BST Hyde Park had a successful opening weekend with artists Girl In Red, Between Friends, Mt. Joy, Zach Bryan, Olivia Rodrigo, and Ed Sheeran as her guest appearance. The Hyde Park festival is happening again this upcoming weekend with incredible headliners and notable acts you do not want to miss.

Two incredible sold out shows in London’s Hyde Park! Thank you Zach Bryan, we’ll remember everything ❤️

Video by CC Co.#BSTHydePark #ZachBryan pic.twitter.com/xS3rzJ1wK8

— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) July 1, 2025

American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan is headlining this Friday, July 4, with special guest Gracie Abrams, both of whom performed this past weekend at Glastonbury. Friday’s lineup also includes Finneas, Gigi Perez, Lily Fitts, Jo Hill, Sydney Rose, and Paris Paloma.   

 

 

 

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Award-winning American singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter will be headlining two back-to-back nights this Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6. Notable acts Clario, Amber Mark, Ider, and The Tulips will also be performing both nights.

 

 

 

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The final weekend of British Summer Time Hyde Park will take place next weekend, July 11-13. Headliners include Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts, Stevie Wonder, and Jeff Lynne’s ELO. 

The event is organized by AEG Europe, which has also found importance in taking environmental initiatives, as the concerts are held in a public park. The organization has made an effort to use only compostable serveware, locally sourced materials, noise management for surrounding areas in the center of a large city, a green team to monitor sustainability initiatives, and partnering with Lowr, allowing ticket holders to track their journeys and calculate their carbon footprint.

Check out the festival and complete lineups here. 

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Fans took to social media to rave about the concert, with many calling it her best UK performance yet. Adding to the spectacle, Carpenter paid tribute to British style with her stage outfits, including a dazzling Union Jack-inspired ensemble reminiscent of the Spice Girls’ iconic ‘90s fashion.

Sabrina Carpenter Debuting New London Flag Boot during JUNO!pic.twitter.com/rEC4FT1Xrs
— Sophie(@blooddlxxl) March 9, 2025

What a magical 3 nights with #sabrinacarpenter at @theo2can’t wait to have her back in London July 5 & 6 at @bsthydepark

: https://t.co/9uLBqQyleN

: #BSTHydePark – @SabrinaAnnLynn pic.twitter.com/1DLNCVh4g6

— AEG (@AEGworldwide) March 10, 2025

Carpenter’s UK tour has also seen performances in Birmingham (March 6) and Glasgow (March 11), with another upcoming performance in Manchester tomorrow, March 13. The singer is then continuing on the European leg of the tour, starting in Paris and finishing in Amsterdam on March 23. Beyond her headline tour, Carpenter is also set to take the stage at one of the UK’s biggest festivals this summer. She is confirmed to perform at the BST Hyde Park festival on Saturday, July 5, with an additional performance on Sunday, July 6, due to overwhelming demand.

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For the most accurate and up-to-date information on ticket availability and pricing, please visit the official BST Hyde Park website.

The ‘Espresso’ singer has experienced a remarkable success in the UK music scene. Her sixth studio album, ‘Short n’ Sweet‘ (2024), debuted at number one on the Official UK Albums Chart. The album’s success was bolstered by hit singles such as ‘Taste’, ‘Please Please Please’, and ‘Espresso’, which notably occupied the top three spots on the Official UK Singles Chart simultaneously, a first for any female artist.

In March 2025, Sabrina’s achievements were further recognised when she received the Global Success award at the BRIT Awards. This accolade, traditionally awarded to British artists, was presented to an international artist for the first time, highlighting her exceptional global impact.

Sabrina Carpenters acceptance speech for the Global Success award at the 2025 #BRITs!pic.twitter.com/fCRHsgjA1K

— Sabrina Carpenter Daily(@SCdailyupdates) March 1, 2025

The ‘Short n’ Sweet’ tour showcases all signature elements of Carpenter’s dynamic and evolving artistry. As she progresses through her UK and European tour, Sabrina Carpenter is proving she’s more than just a pop star, she’s a powerful presence in the music industry.

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In a statement released on the festival’s social media pages, Jackman apologized for having to back out from the concert, saying: “Due to an unforeseen conflict in my schedule, I am deeply disappointed to announce I will be unable to perform in Hyde Park this July 6th. This was a stage I truly was looking forward to being on. No less in a city that I love so much. Thank you to all people who’ve purchased tickets. For ticket refunds, please go to the link in my bio for more information. London, I will see you soon”  

 

 

 

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As soon as the news broke, the public begun speculating whether the cancellation was due to poor ticket sales in correlation with Jackman’s slot at the iconic Hyde Park stage.  Various people begun leaving comment’s under the Festival’s instagram post, noting that Jackman was heavily advertised in the past weeks as a headliner but perhaps the publicity still failed to ensure a sold out night. 

Other performers for the upcoming series of BST Hyde Park concerts are Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan and Jeff Lynne’s ELO.

Carpenter recently released the deluxe version of her chart topping album ‘Short n Sweet’, which has been a staple on Official Charts’s Top Ten Albums since its release in mid August of last year. The deluxe, released last Friday to celebrate Valentine’s Day, might earn the record its third non consecutive week at number one on this week’s charts. 

But the two nights at BST Hyde Park won’t be the only time the ‘Espresso’ singer is in London this year. She in fact is about to embark on her sold out UK tour which will take her to London’s O2 Arena this march, in addition to also performing at the BRITs.

Tickets for Sabrina’s second night (Sunday, July 6) will go on general sale on Monday, February 24 at 10am GMT.

‘Short n Sweet’ was included in Official Charts’ List of Biggest Albums of 2024, second only to Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ and The Weeknd’s ‘The Highlights‘, it achieved the third position despite being released relatively late in the year.

as a thank you for giving this album 2 Grammy’s :’)
short n’ sweet deluxe is now available for pre order.. out February 14th!

and yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy shit!!!!!https://t.co/eazkwkJzcI pic.twitter.com/2Vc3u6sb9s

— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) February 4, 2025

The album was released in late August, and it debuted at number one right away. ‘Short n Sweet’ marked Carpenter’s second album to chart in the UK despite the singer had already released multiple albums under a different label. In a recent interview with Vogue, Carpenter discussed the influence her previous label, Hollywood Records, had on her music and revealed that she was originally supposed to release more albums with them. She said: “I definitely didn’t fulfill my contract, thank God.”

After leaving Hollywood Records, Carpenter signed with Island Records. She released ‘Emails I can’t send‘ in 2022, originally debuting at 76 and only charting for one week. The album however gained more popularity as Carpenter gained more attention earlier last year; the song ‘Nonsense’ also received acclaim from critics and fans, specifically for its ever-changing outro which went viral many times on TikTok, and peaked at 32 soon followed by ‘Feather’ which peaked at nineteen. This year, ‘Emails I can’t send‘ peaked at 41.

Carpenter also released a Christmas special titled ‘Fruitcake‘ which peaked at number five in the UK.

Before releasing ‘Short n Sweet‘, Carpenter had already reached new levels of fame and success with the singles that led up to the album, which made the singer a real UK chart-topping queen. ‘Espresso’, ‘Please, Please, Please’ and ‘Taste’ became this past summer’s anthems and spent weeks at the top position of UK charts, breaking records. ‘Espresso’ spent 38 weeks in the top 100 and seven at number one, followed by ‘Please, Please, Please’ spent 18 weeks on charts and nine at number one, and ‘Taste’ spent 24 weeks on charts and nine at number one.

‘Short n Sweet‘ has, so far, spent twenty four weeks in the top 100 and only recently left the top three, chasing at number four for one week. With the release of the deluxe version set for tomorrow, the album is likely to achieve the number one position again in next week’s Album Chart. It would mark the record’s third week at number one. The deluxe is set to contain five tracks, including an exciting feature with Dolly Parton on a new version of ‘Please, Please, Please’ and four brand new tracks.

1. The Weeknd – ‘Hurry up Tomorrow‘

The artist’s sixth studio album, and his fourth record to achieve the number one position. This is the album’s first week on charts, as it was released on January 31. His previous Number 1 albums include second studio album ‘Beauty Behind The Madness‘ released in 2015, ‘After Hours‘ released in 2020 and ‘Dawn FM‘ released in 2022. According to the artist, this is the final album to be published under The Weeknd pseudonym.

2. Central Cee – ‘Can’t Rush Greatness‘

‘Can’t Rush Greatness‘ the London-born artist’s debut album and it was released on January 24. It peaked at number one last week, its opening week, making it the rapper’s second project to achieve the position. The record also features appearances from Young Miko, 21 Savage, Dave, Lil Durk, Skepta and Lil Baby. In April, the artist will be starting a tour with stops all over the UK and Europe.

3. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n Sweet‘

This week marks the album’s 24th week charting in the UK, and ever since its release in mid-august, ‘Short n Sweet’ has not left the top five. It previously peaked at number one for two non-consecutive weeks, and it is Carpenter’s second album to chart and first to achieve the position. ‘Short n Sweet‘ recently won the ‘Best Pop Vocal Album’ category at Grammy awards; furthermore, the American artist will soon embark on the UK leg of her tour, currently completely sold out, playing two nights at London’s O2 Arena.

4. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights‘

The artist’s second album on the top five this week, it previously peaked at number two and has spent 209 weeks on charts, being also named one of the most popular records of 2023 and 2024. The album is a collection of the singer’s greatest hits, who has collected 57 top 100 songs in his career.

5. Ed Sheeran – ‘Mathematics Tour Collection‘

The collection was released in late September and includes the songs played by Sheeran on his record breaking Mathematics Tour. It previously peaked at number one, making it the artist’s eight album to achieve the position, and has currently spent 19 weeks charting in the top 20, 17 of which in the top 10.

Operational costs have surged dramatically, with power supplies, artist fees, and logistical expenses climbing by as much as 35%, according to Scoop. Brexit has added another layer of complexity, with border delays making equipment transport a costly gamble.

As posted before, there will not be a Festival in 2024, but there is to be a planning meeting on 5th September, 7.15 at Brockholes Village Hall. If you would like the Festival to continue, do please come along – your help will be appreciated. pic.twitter.com/tGtVLMIQrx

— HolmfirthMusicalFest (@HMFCompetition) August 4, 2024

Grassroots events have been hit particularly hard. Smaller, community-driven gatherings—often dependent on local partnerships and volunteers—are being squeezed out by monopolistic practices. Exclusive contracts with major promoters tie headline acts to larger festivals, leaving smaller ones without the star power they need to attract audiences. The repercussions extend far beyond the festival gates. Local economies that rely on the influx of festival-goers—from food vendors to independent traders—are struggling. Meanwhile, ticket prices for major festivals have soared to £300 or more, alienating many long-time attendees. For these events which aren’t just parties but cultural lifelines, the loss often leads to a vital missing part of social identity.

There will be more than 500 amazing food traders at #Glastonbury2017. So we thought they deserved their own line-up poster… pic.twitter.com/DTFAI9qQkQ

— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) June 18, 2017

Even established festivals are being forced to adapt. Many now book headliners years in advance, a risky strategy in a volatile music industry. Festivals are attempting to capture a moment in time, but audiences in two years might not feel the same way as they do at the time of booking. While this approach secures marquee names such as Sabrina Carpenter or Charli XCX, it also locks festivals into decisions that may not resonate when the event finally takes place.

At the same time, audiences have come to expect more elaborate productions—immersive LED screens, intricate choreography, and lavish stage setups. Meeting these expectations further increases costs, turning festivals into high-stakes gambles.

Amid these challenges, there is hope. Both the AIF and the Federation of Festivals are pushing for greater public and governmental support. They advocate for initiatives like capping resold ticket prices and investing in smaller festivals, which play a crucial role in the cultural ecosystem.

However, the question remains: can Britain’s festivals endure as spaces for discovery and communal joy, or will they succumb to economic pressures and exclusivity? As the summer approaches, the stakes have never been higher for an industry at a crossroads.

GRASSMONSTER SAYS:
The British music scene braces for an electrifying performance at the Brit Awards, where Charli XCX is set to take centre stage at the O2 Arena.

Her album, Brat, has become the anthem of a generation, blending audacious lyricism with unrelenting beats.…

— ®©Grassmonster (@grassmonster) January 12, 2025

Charli XCX is a British singer, songwriter, and producer known for her boundary-pushing approach to pop music. Her career began with underground success in the early 2010s before her breakout hits like ‘Boom Clap’ and ‘Fancy’ (with Iggy Azalea) brought her into the mainstream spotlight. Known for her genre-blurring approach and fearless experimentation, the singer has continuously pushed the boundaries of pop music. Over the years, she has collaborated with a range of artists, including Troye Sivan, Lizzo, and recently Billie Eilish on the hit single ‘Guess’. The single achieved significant success on the UK Singles Chart in 2024, spending 10 weeks at #1. One of her previous chart-topping hits was ‘I Love It’, a collaboration with Icona Pop in 2013.

The singer’s 2024 album ‘Brat’ marked a career-defining moment, achieving both critical and commercial triumph. It debuted at #1 in the UK, US, and Australia. Within a month of release, ‘Brat’ surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, making it one of the fastest albums to reach this milestone in 2024. Tracks from the album became synonymous with youth culture in 2024, appearing in TikTok trends, movies, and advertisements, making Brat a cultural touchstone. ‘Brat’ is heavily favoured for the 2025 Brit Awards and is expected to dominate major categories, including Best Album and Best British Artist.

This year’s Brit Awards are expected to be a landmark celebration of music, and Charli’s performance is likely to be one of the evening’s highlights. Fans are eager to see what the star will bring to the stage, as her live shows are renowned for their electrifying energy and cutting-edge visuals. The announcement of her Brit Awards performance comes as no surprise to fans who have followed her meteoric rise over the past decade.

1. Ed Sheeran – ‘Mathematics Tour Collection’

Sheeran does it again, releasing a collection of his biggest hits included in the set list of his record-breaking ‘Mathematics’ Tour which will resume this January in Asia and make its way back to Europe in the summer. The album debuted at number five and has spent 14 weeks in the UK top ten, peaking at number one for the first time this week. It marks Sheeran’s eight album to achieve this milestone, fourteen years after ‘+‘ had first reached the position.

2. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n Sweet‘

We’re now used to seeing Carpenter dominating charts after she created new records with the singles off ‘Short n Sweet‘, which have altogether spent more than twenty weeks at number one. ‘Short n Sweet‘, released last August, has spent nineteen weeks charting and has never left the top three! It debuted at number one, where it spent two non-consecutive weeks. It is Carpenter’s first album to achieve the UK top ten and her sixth studio album overall.

3. SZA – ‘SOS‘

SZA’s highly anticipated second studio album, ‘SOS‘ was released in December 2022 and debuted at number two. It has spent 108 weeks in the top 100, recently making a big comeback in the top 10 thanks to the deluxe version ‘Lana‘ being released. It’s a big accomplishment for a second album, considering her debut ‘CTRL‘ had only peaked 45, and ‘SOS‘ will perhaps climb to number one once the physical copies of the deluxe are released: it will make the artist’s first ever number one album.

4. Chappell Roan – ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘

The album spends another 29th week in the UK top ten, charting for an overall of 38. It previously peaked at number one, and it’s Chappell Roan’s first album to do so as well as her first ever album to chart in the UK. The album was originally released in September of 2023, and Official Charts included the artist as one of those whose slow-burn career turned out to be worth it in 2024.

5. Charli xcx – ‘BRAT‘

Another slow-burn career, and the artists behind mxdwn UK’s best song of 2024. ‘BRAT’ debuted at number two and it took the album a good while to achieve the number one position but it eventually did. It has spent an overall of 30 weeks in the top 100 since its debut back in June of last year. It is the artist’s second number one album and her longest charting yet.

6. Elton John – ‘Diamonds‘

The collection of hits has spent 373 weeks in the top 100 since its debut in 2017, peaking at number two in 2023 for two consecutive weeks. British legend Elton John currently has eight albums peaking at number one, and, including ‘Diamonds‘, he has so far spent 1433 weeks charting in the UK top 100.

7. Billie Eilish - ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft‘

The album first appeared on charts in May 2024, with a strong debut at number one. Ever since, it has spent 25 weeks in the top ten and 33 in the top 100. It is Eilish’s third album to peak at number one, her first was back in 2019 when the artist was only 17 and broke the record for the youngest female artist in UK history to achieve a number one album.

8. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights‘

Another collection album, which has spent 204 weeks charting and has peaked at number two, spending there many non-consecutive weeks. It is the artist’s sixth album to reach the UK top ten, three of which have achieved the number one position.

9. Taylor Swift – ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Swift’s twelfth album to peak at number one and the biggest album of 2024 in the UK. It has spent 37 weeks on charts, ten of which at number one, since its release in April of last year.

10. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Fifty Years – Don’t Stop’

Peaking at number 5 and spending 320 weeks charting, it is the band’s 13th album to reach the UK top ten. It was released to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the band’s creation and includes their biggest hits, including UK number one ‘Albatross’.

EMI (Electric and Musical Industries) was a renowned British record label founded in 1931. It played a significant role in the global music industry, producing and distributing music across various genres. EMI was home to legendary artists and bands, including The Beatles (signed to EMI’s Parlophone subsidiary), Queen, Pink Floyd, and David Bowie. Today, the EMI name continues to exist under Universal Music Group, representing a legacy label that shaped the modern music landscape

EMI Records have been so soo good to us this year. So grateful for them :’)

— georgia (@georgiabull__) December 4, 2024

For the third consecutive year, EMI secured the top position with a 10.5% market share in combined consumption. This achievement was driven by successful releases from artists like Taylor Swift, whose album ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ sold 783,820 units.

RCA Records came in second for combined consumption in 2024, holding a 10% market share. RCA was particularly strong in track streams, leading with a 10.8% share. The label’s success was bolstered by domestic breakthrough artist Myles Smith, whose single ‘Stargazing’ sold over a million units, and Beyoncé’s album ‘Cowboy Carter’, which sold 137,499 units.

Polydor Records was third on combined consumption. With a 9.9% market share, Polydor’s success was attributed to artists like Sabrina Carpenter, whose album ‘Short n’ Sweet‘ sold 372,956 units, and her chart-topping singles ‘Espresso’, ‘Please Please Please’, and ‘Taste’. Polydor Records may get recognition for Sabrina Carpenter’s success with ‘Short n’ Sweet‘ due to its role in distribution and international marketing, even though Sabrina is primarily signed to Island Records. Both Polydor Records and Island Records are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group (UMG) and artists signed to one label under UMG can have their work promoted by other UMG labels in specific territories. In Sabrina’s case, Polydor took charge of her European releases, while Island focused on her U.S. promotions.

Forth was Island Records, known for its diverse roster, Island Records saw success with artists such as Noah Kahan, Hozier, and Chappell Roan, contributing to its strong market presence. Parlophone benefited from releases like Coldplay’s ‘Moon Music‘, enhancing its position in the market. Warner Records achieved notable success with Dua Lipa’s third album ‘Radical Optimism‘ and Warner Music’s Atlantic label enjoyed success with Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’.

The increased support for women in the music industry has had a profound effect on recorded music consumption. Their artistic output has driven innovation and boosted the industry’s growth, further emphasizing the importance of diversity and representation in music. These labels have played a pivotal role in shaping the UK’s music landscape in 2024, supporting a range of artists and contributing to the industry’s growth.

Taylor Swift‘s ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ was first released in late April, with a surprise extended edition containing fifteen extra tracks dropping on the same day. The album peaked at number one in its debut week, maintaining the position for ten non-consecutive weeks throughout the year; since its release, ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ has earned 783,800 chart units and has become the most streamed and best-selling album of the year. With her latest album, Swift made history as the fastest accumulation of number 1 albums ever; while this is Taylor’s biggest album of the year, it is not the only one that made Official Chart’s top 40 list: ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’, ‘reputation’, ‘folklore’, ‘midnights’ and ‘Lover‘ also made the list.

The second biggest album of 2024 was The Weekend‘s ‘The Highlights‘. Despite the record never reached the number one position, it charted almost every week of the past year in the UK’s top ten. Originally released in 2021, the album has spent 143 weeks in the UK top ten since its release. The collection of Greatest Hits by the Canadian artist was crowned the biggest album of 2023 by Official Charts, and its legacy this year is really a testament to The Weeknd’s talent.

At number three, Sabrina Carpenter is on the podium with ‘Short n Sweet‘, released in the summer. The album spent two non-consecutive weeks at the number one position, charting for a total of 18 weeks since its release in the UK’s top five. With three number one songs and a few broken records in 2024, Carpenter finally achieves well-deserved worldwide fame after her previous album ‘Emails I can’t Send‘ peaked at number 41 in 2022. ‘Short n Sweet‘ is now headed for a sold-out arena tour which will take Carpenter to London’s O2 Arena in March, as well as a sold-out headliner spot at Hyde Park’s BST.

Talking about BST Headliners, Noah Kahan will also be taking the London stage in the upcoming summer while his 2021 album ‘Stick Season‘ is the fourth biggest album of the year. The title track off the album was crowned the UK’s biggest song of the year, and this year ‘Stick Season‘ spent one week as number one and 53 charting in the top 100. Earlier this year, the Vermont-born singer sold out Wembley Arena and, over the summer, he played various sold-out shows across the UK and Europe. In February, the final edition of ‘Stick Season‘ titled ‘Forever‘ was released, and it included every special edition or duet off the album and all its versions, as well as a new exclusive song.

At Number five, Billie Eilish earns her third UK number one album with ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft‘, which marked the biggest debut of Eilish’s career back when first released. The album contains ten tracks, five of which have charted in the UK’s top 100, and debuted at number one, spending one week at the top spot of charts and another 24 in the top ten, charting for an overall of 32 weeks in the top 100.