Sound City Unveils Rising Artists Lineup For 2026 Festival

Sound City will present its 2026 edition from May 2 through May 3 across venues in Liverpool city centre, with the Sound City+ Conference scheduled for May 1. Festival organizers have announced the “rising stars” portion of the line-up, featuring 21 emerging artists joining previously confirmed headliners including Jalen Ngonda, Keo, and Westside Cowboy.

The newly announced artists include The Rolling People, TIDETIED, PISS, Brooki, Tom Rowley, Adult Leisure, AKA, Zander, Jamie McIntyre, Ben Ellis, Tough Cookie, Little Grandad, Bleech 9:3, Basht., The North, Dolder, Talia Rae, Dirty Circus, Girl In The Year Above, Palembu, and Remee. The additions expand the festival’s focus on emerging and independent artists working across guitar-driven rock, alternative pop, punk, and R&B.

Sound City Managing Director Becky Ayres said, “Sound City has always been about spotting talent at the moment it's about to break, and this latest wave of artists perfectly captures that spirit. From acts already making serious noise to those right on the cusp of something special, this line-up underlines why Sound City remains the place where future headliners are discovered first.”

Ayres added, “Alongside welcoming back major names like Jalen Ngonda and Keo, we're proud to be creating space across Liverpool city centre for the next generation of artists to connect with audiences, industry, and each other – all while continuing to push forward meaningful conversations through Sound City+ about where music is heading next.”

The 2026 edition will again feature the Sound City+ Conference, which has developed into a key industry gathering focused on current trends, innovation, and best practices in the UK and international music sectors. The conference is supported by organizations including the British Phonographic Industry, PRS, PPL, PRSF, AIM, and UK Music, with additional backing from Arts Council England through National Lottery funding.

Sound City has also reopened its Apply To Play initiative for 2026, allowing grassroots artists to apply for performance slots across the weekend. The program is supported by TuneCore as the 2026 sponsor and Amplead as the application platform provider.

Over its history, Sound City has presented early performances by artists who later achieved international recognition, including Charli XCX, The 1975, Ed SHeeran, and Stormzy. The festival continues to participate in Keychange, the global initiative promoting gender balance across music festivals and industry events, with an ongoing commitment to equitable representation across its programming.