baby at Rolling Loud Miami – read here for our coverage on his appearance and this years festival.

Returning to SNL for a second time, the Irish musician played two tracks, the first ‘Too Sweet’ from his 2024 EP ‘Unheard’ which later went on to make the tracklist of his third album’s deluxe edition, ‘Unreal Unearth: Unending’ along with a cover of classic festive track, ‘Fairytale of New York’.

Completing a performance as brilliant as the studio version, Hozier delivered ‘Too Sweet’ with his usual richly soothing vocals. The ambience in the SNL studio with the contributions of backing vocalists and instrumentalists enhanced the pre-existing ethereal nature of the track, further exposing Hozier’s poignant vulnerability in ‘Too Sweet’.

The performance of ‘Too Sweet’ was highly anticipated given on the same day (December 21), former President Barack Obama released his annual ‘favourites’ which saw ‘Too Sweet’ feature on this year’s music recommendations. The track achieved commercial success having achieved the number 1 position on the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100, and received considerable traction online this year, being a popular audio for TikTok users – the sound currently has over 248,000 posts contributed to it.

Hozier pulled out all the stops on Saturday night performing a surprise cover of Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s ‘Fairytale of New York’. Despite the controversial nature of the track given the homophobic and misogynist slurs which feature in the original, ‘Fairytale of New York’ remains one of the most popular Christmas songs in the UK. As Hozier changed some of the lyrics to fit with modern times, the ‘Eat Your Young’ singer effectively captured the tongue-in-cheek rambunctiousness of the song. This specific cover displayed the husky deepness layered within the intensified warmth of Hozier’s Irish vocal twang, perhaps a clever homage to the original.

@hoziersvocals Hozier singing Fairytale of New York by The Pogues tonight on SNL #hozier #live #christmas #christmasmusic #xmas #fyp #hozierofficial #hoziertok #snl #cover #thepogues #fairyofnewyork @Hozier ♬ original sound – Hozier’s Vocals

Although an impressive performance given by Hozier on Saturday night, viewers are to be reminded of the singer’s SNL debut back in 2014. He performed his breakthrough single ‘Take Me to Church’ alongside ‘Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene’ both of which feature on his self-titled debut album released in the same year.

A decade after his first performance on SNL, it’s hard to believe Hozier is only just returning as a musical guest on the show. However, with the momentum of his success in 2024, it will not be surprising if he features as a guest again in the near future.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/hozier-performs-too-sweet-and-a-rendition-of-fairytale-of-new-york-on-saturday-night-live/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/reading-and-leeds-festival-announce-2025-lineup/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/reading-and-leeds-festival-announce-2025-lineup/#comments Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:42:42 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=103633 The Reading & Leeds Festival 2025, scheduled for August 21-24, features an exciting line-up with headliners Chappell Roan, Hozier, Bring Me The Horizon, and Travis Scott. Other notable acts include AJ Tracey, Becky Hill, The Kooks, and Suki Waterhouse. The event will showcase a mix of pop, alternative, and dance music talents across its stages. More acts are expected to be announced soon​.

THE LINEUP OF SUMMER 2025 HAS JUST LANDED and I KNOW you don’t wanna miss out on the biggest weekend of the year @ThreeUK & @MastercardUK presales start tomorrow 12pm
Festival presale starts Saturday 12pm (last chance to sign up in bio)
General sale starts Monday 12pm… pic.twitter.com/5DkXEArYDi

— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) December 5, 2024

Chappel Roan’s debut album, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ (2023) received critical acclaim, appearing on numerous best-of-the-year lists and earning Grammy nominations. The album saw significant success, even topping the Scottish charts and peaking at #1 on the UK Albums Chart during its 29-week run. This year’s single ‘Good Luck, Babe‘ peaked at #2. Roan’s festival debut is eagerly anticipated, as 2025 marks her first major UK festival headline slot. Known for intimate club performances and a growing cult following, this will be her largest audience yet.

Chappell Roan AND Bring Me at Reading Fest next year??? COUNT ME IN IMMEDIATELY
— sar-AAH! (@saraaaaahh) December 5, 2024

Travis Scott is one of hip-hop’s most influential artists, with hits like ‘Sicko Mode’. His live performances are immersive, often involving high-energy mosh pits and elaborate stage designs, reflecting his larger-than-life persona. Travis Scott has headlined global festivals like Coachella and Rolling Loud. His ‘Astroworld Festival’ set a new standard for immersive concert experiences, combining pyrotechnics, visual storytelling, and high-energy performances.

Do you think Travis Scott should bring back Astroworld Festival? pic.twitter.com/TdGSIpwOmq

— travvy (@travis_conno) October 16, 2024

Bring Me The Horizon is a British band which blends metalcore with pop and electronic elements. This band frequently headlines major rock festivals like Download Festival and Reading & Leeds (previously in 2018). Their performances are intense, blending metalcore aggression with crowd-pleasing anthems.

Folk and soul meet in Hozier’s poignant music. Known for ‘Take Me to Church’ and ‘Cherry Wine’, his lyrics often delve into themes of love, social justice, and spirituality, delivered with haunting melodies. Hozier has graced stages at Glastonbury and Electric Picnic, captivating audiences with soulful, stripped-back performances that contrast with festival chaos. His 2025 set promises similar intimacy. If you’re following his work closely, it seems Hozier might take occasional quiet periods for songwriting and reflection, but he remains actively engaged with his music and his audience.

The 2024 Reading & Leeds Festival featured six headline acts: Fred again.., Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Blink-182, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon.

Reading & Leeds Festival have issued an apology to fans of Lana Del Rey after cutting her set short.

The singer had a firework show planned for the final song of her set. She instead sat and watched the fireworks with fans as her microphone feed was cut. pic.twitter.com/tFg9D93YtV
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 25, 2024

Tickets go on pre-sale on December 6, with the general sale following on December, 9. You can check here for Reading and here for Leeds.

Speaking to The Independent on the influences behind Unreal Unearth, Hozier shared that the pandemic lockdowns strongly influenced his creativity. He said, “It was funny, because in some ways I thought I’d spent enough time [on his favoured themes of life and mortality], and then we were thrown into these new conditions. So there was a lot of death hanging over me.”

Hozier continued, “I was confronted with things that were working in my life, and things that weren’t. Things were changing and shifting. People, careers, habits, places… relationships around me were breaking down and forming in new ways.”

During this time, Hozier found Dante’s Inferno to have a lasting impact on him, as well as the Greek idea of ‘katabasis,‘ meaning a journey to the underworld. Hozier told The Independent, “I think everyone goes through a version of that in their lives.” The album is structured around the nine circles of hell, featuring his signature blend of piano ballads and folk-pop tracks.

Hozier released his first single from Unreal Unearth, “Eat Your Young” back in April. This track is one of multiple on the album with a literary influence, drawing inspiration from Irish writer Jonathan Swift’s satirical 1729 essay, A Modest Proposal.

Hozier is no stranger to drawing upon literary and historical subjects to influence his writing, and Unreal Unearth proves to be no different. Across the album, Hozier references the Wexford Rebellion of 1729, Flann O’Brien’s 1967 philosophical text The Third Policeman and more, satisfying his fanbase who turn to him for his poetic and historically informed approach to lyrics.

Hozier worked with co-writers on this project, with this being a new and welcome change for him. He shared, “I’m somebody who is constantly trying to crawl away and be on my own, but to the point where I could end up losing my own mind. It was a drug, to come from such solitude and then be in a space with others, making all this fantastic noise.”

He took to Twitter to celebrate the album’s release, writing “The album represents a reflection on the journey through the last few years and all that was reckoned with in that time. I feel incredibly lucky for your support and can’t wait to see some of you at shows soon.“

#UnrealUnearth is out now

The album represents a reflection on the journey through the last few years and all that was reckoned with in that time. I feel incredibly lucky for your support and can’t wait to see some of you at shows soon.

https://t.co/seLzUUhvUi pic.twitter.com/HoPXmwjEsZ

— Hozier (@Hozier) August 18, 2023

Hozier has also announced a UK and Ireland tour to celebrate the album’s release. Read more here.

10/12/23 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool
11/12/23 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
13/12/23 – Resorts World Arena – Birmingham
15/12/23 – OVO Wembley Arena – London
17/12/23 – SSE Arena – Belfast

Unreal Unearth is available for purchase now. Stream the album below.

Posting his announcement on Instagram, Hozier revealed that five-piece band, The Last Dinner Party, will be supporting him on this tour. Hozier captioned: “Thrilled to announce my Unreal Unearth European tour dates with special guests @TheLastDinnerParty.”

Check out Hozier’s tour announcement on Instagram below:

Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, most famously known by his stage name Hozier, grew up in County Wicklow, Ireland. His music draws influence from blues, folk, and soul often incorporating religious themes.

He is best known for his debut single “Take Me to Church” which released in 2013. The song was then featured as the opening song for his 2014 album Hozier. Not only did it top the charts in 12 countries in 2014, but it also received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

Listen to Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” below:

Recently, Hozier announced his third studio album Unreal Unearth which is scheduled for release on August 18 2023. The album is set to contain 16 tracks including 3 singles already released: “Francesca”, “Eat Your Young”, and “All Things End”. He revealed the album announcement on Twitter saying, “I hope I get to thank some of you in person while touring the next chapter… ‘Unreal Unearth’ will start to find its way to your ears next year, come hell or high water.”

See Hozier’s album announcement on Twitter below:

Want to wish you all a happy, peaceful and safe end to 2021. I’m so grateful for the continued support and I hope I get to thank some of you in person while touring the next chapter…

‘Unreal Unearth’ will start to find its way to your ears next year, come hell or high water

— Hozier (@Hozier) December 31, 2021

The album features some of the artist’s most personal and introspective work to date, with songs exploring themes of love and loss. He released his EP Eat Your Young on March 17, 2023 which all of the songs will appear on Unreal Unearth. Hozier described the album as “quite eclectic and there’s something of a retrospective in what the sounds lean into.”

Listen to “Eat Your Young” on YouTube below: In other news, Hozier has confirmed on Instagram today (Friday 23 June) that he will be a surprise act at Glastonbury Festival. The Irish singer will perform on the Woodsies stage tonight at 7:30pm. He said, “Thrilled to announce I’ll be playing glastofest again in a not-so-secret set this evening (Friday)! See you at 7.30pm, WoodSIES stage.” Hozier UK and Europe Tour Dates

26/11/2023 – Avicii Arena – Stockholm
28/11 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam
29/11 – Zenith – Paris
02/12 – Velodrom – Berlin
03/12 – Stadhalle – Vienna
05/12 – Sporthall – Hamburg
06/12 – Sportovni Hala Fortuna – Prague
08/12 – Forest National – Brussels
10/12 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool
11/12 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
13/12 – Resorts World Arena – Birmingham
15/12 – OVO Wembley Arena – London
17/12 – SSE Arena – Belfast

Tickets are available to purchase here      

“Labour” has quickly taken off on social media, with thousands of women being inspired by and relating to the feminist anthem. The track tackles the misogyny that women face in every day life, inspiring a wealth of TikToks of women sharing their fury with “Labour” as the soundtrack.

Being compared to the work of Hozier, Paloma’s new single is a folk anthem, with its Pagan vibes conjuring images of all the women that have gone before us in societies plagued with sexism and inequality.

Paloma discussed the meaning behind the track with The Big Issue, saying, “Women are just doing more and more, and men are not doing any more than they’ve ever done. There’s still expectation for women to have this very traditional archaic role as a caregiver and a servant and a wife and a mother and a homemaker, but women have had enough of existing to serve other people.”

The ‘female rage’ label has been attributed to Paloma’s song, but she states “it doesn’t need to be romanticised,” as social media can be wont to do.

“Labour” has incited passionate responses from its listeners, and Paloma herself says she’s “not at the centre of this song anymore.”

not now honey mummy’s listen to labour by paris paloma and crying over the horrific levels of misogyny women have faced for hundreds of years

— ًhades (@milfnyras) March 24, 2023

ok BUT LABOUR BY PARIS PALOMA IS THE SONG OF FEMALE RAGE AND EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW IT GOODBYE — specs (@aroamingspectre) March 23, 2023

Discussing female rage further, Paloma told The Big Issue, “It can be amazingly empowering, and I think so many women are relating to it as just this concept of just having had enough, and the refusal to be convenient anymore.”

She goes on to say, “It starts with holding men and boys accountable for this behaviour, and making it less normalised and making them sort of aware that their actions or lack thereof have consequences. You don’t get to be in a relationship and treat another person like less than a human being and then be blindsided when that person wants to end that relationship.”

Paloma says that she hasn’t experienced being “the put-upon wife but I’ve watched it happen. But I’ve seen what it does, and it’s what I think about and have thought about since I was becoming more conscious of my surroundings as a young teenage girl.”

Since its release, “Labour” has inspired over 27,000 video responses on TikTok, allowing a cathartic outlet for listeners and gracing Paris Paloma with an ever-growing platform.

Stream “Labour” here.

The lineup includes; Glen Hansard, Bono, The Edge, Imelda May, Hozier, John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Shane MacGowan, Danny O’Reilly, Roisin O, Declan O’Rourke, Lisa O’Neill and Kodaline’s Steve Garrigan.

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A post shared by The Late Late Show (@latelaterte)

Glen Hansard is no stranger to busking of course. Ten years ago Glen Hansard started the tradition of taking to Dublin’s Grafton Street with a collection of musicians in order to raise money for the homeless. The usual tradition can’t take place in person this year because of the ongoing global health crisis so RTÉ will be taking on the show and broadcasting it to the world.

The show will have many special performances along with stories about memories of the busk over the years and lots of information about the wonderful work The Simon Community does, especially at this time of year. John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Lisa O’Neill, Glen Hansard, and Shane MacGowan will be making appearances in The Late Late Show studio. Bono and The Edge will perform an acoustic version of U2’s Walk On, as well as lead a special Christmas number. Artists like Imelda May will be performing virtually from London, where she will be performing On Raglan Road. 

Presenter of The Late Late Show, Ryan Tubridy spoke about the event, saying; “This will certainly be a night to remember with the best of Irish talent in one room coming together for some incredible performances. In return, our friends here are asking viewers to dig deep to donate to the Simon Community and to help our brothers and our sisters who are currently homeless to get off the streets, to be safe, to be warm, to be treated with dignity and decency and ultimately to get the type of secure housing that everyone deserves.”

If you are looking for a gift that delivers hope in a meaningful way, why not buy a Dublin Simon Christmas Star The beautiful gold stars can be hung from a tree and represent the real difference you can make to a person’s future. #SimonStars

https://t.co/1DdpTRMoar pic.twitter.com/QqAsfi57c1

— Dublin Simon (@Dublin_Simon) December 12, 2020

Ryan will also be interviewing, Philip Powell, who was staying in a hostel when he struck up a friendship with Glen Hansard, and became a staple performer of the Grafton Street busk. Philip will speak of his experiences of being homeless on and off for two decades.

If you would like to donate to The Simon Community, who work to help the homeless in Ireland, you can do so here. You can watch The Late Late Show Busk for Simon on RTÉ One, Friday, December 18, at 9.35pm or online on the RTÉ player in the UK.

The series is being done by Irish music magazine Hot Press and all of the covers are on their YouTube channel. Speaking about the event, Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said; “The result is a feast of extraordinary music, brilliantly delivered by artists from all over the island of Ireland. This is a hugely deserved tribute to a brilliant, internationally acclaimed artist from East Belfast. But Rave On, Van Morrison has also turned into a powerful confirmation of the outstanding talent that exists in this extraordinary place on the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Long may it continue.”

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To mark Van Morrison’s 75th birthday on August 31, Ireland’s @hotpressmagazine has curated musical tributes by 75 exceptional artists, to be broadcast to the world via YouTube, in August and September. Follow the link in the bio to watch the series so far.

A post shared by Van Morrison (@vanmorrisonofficial) on Aug 10, 2020 at 7:18am PDT

The impressive line-up includes Hozier, Imelda May, Una Healy, Glen Hansard and Mary Coughlan to name a few. There was even a contribution from President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. The poet and one-time culture minister took on a spoken word version of Rave On John Donne and changed the words to honour the late American politician and civil-rights leader John Lewis. President Higgins was also joined by Bill Whelan, composer of the Irish dancing show Riverdance.

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Taking the #RaveOnVanMorrison Birthday Celebrations to the next level for the man himself’s big day! We are delighted to be announcing back to back performances on our YouTube tonight from 7pm GMT+1 It’s our absolute honor to have President Michael D. Higgins starting tonight’s proceedings of the impressive line up of showcases we have for you this evening. #VanTheMan @presidentirl

A post shared by Hot Press (@hotpressmagazine) on Aug 31, 2020 at 2:42am PDT

Van Morrison is a Northern-Irish, who shot to fame in the 60’s when he was a part of Northern Irish R&B and rock band, Them. His solo career lead to great hits such as Brown Eyed Girl, Moondance and Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile).  He has received two Grammy Awards, the 1994 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, the 2017 Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award for Song Writing and has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Rave On, Van Morrison event will run until Sunday September 15th. You can watch all of the covers on the Hot Press YouTube channel, here.

This year’s festival is set to include an impressive line-up with some of today’s biggest names joining the stellar headline acts Hozier, The 1975, Florence and the Machine, and The Strokes. Among the other notable names, revealed in the first series of acts is Jess Glynne, Billie Eilish, Christine & The Queens, James Blake, Jarvis Cocker, Years & Years, and Miles Kane.

Speaking about the line-up, festival Director Melvin Benn, said: “It’s the most extraordinary line-up, way way beyond anything we’ve ever done, absolutely amazing. Hozier is going to be really really special headlining the show.” While previous line-ups may not have suited everyone, he believes there’s something for everyone this time around saying: “There will always be people who are disappointed. How they’d be disappointed with this one is beyond me!”

The following acts are also on the bill and will be joining the already stellar line-up is Dermot Kennedy, Four Tet, James Blake, Róisín Murphy, The Streets, Amelie Lens, Courtney Barnett, Echo & The Bunnymen, Freya Ridings, Kölsch, Maceo Plex, Metronomy, Michael Kiwanuka, Mitski, and MØ.

Taking place across three days from the 30th of August to the 1st of September 2019, at Stradbally Hall, in Co Laois, Ireland, the 2019 festival is the biggest in Ireland with a capacity this year of 55,000. The festival boasts not only multiple stages with different genres of music but spoken word, comedy, theatre, workshops, crafts, dance, lake swimming, gourmet food and a host of other treats.

Completing the first series of acts, revealed today, is Parquet Courts, Sam Fender, Shura, Alma, Bodega, Cavetown, G Flip, Georgia, Heavy Lungs, Kero Kero Bonito, Let’s Eat Grandma, Sasami, Sea Girls, Serpentwithfeet, Songs of Kemet, and Yves Tumor, with more to be announced soon.

The wait is over. @thestrokes @flo_tweet @Hozier & @the1975 will headline EP 2019! They’ll be joined by Billie Eilish, Christine & The Queens, Dermot Kennedy, Four Tet, James Blake +many more! https://t.co/76c7yScIJw pic.twitter.com/bEHMQISILz

— Electric Picnic (@EPfestival) March 13, 2019

This year also sees the addition of a brand new area, Freetown, which sees an extra 30 acres added to the Electric Picnic site. It’s an entirely new self-contained town which will be created (by the creatives behind Salty Dog, Berlinhaus, and Trailer Park) on the site formerly occupied by the Oscar Wilde campsite. It will centre around Terminus, a new 8,000 capacity stage for electronic and dance. The town will also boast Providencia with ‘Latino life down every alley-way’ and, on the outskirts, there will be Spike Island, The Oasis, and Cirque.

Speaking about the new addition, Benn, said: “I pressed a real big refresh button with the festival. I’m not diluting anything in the existing festival – it’s a whole new area. It’s a place that will really move Electric Picnic on to another festival within itself.”

The announcement comes as festival organisers, Festival Republic, that they will soon be announcing a brand new summer festival at a new location. In the meantime, the focus is on Electric Picnic, which now faces a little competition from All Together Now, which arrived on the scene to rave reviews last Bank Holiday weekend, in August.

However, according to Been there’s room for everyone, with Benn saying: “I’ve spent my entire life creating and producing festivals and I believe festivals are an incredible release for people’s pressured lives. The fact that there are more and more of them is only reinforcing my belief that they are so important. I’m not looking at them from a point of view of worry or anything like that.  I just think the more the better.  The more people who are going to festivals the better it is.”