Indie’s rising stars meet punk upstarts and new pop sensations at Sound City 2026 with Liverpool’s multi-venue festival of talent discovery announcing its first wave of artists, including hype-generating Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy, Scottish commander of slick soul songwriting Brooke Combe, and Aussie powerhouse duo Teenage Joans on a rare UK appearance.
Following the rapid sell out of early bird tickets for the three-day event, opening with the Sound City+ Conference on Fri 1 May 2026 and continuing for two days of live music over Fri 2 – Sun 3 May 2026, remaining Weekend and Day Tickets are on sale now via
www.soundcity.uk.com.
www.soundcity.uk.com.
Having announced the return of two previous Sound City small stage artists as festival headliners this year, welcoming back Keo to Saturday night and Jalen Ngonda to Sunday night, both performing at the ornate 3,500-capacity St George’s Hall, the festival’s talent scouting shows no sign of letting up in 2026.
Bouncing into national tastemaker recognition off the back of their debut This Better Be Something Great EP, Westside Cowboy’s rise from accidental hobby band to infectious indie figureheads has launched them onto bigger festival stages in 2026. Similarly hyped, London’s Saint Clair debuts at Sound City with new single Warm, and ashnymph brings comparisons to Arcade Fire and Animal Collective with her single Saltspreader. Brighton math-rock risers SLAG add to the intrigue with their skittish single Heaven.
The Adelaide power pairing Teenage Joans make their Liverpool debut, bringing breakout tracks including Wine and highlights from The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest. Sibling mod duo The Molotovs also join the bill following the release of their debut album Wasted On Youth.
Nu-soul standout Brooke Combe returns after her February Sound City Tour, and joins Liverpool’s MT Jones, multi-instrumentalist Blossom Caldarone (also of English Teacher), Middlesbrough’s Finn Forster, Brighton’s Lynnie Snow, and Northern Ireland’s Jack Devlin.
Viral favourites Cherryholt, Liverpool heroes Keyside, and Wigan’s The Lilacs also join the first wave of names for Sound City 2026.
With more than 150 artists performing in 2025, the first wave for 2026 also includes emerging social media vocalist Will Parker and underground prospects et al.
Sound City Managing Director, Becky Ayres, says:
“We’re thrilled to share our first wave of acts for Sound City 2026!…This first wave gives a glimpse of the unforgettable experiences waiting for audiences in Liverpool in 2026.”
“We’re thrilled to share our first wave of acts for Sound City 2026!…This first wave gives a glimpse of the unforgettable experiences waiting for audiences in Liverpool in 2026.”
Sound City has also opened the 2026 Apply To Play portal, giving artists the chance to join names like Ed Sheeran, Grimes and Christine and The Queens who gained early exposure through the programme.
The Sound City+ Conference returns with speakers, panels and networking opportunities, supported by partners including BPI, PRS, PPL, PRSF, AIM and UK Music. Further details will be announced at soundcity.uk.com.
Sound City continues to champion Keychange, aiming for balanced gender representation across the festival.
Pop Scoop founder and editor. Ex showbiz/tech editor at the Cyprus Mail. Former sub-editor at Archant. Former art director Sky TV. Co-founder of Kool Magazine and freelanced for the BBC, Channel 4, Warner Bros and the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation.
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