The Maccabees initially disbanded in 2017, with members pursuing individual creative projects. At the time, the split was regarded as one of the most noteworthy in recent music memory. However, the group surprised fans with news of their reunion late last year, followed by their first live performance in over half a decade on 20 June at The Dome in London. The show was held in support of the MS Society and marked the start of a short run of intimate warm-up gigs across Europe.

The band made their full-scale festival return at Glastonbury 2025 with a headline set on the Park Stage, closing out the weekend. The appearance was their first at Glastonbury in a decade and their sixth time performing at Worthy Farm.

Their setlist featured fan favourites from across their discography, including “Pelican,” “Precious Time,” and “X-Ray.” They opened with early single “Latchmere,” immediately setting an energetic tone for the emotional and celebratory set.

A highlight of the evening came when Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine joined the band on stage for a rendition of “Love You Better.” In a surprise moment, The Maccabees then sang the backing vocals to Welch on her own hit “Dog Days Are Over,” sending the crowd into a frenzy.

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In a five-star review, NME described the performance as “one of The Maccabees’ most euphoric shows,” praising the band’s energy and the evident joy on stage. “There are few things more joyful than witnessing White grinning ear to ear as he hypes up the crowd between songs” the review read, noting that “Frontman Orlando Weeks, meanwhile, looks happier than ever, joining his bandmate in some rare instances of geeing up the crowd and looking truly appreciative of the moment.

Following their Glastonbury comeback, The Maccabees will continue their reunion with a series of UK summer dates, culminating in a headline performance at All Points East Festival in Victoria Park later this year. Tickets to their upcoming shows can be accessed here.

Talking with show hosts Fleur East, Will Best and James Barr, the singer was asked about the possibility of the trio coming back into the spotlight. She said: “There might be. Well, next year is the 25th anniversary of Lickin’ on Both Sides, our debut album. We’re thinking. We’re thinking.”

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She quickly followed with: “Thinking doesn’t mean we’re doing – but we’re thinking, which is more than we’ve done.” The moment quickly went viral and was widely shared online, making fans go crazy over the potential news of the return of the R&B and UK Garage legends.

The band comprising Alesha Dixon, Su-Elise Nash and Sabrina Washington, were a strong force in the music industry during the early 2000s. Their debut album, ‘Lickin’ on Both Sides‘, released in 2001, featured chart-topping hits like ‘Scandalous’, ‘All I Want’, and ‘One Night Stand’, cementing their status as trailblazers in British pop and garage.

No official plans have been confirmed for the band although Dixon’s chat left a mark on everyone and left everyone questioning if something could be brewing behind the scenes, especially leading up to the significant 25th anniversary of their debut album next year.

Alesha also stunned fans as she surprised London commuters with a impromptu rap performance recently. The remarkable event took place at King’s Cross Station, where Alesha stunned onlookers and began spitting bars. Comments flooded in on TikTok, with numerous fans admitting they “never knew” the star had it in her to drop rhymes spontaneously before an audience. “She’s showing the younger ones how it’s done.”, one TikTok user commented. Alesha, who initially rose to fame with the girl group Mis-Teeq, stole the nostalgia-stricken hearts of many fans who reminisced: “This takes me back 20 years and I love it!”.

“Imagine taking time out to travel to King’s Cross, expecting to see a musician performing only to discover Alesha Dixon on the mic,” one stunned fan declared, with another raging: “The Mis-Teeq fans would have gone crazy… what is this crowd?”

That said, fans have definitely been encouraged to keep checking if the three ladies of Mis-teeq will be sharing anything interesting in the next couple of weeks.

The track was released back in 1997, the lead single from the group’s second album ‘Spiceworld‘, and is one of the signature songs of the Spice Girls. It was an instant hit, staying in the Top 20 for six weeks and remaining in the Top 40 for 12.

Spice Girls themselves (Mel B, Melanie C, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell) have mulled over the lyric before, with reports that they were considering replacing the word “Yellow” with “Happy” for their reunion tour in 2019. They ultimately decided against it, sticking with the original lyrics.

A Radio 2 spokeswoman said that the edit wasn’t made by them, after playing the newly censored version on Scott Mills’ Breakfast Show. They also noted that other UK radio stations are playing the same edited version.

A music insider told The Sun: “Spice Up Your Life is a piece of pop music history — it’s baffling that the Beeb have decided to censor it.

“The [band] are singing in celebration of people from all walks of life. It’s clumsy but not insulting.

“There haven’t been calls to change it so it’s odd they have decided to do so.”

Spice Girls have created a lasting legacy in pop music, being the biggest-selling girl group of all time with more than 100 million record sales. Fans have wished for a comeback for a while now – their most recent performances were for their 2019 reunion tour, without Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham). The last time all the girls got together publicly was at the London Olympics closing ceremony in 2012.

Throughout the years, rumours have come and gone, as the group members tease the idea of the group getting back together. Most recently, Mel C appeared on The Jimmy & Nath Show with Emma on Australia’s 2Day FM, saying that her and the rest of the Spice Girls want to do “something special” for the 30-year anniversary of their breakout single, “Wannabe”.

She said: “It’s 30 years next year since the release of Wannabe. We have to do something special.

“Obviously I can’t say too much but we are talking about things. Hopefully a nice little world tour!”

Last April, more reunion rumours spread after the girls were seen giving a surprise performance of their hit song ‘Stop’ at Victoria Beckham’s 50^th birthday party. You can see the video below.

Hostilities between these two band fellows have been building for a while, with Morrissey making claims on his website Morrissey Central. He has been posting messages from Morrissey in the third person within a segment called Messages from Morrissey.

What were Morrissey’s claims?

Taken directly from his website: Morrissey posted on 29th August 2024, “In June 2024 AEG Entertainment Group made a lucrative offer to both Morrissey and Marr to tour worldwide as ‘The Smiths’ throughout 2025. Morrissey said Yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer.”

Subsequently, on 16th September 2024, Morrissey made the following claim: “J Marr has successfully applied for 100% trademark rights / Intellectual Property ownership of The Smiths name. His application has been accepted on whatever oaths or proclamations he has put forward. This action was done without any consultation to Morrissey, and without allowing Morrissey the standard opportunity of ‘objection’. Amongst many other things, this means that Marr can now tour as The Smiths using the vocalist of his choice, and it also prohibits Morrissey from using the name whilst also denying Morrissey considerable financial livelihood. Morrissey alone created the musical unit name ‘The Smiths’ in May 1982.”

How did Johnny Marr react?

Johnny Marr, ignoring Morrissey’s provocations in the past, made a rare rebuff on 17th September 2024 by releasing a statement. He countered the tour comment Morrissey made as well as recent claims about the ownership of The Smiths trademark. Johnny Marr is attempting to set the record straight, as his management released the following:

Rejecting Morrissey’s account of ignoring the tour offer, Marr bluntly asserted he had outrightly said no to it.

Seemingly, there is animosity on both sides. As the proverb goes, “there are two sides of every story” and it would be wise to take Morrissey’s comments with a pinch of salt. With this only proving there will be no reunion of The Smiths any time soon. We can understand, with the recent spate of reunions including Oasis, Blur and Pulp all profiting from nostalgia sales, Morrissey could be looking for a piece of that action. He has been embarking on a tour of his own in America, and we haven’t read any comments from Mike Joyce (The Smiths’ drummer) about this either. As nice as it would be to have The Smiths back together, with the passing of their original bassist Andrew Rourke in 2023, we wouldn’t have the full band in-tact. Would it be the reunion we want if there are so many unprovoked exchanges like this?

Rest assured, if you’re in the mood to listen to something by Johnny Marr, you can always check out the re-release of Johnny Marr + the Healers 2003 album Boomslang. It will include 7 brand new tracks and will be available to buy on Friday 20th September 2024 via BMG.

In the days since the announcement, streaming figures for Oasis’ back catalog have surged dramatically. As reported by Variety, according to data from Spotify, daily streams of the band’s biggest hits, including Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger, and Champagne Supernova, have increased by over 160%. Albums like (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and Definitely Maybe are seeing a resurgence, climbing the charts once more as both long-time fans and new listeners dive back into the music that defined a generation.

Apple Music and Amazon Music have reported similar trends, with Oasis tracks dominating playlists and trending charts worldwide. The band’s social media accounts have also seen a sharp uptick in activity, with millions of fans sharing their excitement and reminiscing about the band’s influential legacy.

The reunion, which comes after years of speculation and publicised feuds between the Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, has been heralded as one of the most significant comebacks in rock history, with Fade Out magazine calling it “the comeback to end all rock and roll comebacks.” Fans have eagerly awaited this moment, with many expressing their hopes for new material in addition to the reunion tour.

Music industry analysts are attributing the surge in streaming numbers not only to the excitement surrounding the reunion but also to a broader trend of renewed interest in 90s music and culture.

In an interview in 2023, Jack Melhuish, the previous general manager of Parlophone Records UK, spoke of the appeal of 90s music:

These records take us back to simpler, freer times. Audiences need a bit of that relief at a time that still feels quite unstable for a lot of people.

Oasis, often regarded as one of the most influential bands of that decade, stands to benefit from modern listener’s desire to hear music that enables them to reminisce.

As Oasis prepares to take the stage once more, their music continues to resonate, proving that even decades after their initial success, the band’s appeal remains as strong as ever. With millions of streams and a sold-out tour on the horizon, the Oasis reunion is shaping up to be a cultural phenomenon, reigniting the passion of old fans and introducing their timeless sound to a new generation.

After an abrupt break up in 2009 the both the whole of Great Britain and fans internationally have been perched on the edge of their sofas grasping for any sign of a reunion of the brothers. The status of the relationship between the Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, is a frequent talking point in the Britpop and Rock community as it has been notoriously turbulent. The buzz regarding a reunion has continued to intensified and then fizzle out time and time again like earlier this year when the official Oasis X account posted abstruse footage of a large countryside house on a riverbank which several fans believed to be a clue pointing towards an impending reunion. Unfortunately it was simply promoting limited edition versions of existing albums.

The latest speculation on the duo’s reconciliation began to boil over after Liam Gallager’s son Gene Gallagher mentioned in an interview with The Times that his father had expressed a desire for an Oasis reunion. He provided the online article with and insight into his fathers feelings on a potential reunion saying that “I get the feeling my dad wants it, too,” Gene stated in the Times interview. though he acknowledged the complexities involved, adding, “It’s easier to speak about after a couple of pints”.  You can read more on that story right here on the MXDWN UK site.

However everything changed for fans on the 25th of August after Liam Gallagher posted a slightly cryptic message to his X page (formerly known as twitter) declaring ‘I never did like that word FORMER’.

I never did like that word FORMER

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 25, 2024

The post was met with immense fever and has been viewed over 9.6 million times by the sites users who were almost certain that the incoming news would be announcing Oasis’s return to the stage. Fans guessed correctly with both Noel and Liam making announcements on their personal social media accounts this morning at 8am  as well as on the official Oasis account which you can check out below. The duo also released a slightly enigmatic poem to the page stating that ‘The guns have fallen silent. / The stars have aligned. / The great wait is over. / Come see. / It will not be televised.’

Oasis will tour the UK & Ireland in summer 2025! Tickets go on sale this Saturday 31st August. IRE 8am IST UK 9am BST Full informationhttps://t.co/EtNuE2Hx6b *These dates will be the band’s exclusive European appearances. pic.twitter.com/C5I0NVWS68 — Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024

Tickets are due to go on sale at 9am in the UK & 8am in Ireland on Saturday 31st August and the duo are due to play at various venues across Britain including the Cardiff Principality Stadium on the 4th and 5th of July, Manchester Heaton Park on the 11th, 12th, 19th and 20th July, London Wembley Stadium on the 25th and 26th July as well as the  2nd and 3rd of August, Edinburgh Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on the 8th and 9th August and finally Dublin Croke Park on the 16th and 17th August. For the full information regarding where to but tickets you can visit the official Oasis website here.

Squire detailed the incident, sharing that he broke his wrist back in 2020 when playing basketball with his son. His thumb on his dominant hand was affected, leaving him unsure of whether his guitar-playing days would have to be put behind him. He said, “There was a question mark over whether I would get full use of it back.”

Fortunately, Squire has been able to regain his abilities through a rigorous regime of physiotherapy. The incident ultimately “didn’t just force him to play again; it reignited his desire to do so.”

Squire has recently collaborated with Liam Gallagher on a much-anticipated single, “Just Another Rainbow.” Speaking on the collaboration, Squire shared, “I think we were both surprised at how complementary my guitar tone is with his voice and how the songs I’ve written worked for him.“

Gallagher and Squire have hinted that this will be the start of an ongoing musical relationship, with Gallagher commenting, “If John comes up with another load of songs that are banging, they’ll get it as well. Squire’s got a lot more in him. People look at John as this guitar hero, but he definitely knows how to write a fucking song.”

Squire also reflected on the Stone Roses reunion back in 2016 which ultimately fell flat. The iconic 80s Manchester group came together to put out two new singles, “All For One” and “Beautiful Thing” but a new album never came to fruition. Despite selling out stadiums across the UK and headlining numerous festivals, Squire said, “the general feeling was that nobody was that into even being in a band together, never mind making an album.”

The Stone Roses ultimately disbanded again, leaving a lull in Squire’s music career. Instead, he turned to visual art, co-creating the artwork for “Just Another Rainbow.” He said, “It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, or whether it’s visual or sonic. What makes me tick is creating.”

When questioned on any regrets he may have had within his music career, Squire shared, “There’d be a trade-off. I might not be married. I might not have as many children and I might not have seen as much of them. I don’t feel like I’ve massively fucked up.”

Squire has hinted at more upcoming tracks and has teased some potential tour dates, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

Ray hinted at a full Kinks comeback in 2018 with this never coming to fruition. Ray shared, “Well, it got shelved because of… other issues. But there’s still material there. When I get time.” Speaking on his inspiration for new tracks, Ray said the songs are stemming from “home demos” that he has been recording for around thirty years.

He shared, “We’ve got loads of songs there in pieces. There are about two or three songs I want to finish, and when they’re finished, I’ll put the whole thing together.”

Ray also delved into the feud between the original band members, speaking on the artistic differences between himself, his brother Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory. He shared, “We’re just different animals. We found ourselves at a very young age being in each other’s faces. And we had to work with it somehow.”

Speaking on his brother Dave, Ray shared that he would need to “persuade [him] to come on too” if a full reunion were to happen. He continued, “You’ve gotta be careful because he’ll run off in one direction and I’ll [run] in mine… He’s like that. He stays in control.”

Ultimately, The Kinks reuniting hinges on the band being able to put together “a show that gives us the credit we deserve,” according to Ray.

In the absence of new music, The Kinks have recently released a new anthology series to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their formation. The anthology, titled The Journey, is a two-part compilation of their favourite moments from their catalogue. In a press release for The Journey, Ray Davies said, “Ask yourself the question, is this journey really necessary? …Yes!”

Dave Davies also shared his excitement, saying “I’m delighted with what I think is an inspiring selection of timeless and magical Kinks music.”

‘The Journey – Part 2′ is OUT NOW The band have handpicked a selection of songs, celebrating 60 years of The Kinks, one of the most influential rock bands ever! Dig into these iconic tracks and take yourself on a journey https://t.co/M6XuedWlXe pic.twitter.com/ixnXuop12g

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 17, 2023

Has ‘The Journey – Part 2′ had you dancing around all weekend like Ray and Mick? https://t.co/M6XuedWTMM pic.twitter.com/leHczMqAeR

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 20, 2023

Purchase The Journey here.

The group have reportedly already filmed the music video for the new track, with an inside source sharing that they are dressed as “superhero characters complete with Wonder Woman-style costumes and capes.” The video is said to have been shot at a North London studio, with the band secretly reuniting to complete the project.

Following the passing of Sarah Harding, the remaining Girls Aloud members are keen to honour her memory. The group, made up of the now mononymous Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicole Roberts and Kimberly Walsh, are said to be excited by their new upcoming chapter, teasing many new plans.

An inside source shared, “The girls really came back together as friends to rally around when Sarah died, and it repaired some of the old rifts and put things into perspective. Suddenly the reunion which had seemed totally impossible for so long just felt a totally natural thing to do – in Sarah’s honour.”

They also shared, “this has been one of the best-kept secrets in pop, but it’s actually happening now,” with a possible upcoming album and tour being hinted at too. The newly reunited Girls Aloud are said to be “very excited to be back working together, even if there is a bittersweet element to it,” promising that there will “always be nods to Sarah’s contribution to the group” as they move forwards.

The news of the new single has sparked rumours surrounding Girls Aloud as a headlining act at Glastonbury 2024. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, however bets are already being placed on their place in the lineup, with Alex Apati of Ladbrokes Live saying that they have “sent the British pop world into complete meltdown this morning with the announcement of a new single… and given the reception they’ve had, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them take centre stage at Glastonbury next year.”

Throughout their career, Girls Aloud achieved 21 top 10 UK singles with this including 5 no.1 songs, as well as amassing 5 Brit Award nominations.

Their comeback is already being celebrated on social media, with one fan writing “I am not joking when I say the last girls aloud comeback changed the trajectory of my life.”

I am not joking when I say the last girls aloud comeback changed the trajectory of my life, we are so readyyy https://t.co/9EzQXpzIB6 pic.twitter.com/Gq41ehNwAf

— (@scottgayham) November 8, 2023

girls aloud my queens i’m so happy to hear about news of new music possibly coming even if it’s not confirmed yet it’ll never be the same without sarah but i’m still so excited to possibly experience a girls aloud era for the first time ever pic.twitter.com/OkF8V2IyTl

—

Shortly after exciting fans with the news of the S Club reunion tour in February this year, former member Paul Cattermole sadly passed away at age 46 due to an underlying heart condition. After the news of Cattermole’s death, fellow bandmate and former girlfriends Hannah Spearritt dropped out of the tour, leaving the 5 remaining members to hit the road under the new name S Club.

On the opening night of the tour, S Club delighted their fans by performing their classic hits such as “Don’t Stop Moving”, “Have You Ever” and “Reach”. In addition to their set, the group took some time to pay tribute to their late bandmate.

As a montage of images of Cattermole flooded the arena screen, S Club member Bradley McIntosh informed the crowd “That’s our brother right there, man. Gone but you’ll never be forgotten. We miss you every single day”

As part of the show, the S Club members left the stage as a video of Paul Cattermole singing their song “Good Times” played. The singers then rejoined the stage to sing the end of the song before paying individual tributes.

Rachel Stevens told the crowd “Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support, all the incredible messages you’ve sent through this time, and all your support always. We love you so much.”

Tina Barrett, also paying tribute said “Thank you so much Manchester. Tonight is a celebration so let’s bring it all back for Paul.”

Band member Jon Lee added “Thank you so much, it’s very special for us this evening obviously, we dedicate this performance to Paul and to the British Heart Foundation so thank you so much for being here.”

Finally, Jo O’Meara stated “Thank you so much [for] all the messages and love and support you’ve all shown all of us and to Paul’s family. We are so grateful for every single one of you.”

Tickets for the rest of S Club’s Good Times tour are available here.

Tour dates:

14/10/2023 – Utilita Arena – Sheffield                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        16/10 – 3Arena – Dublin                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    18/10 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    19/10 – Utilita Arena – Newcastle                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                20/10 – First Direct Arena – Leeds                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              21/10 – AO Arena – Manchester                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  23/10 – Utilita Arena – Cardiff                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      24/10 – Motorpoint Arena – Nottingham                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  26/10 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            27/10 – The O2 – London                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              28/10 – The O2 – London                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              29/10 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          30/10 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool