2026 in British music
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This is a summary of the year 2026 in British music.
Events
January
- 1 January – Radio X listeners have voted the Wolf Alice single "The Sofa" as their Record of the Year for 2025 in the station's annual poll of music for the year.[1]
- 7 January
- Aurora Orchestra announces that John Harte is to stand down as its chief executive in July 2026.[2]
- The London Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of John Harte as its next managing director, effective in August 2026.[3]
- 9 January – Skye Newman is named as the BBC Sound of 2026.[4]
- 12 January – The Orchestra of the Swan announces the appointment of Zoë Curnow as its next executive director, effective 1 April 2026.[5]
- 19 January – Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon is named as the winner of the 2026 Brits Critics' Choice Award.[6]
- 23 January – Robbie Williams' latest album, Britpop, reaches number one in the UK Albums Chart, giving him his 16th number one and surpassing a record previously held by The Beatles.[7]
- 30 January – The Molotovs release their debut album Wasted on Youth.[8]
February
- 13 February – It is announced that the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest live tour, scheduled to begin in London on 15 June, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.[9]
- 16 February – Organisers of the 2026 Meltdown Festival announce that the event will be curated by Harry Styles.[10]
- 17 February – The electronic music and YouTube content creator Look Mum No Computer is chosen to represent the United Kingdom at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.[11]
- 20 February –
- Sam Fender and Olivia Dean make UK chart history after their track "Rein Me In" reaches number one after 35 weeks on the chart.[12]
- The winners of the 2026 Radio 1 Dance Awards are announced.[13]
- 25 February –
- Phil Collins and Oasis are among artists to be nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.[14]
- Cruz Beckham, the youngest son of David and Victoria, embarks on his first headline tour with his rock band, Cruz Beckham and the Breakers at a venue in Birmingham.[15]
- 28 February – The 2026 Brit Awards are held at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, the first time in the ceremony's history that it has been held outside London.[16] The event includes the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award for the late Ozzy Osbourne to his wife, Sharon.[17]
March
- 3 March
- The London Philharmonic Orchestra simultaneously announces the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of Edward Gardner (conductor) as its principal conductor at the close of the 2027-2028 season, and the appointment of Paavo Järvi as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2028-2029 season.[18]
- Award winning rapper Ghetts is sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a student in a hit-and-run in north east London.[19]
- 6 March – Launch of the first Official UK Christian & Gospel Singles Chart.[20] Nottingham singer Jerub is named as the inaugural chart topper with a version of "Kumbaya".[21]
- 11 March – The UK government loses its appeal over a judgement throwing out a terror charge against a member of the Irish language rap trio Kneecap.[22]
- 12 March – The Royal Philharmonic Society announces the recipients of its 2026 RPS Awards:[23]
- Chamber-Scale Composition: Claudia Molitor – Fever
- Conductor: John Wilson
- Ensemble: Royal Scottish National Orchestra
- Gamechanger: Jacob Collier
- Impact: Orchestras for All
- Inspiration: Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society
- Instrumentalist: Peter Moore (trombone)
- Large-Scale Composition: Mark-Anthony Turnage – Festen (libretto by Lee Hall)
- Opera and Music Theatre: Uprising – Glyndebourne
- Series and Events: 'Multitudes' – Southbank Centre
- Singer: Louise Alder (soprano)
- Storytelling: 'Everything We Do Is Music' – Elizabeth Alker
- Young Artist: Matilda Lloyd (trumpet)
- 13 March
- Opening of Sheffield's Electric Studio, which replaces the Leadmill, he music venue that closed in 2025.[24]
- Harry Styles' third album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally reaches the top of the UK Albums chart following sales of 183,000 in its first week, making it the biggest selling physical album of the year.[25]
- 13–15 March – The 2026 C2C: Country to Country festival is scheduled to take place at The O2 Arena in London, OVO Hydro in Glasgow, and SSE Arena in Belfast, headlined by Zach Top, Keith Urban, and Brooks & Dunn.[26]
April
- 16 April – The 2026 Jazz FM Awards will take place at Koko in London.[27]
- 25 April – BBC Radio 1Xtra stages its first club night with the 1Xtra Takeover at EartH Hall in Hackney.[28]
May
- 22–24 May – BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend will take place in Herrington Country Park, Sunderland. Acts include Fatboy Slim and Sonny Fodera (22 May), Zara Larsson, Louis Tomlinson and Lola Young (23 May), and Olivia Dean, Niall Horan and Kehlani (24 May).[29]
June
- 12 June – Harry Styles is scheduled to play the first of 12 dates at Wembley Stadium as part of his Together, Together tour, and will set a new record for the number of concerts played at the venue when he completes the Wembley leg of his tour on 4 July.[30]
- 19 June – Richard Ashcroft is scheduled to headline the opening night of the 2026 TRNSMT festival in Glasgow, with his set scheduled to finish early so that concertgoers can see Scotland's 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Morocco at 11pm.[31]
- 27 June–1 July – A new music festival, the Blenheim Palace Festival, is scheduled to be held in Oxfordshire.[32]
July
- 23–26 July – The WOMAD Festival returns after a year's hiatus with the festival now based at Neston Park Estate near Corsham, Wiltshire.[33]
August
- 1–8 August – The National Eisteddfod of Wales will be held in Llantwd, Pembrokeshire.[34]
- 12–16 August – The 2026 Boomtown Festival is scheduled to take place in Hampshire. Acts include Kneecap, Madness, Scissor Sisters, Faithless, Vengaboys and Groove Armada.[35]
September
- 7–9 September – Radio 2 in the Park is scheduled to take place at City Park in Stirling.[36]
Charts and sales
Number-one singles
The singles chart includes a proportion for streaming.
| Chart date (week ending) |
Song | Artist(s) | Chart sales | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | "Last Christmas" | Wham! | 92,580 | [37] |
| 8 January | "Where Is My Husband!" | Raye | 43,910 | [38] |
| 15 January | "End of Beginning" | Djo | 47,898 | [39] |
| 22 January | 53,743 | [40] | ||
| 29 January | "Raindance" | Dave and Tems | 50,474 | [41] |
| 5 February | "Aperture" | Harry Styles | 70,498 | [42] |
| 12 February | "Raindance" | Dave and Tems | 43,829 | [43] |
| 19 February | "Opalite" | Taylor Swift | 47,509 | [44] |
| 26 February | "Rein Me In" | Sam Fender and Olivia Dean | 43,425 | [45] |
| 5 March | 46,272 | [46] | ||
| 12 March | 62,104 | [47] | ||
| 19 March | "American Girls" | Harry Styles | 64,056 | [48] |
| 26 March | "Rein Me In" | Sam Fender and Olivia Dean | 61,422 | [49] |
Number-one albums
The albums chart includes a proportion for streaming.
| Chart date (week ending) |
Album | Artist(s) | Chart sales | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Christmas | Michael Bublé | 20,818 | [50] |
| 8 January | The Art of Loving | Olivia Dean | 16,903 | [51] |
| 15 January | 17,141 | [52] | ||
| 22 January | 16,836 | [53] | ||
| 29 January | Britpop | Robbie Williams | 34,157 | [54] |
| 5 February | How Did I Get Here? | Louis Tomlinson | 28,416 | [55] |
| 12 February | The Art of Loving | Olivia Dean | 18,557 | [56] |
| 19 February | 18,490 | [57] | ||
| 26 February | Wuthering Heights | Charli XCX | 21,071 | [58] |
| 5 March | Prizefighter | Mumford & Sons | 35,505 | [59] |
| 12 March | The Mountain | Gorillaz | 29,982 | [60] |
| 19 March | Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally | Harry Styles | 183,045 | [61] |
| 26 March | 26,524 | [62] |
Number-one compilation albums
The compilation albums chart includes a proportion for streaming.
| Chart date (week ending) |
Album | Chart sales | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | KPop Demon Hunters | 10,673 | [63] |
| 8 January | 11,111 | [64] | |
| 15 January | 9,229 | [65] | |
| 22 January | 8,993 | [66] | |
| 29 January | 8,620 | [67] | |
| 5 February | 8,224 | [68] | |
| 12 February | 7,966 | [69] | |
| 19 February | 7,608 | [70] | |
| 26 February | 7,926 | [71] | |
| 5 March | 7,007 | [72] | |
| 12 March | 6,932 | [73] | |
| 19 March | Help(2) | 18,491 | [74] |
| 26 March | KPop Demon Hunters | 6,385 | [75] |
Deaths
- 2 January – Tony Carr, 98, Maltese session drummer and percussionist (CCS, Hot Chocolate).[76]
- 5 January
- Andrew Bodnar, 71, English bass guitarist (The Rumour) and songwriter ("I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass").[77] (death announced on this date)
- Andrew Carter, 86, classical choral composer and pedagogue[78]
- 11 January
- Sheila Bernette, 94, English singer (The Good Old Days, The Black and White Minstrel Show) and actress (The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins).[79]
- Andrew Clements, 75, classical music critic[80]
- Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26, British guitarist (Black Midi).[81] (death announced on this date)
- John Wallace, 76, Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator.[82]
- 15 January – Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees).[83] (death announced on this date)
- 26 January – Danny Coughlan, British singer and guitarist.[84]
- 10 February –
- Des de Moor, 64, English writer and musician.[85] (death announced on this date)
- Andrew Ranken, 72, English drummer (The Pogues).[86]
- 21 February – John Bertalot, 94, English organist.[87]
- 2 March –
- Len Garry, 84, English musician (The Quarrymen), pneumonia.[88]
- Mike Vernon, 81, English record producer ("Albatross", "Hocus Pocus"), music executive and recording studio owner (Chipping Norton Recording Studios).[89]
- 9 March – Zeph Ellis, 37, British rapper.[90] (death announced on this date)
- 13 March – Phil Campbell, 64, Welsh guitarist (Motörhead, Persian Risk, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons).[91]
- 20 March – Richard Phillips, 85, British music promoter.[92] (death announced on this date)
See also
- 2026 in British radio
- 2026 in British television
- 2026 in the United Kingdom
- List of British films of 2026
References
- ^ "Wolf Alice named Radio X record winner". Radio Today. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "Some news from the Aurora office team" (Press release). Aurora Orchestra. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "Press Announcement: London Symphony Orchestra Names Next Managing Director" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Savage, Mark (9 January 2026). "'It's incredible, surreal': Skye Newman wins BBC Radio 1's Sound of 2026". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ "Zoë Curnow appointed as Executive Director" (Press release). Orchestra of the Swan. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Clarke, Naomi (19 January 2026). "Brits Critics' Choice: Jacob Alon crowned winner". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ Savage, Mark (23 January 2026). "Robbie Williams breaks The Beatles' chart record with his 16th number one album Britpop". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Shah, Rishi (31 January 2026). "The Molotovs on shutting down naysayers: "They don't see the slog for the past six years"". NME. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ^ Glynn, Paul (13 February 2026). "Eurovision Song Contest live tour 2026 postponed". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ McNeil, Caleb (16 February 2026). "Harry Styles to curate 2026 Meltdown Festival". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ Saunders, Emma (17 February 2026). "Eurovision 2026: Electronic artist and YouTuber Look Mum No Computer to represent UK in Vienna". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ Glynn, Paul (20 February 2026). "Tributes paid to teens who died at East Yorkshire holiday park". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ Collins, Steve (20 February 2026). "Radio 1 Dance Awards 2026 celebrate UK dance music stars". Radio Today. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ Youngs, Ian (25 February 2026). "Phil Collins and Oasis nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Youngs, Ian (27 February 2026). "Cruz Beckham launches music career, having fun amid family drama". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ Paterson, Colin (8 June 2025). "Brit Awards to leave London for Manchester after 48 years". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ Hattenstone, Alix; Khan, Shehnaz (1 March 2026). "Birmingham meant 'everything' to Ozzy, Sharon Osbourne says". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Paavo Järvi announced to succeed Edward Gardner at the helm of the London Philharmonic Orchestra from the 2028/29 season" (Press release). London Philharmonic Orchestra. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ McKenzie, Greg; Warren, Jess (3 March 2026). "Rapper Ghetts jailed over fatal London hit-and-run". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ Perella, Mollie; Murphy, Ian (6 March 2026). "Gospel and Christian music: Singers praise new official UK chart". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Nottingham's Jerub makes history with first-ever UK Christian and Gospel Number 1". Music-News.com. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ Lawrence, Jessica (11 March 2026). "Kneecap: Government loses appeal over quashed terror charge". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ^ "2026 RPS Awards winners announced" (Press release). Royal Philharmonic Society. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ West, Robby; Devlin, Laura (13 March 2026). "Will Sheffield move on from Leadmill music venue's reinvention?". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ Savage, Mark (13 March 2026). "Harry Styles is number one as fans embrace Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ Daykin, James (31 October 2025). "Ty Myers joins C2C 2026 main stage as CMA Spotlight Stage artists also revealed". Entertainment Focus.
- ^ Collins, Steve (26 February 2026). "Jazz FM announces full lineup of awards nominees for 2026". Radio Today. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ Martin, Roy (4 March 2026). "BBC Radio 1Xtra launches first club night event". Radio Today. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Clarke, Naomi; Murphy, Ian (10 March 2026). "Radio 1's Big Weekend: Olivia Dean and Niall Horan to headline". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ^ Savage, Mark (28 January 2026). "Harry Styles adds record-breaking 12th show to Wembley Stadium residency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "TRSMT changes set times to show Scotland world cup match". BBC News. BBC. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ Gudge, Ethan (10 November 2025). "Katy Perry, Teddy Swims and Pete Tong to headline Blenheim Palace Festival". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ Crane, Ross (30 October 2025). "WOMAD: Popular Wiltshire music festival reveals new home for 2026". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ Ian Lewis (19 May 2025). "More than 1,000 people attend Narberth proclamation ceremony ahead of 2026 National Eisteddfod". InYourArea. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
- ^ Waple, Katie (28 October 2025). "Boomtown festival 2026 line-up announced". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- ^ Collins, Steve (27 February 2026). "Radio 2 in the Park heads to Stirling in Scotland for 2026". Radio Today. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
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- ^ Borg, Emma (2 January 2026). "Tony Carr, Maltese jazz drummer to the stars, dies aged 98". Times of Malta. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ Henk, Kremer (5 January 2026). "Bassist Andrew Bodnar (o.a. Graham Parker & The Rumour) overleden". hitzound.com. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ "Andrew Carter dead at 86". The Diapason. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
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- ^ Martin Kettle and Imogen Tilden (11 January 2026). "Andrew Clements, Guardian's classical music critic, dies aged 75". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
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- ^ "Obituary: John Wallace, 1949–2026" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Murray, Robin (15 January 2026). "Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "Muere el músico Danny Coughlan, alias Crybaby". muzikalia.com. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
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- ^ Holmes, Ian (21 February 2026). "Blackburn Cathedral pays tribute after death of former music director Dr John Bertalot". blackburnlife.com. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
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