The award-nominated independent rock and metal event Takedown Festival has today unveiled a new wave of bands for its 2026 edition. Returning to Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th April 2026, the festival once again promises two days packed with heavy music on the south coast.

Alternative provocateur Harpy has released her highly anticipated debut EP, VII, available now on all major streaming platforms and in physical formats. To mark the occasion, she’s also unveiled the official music video for the EP’s opening track, ‘Inferno.’

Jade has announced the deluxe edition of her debut album, titled That’s Showbiz Baby! The Encore and set for release on 19 December. The original record, which arrived in September, made a major impact upon release, delivering the biggest opening week for a debut album in 2025 on the Official UK Albums Chart. The 32-year-old star collaborated with an impressive lineup of creatives, including Raye, Mike Sabath, Lostboy, Cirkut, and Pablo Bowman.

Leeds-based alt-rock force Artio have unveiled their brand-new single, ‘Seven Suns,’ featuring a guest appearance from kahal. The track is the latest offering from their forthcoming album Soul Rot, due for release on January 21st via LAB Records.

Folk-rock outfit Mumford & Sons will return to the Great Oak Stage in London’s Hyde Park on Saturday, 4 July, joined by The War On Drugs and a full lineup of additional artists still to be announced.

The countdown to summer has officially begun. In just 224 days, Belgium’s world-renowned Rock Werchter will once again turn the Festivalpark in Werchter into a global hub for live music. Excitement ramps up even further with 20 new names joining the 2026 bill.

Pop-rock genre-benders Waterparks - Awsten Knight (vocals/guitar), Otto Wood (drums), and Geoff Wigington (guitar) - have announced their Prowler UK/EU headline tour, set for March next year.

West Belfast– and Derry-born trio Kneecap have announced the biggest headline show of their career, set for London’s Crystal Palace Park on Saturday 27 June 2026. They’ll be joined by special guests The Mary Wallopers, Fat Dog, Biig Piig, Gurriers, and Madra Salach, promising one of the stand-out events of the 2026 London Irish calendar.

Festival Republic and Live Nation have announced State Fayre, a brand-new major weekend camping festival celebrating rock music, Americana and barbecue, taking place 26–28 June 2026 in Chelmsford, Essex. Set to become the UK’s largest music and barbecue festival with a capacity of around 30,000, the event will feature headline performances from Kings Of Leon, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts, and The Lumineers.

American rock giants Twenty One Pilots are set to make their long-awaited All Points East debut with their only UK performance of 2026 on Sunday 30 August. They’ll be joined by a stacked lineup including Wunderhorse, REN, bbno$, PVRIS, Nova Twins, Kid Kapichi, Dead Pony, and LEAP, with even more acts still to be announced.

Fresh off their sold-out ‘From All Sides’ UK arena tour, Bastille return with ‘SAVE MY SOUL,’ a captivating new single and their first original release in three years. The song was born unexpectedly as the band regrouped for tour rehearsals, its spark ignited simply by the excitement of being back together in the same room.

Brazilian punk-rocker Karen Dió storms into a new era with the release of her latest single, “I Hope You Know,” out now via Hopeless Records. The track marks a bold evolution in Dió’s sound, an emotional, high-voltage fusion of melodic grit, raw confession and the rebellious spirit that’s defined her fast-rising career.

UK alt-rock shapeshifters DON BROCO continue their powerhouse 2025 run with ‘Euphoria’, a thrilling new single and their fourth release of the year via Fearless Records.

Award-winning, multi-platinum French-Malian superstar Aya Nakamura has released her new single and music video ‘No Stress,’ offering the first glimpse of her forthcoming album Destinée, arriving this Friday. News of the album coincided with the explosive announcement of her now sold-out Stade de France shows on May 29, 2026, an extraordinary feat that saw 240,000 tickets sold in a single day.

The Darkness have announced their biggest headline tour in two decades, bringing their unmistakable, high-voltage rock to arenas across the UK in December 2026. The seven-date run kicks off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on December 8th and culminates with the band’s first-ever headline show at The O2 in London on December 16th.

SHINEDOWN, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, have released their brand-new single ‘Searchlight’, out now via Atlantic Records. The track signals the beginning of a new chapter for the multi-platinum group, following a landmark year that included sold-out arena shows, record-breaking chart achievements, and a historic debut at the Grand Ole Opry.

Global superstar Lorde is set to take over London’s iconic Victoria Park for All Points East on Saturday, 22 August 2026. The New Zealand artist, who is currently on tour across Europe, will be joined by a powerful female-led lineup, including PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, 2Hollis, Oklou, Audrey Hobert, Rose Gray, Esha Tewari, ML Buch, and Fabiana Palladino, with many more still to be announced.

Global girl group KATSEYE - fresh off their first two GRAMMY® nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their breakout hit ‘Gabriela’ - launched their debut tour on November 15 at The Armory in Minneapolis, MN. The tour takes its name from the group’s new EP, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS (HYBE x Geffen Records), which opened in the top five on the Billboard 200.

History-making, multiplatinum Australian alt-rock and future punk/pop trailblazers 5 Seconds of Summer have released their sixth full-length studio album, Everyone’s A Star!, out now via Island EMI.

Pop-rock innovators Waterparks - Awsten Knight (vocals/guitar), Otto Wood (drums), and Geoff Wigington (guitar) - today release their brand-new single ‘ANY MINUTE NOW’ via BMG.

Punk-rock powerhouses The Offspring have announced a massive outdoor show at London’s Crystal Palace Park on Sunday 28 June 2026. They’ll be joined by a stacked lineup of special guests: Dropkick Murphys, Pennywise, PUP, and Destroy Boys.

GRAMMY Award-winning rock powerhouse HALESTORM have unveiled a brand-new two-track bundle featuring the reflective ballad ‘How Will You Remember Me’ and the sensual, empowering anthem ‘Like A Woman Can’.

Sydney alt-rock outfit Melrose Avenue showcase a more vulnerable side with their latest release, ‘This Is The End’, a hauntingly beautiful track that trades their trademark high-voltage sound for something raw, emotional, and deeply human.

THE HARA have announced a 16-date UK tour for February and March 2026 to celebrate the release of their new album The Fallout, which arrives on 23 January. The tour kicks off on 27 February at The Ferret in Preston and concludes at Legends in Edinburgh on 22 March.

Following last Friday’s GRAMMY® nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album for EUSEXUA, FKA twigs unveils ‘Predictable Girl,’ the second single from her highly anticipated new album, EUSEXUA Afterglow, arriving this Friday. The seductive track is accompanied by a music video directed by Jordan Hemingway.

MOTHICA has joined the worldwide roster of SharpTone Records, and to celebrate the signing, she has released the video for her new single ‘EVERGREEN MISERY. Drawn by themes of renewal and rebirth, the singer found her new home with the label.

Set to celebrate its 10th anniversary next year, Mad Cool has unveiled the first wave of artists confirmed for the 2026 edition, with Foo Fighters, Pulp, Florence + The Machine, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds topping the bill.

Southern California heavyweights Of Mice & Men are gearing up to release their new album Another Miracle via Century Media Records. Before the record arrives, the band has dropped ‘Flowers,’ the final single from the album. The track delivers a powerful balance of heaviness and hope, turning pain, healing, and inner growth into cathartic energy.

Nottingham pop-punk powerhouse As December Falls have announced a brand new UK headline tour for February and March 2026, hot on the heels of their recent Everything’s On Fire, But We’re On Tour run last month.

Your guide to this week’s newest music releases.

Catalan pop sensation Rosalía has released her new album LUX, out now via Columbia Records. The highly anticipated follow-up to MOTOMAMI landed a few hours early, following last week’s preview of its only pre-release single, ‘Berghain,’ featuring Björk and Yves Tumor.

Katy Perry returns with ‘bandaids,’ a soaring pop anthem that pairs emotional vulnerability with the shimmering, cinematic production that defines her sound. Marking the dawn of a bold new era, the track finds Perry at her most raw and self-aware as she unpacks themes of heartbreak, healing, and self-discovery.

Yorkshire-based melodic metal outfit Caskets have released their highly anticipated new album, The Only Heaven You’ll Know, out now via SharpTone Records. The record is available today on all major streaming platforms and in physical formats.

Honey Revenge deliver the perfect soundtrack for sweet retribution with their latest single, ‘Poison Apple Baby.’

Santa Cruz hardcore institution DRAIN have returned with their explosive new album …IS YOUR FRIEND, out now via Epitaph Records. The band’s third full-length - and second for Epitaph - sets out with a clear mission: to bottle their ferocious live energy in the studio and craft songs built to make future shows even more chaotic.

Texas-based breakout band I Promised The World have officially signed to Rise Records and announced their upcoming self-titled EP, due out 16 January 2026.

Albany-raised pop-punk heavyweights State Champs have released a brand-new single and music video, ‘(For The) Hell Of It’, a reimagined take on their standout track ‘Hell Of It’ from their latest self-titled album, State Champs, out now via Pure Noise Records.

Pop-punk icons Neck Deep are marking a decade of their landmark album Life’s Not Out to Get You with a special limited-edition anniversary vinyl LP.

Welsh ragga metal powerhouses Skindred have dropped their brand-new single ‘You Got This’, alongside a wildly entertaining new video.

The fast-rising alternative provocateur Harpy returns today with her latest single, ‘Call Me Mommy’. The track marks the third release from her highly anticipated debut EP, VII, due out on 28 November.

The UK’s premier rock and metal event, Download Festival, will make its epic return to Donington Park from Wednesday 10 June to Sunday 14 June 2026. Following a monumental 2025 edition, Download 2026 promises to deliver another unforgettable five days of world-class live music, community spirit, and full-throttle festival energy.

Fifteen years into their career, Volumes have endured every high, low, trend, and twist life could offer, emerging stronger, sharper, and more united than ever. Now, the Los Angeles quartet - Michael Barr (vocals), Raad Soudani (bass), Myke Terry (vocals), and Nick Ursich(drums) - are proud to announce their fifth studio album, Mirror Touch, set for digital release on December 12, 2025, via their longtime home, Fearless Records. The physical edition will follow on February 27, 2026.

Award-nominated independent rock and metal event Takedown Festival has announced ten additional acts for its highly anticipated 2026 edition, set to take over Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 April 2026. The festival will once again bring two days of pure heavy music energy to the south coast.

Slam Dunk, the UK’s biggest independent rock festival, has dropped its second and final wave of artists, locking in a massive line-up for its 20th anniversary in 2026. Joining previously announced headliners Good Charlotte and Sublime, Kentucky’s hardcore heavyweights Knocked Loose lead the latest additions, alongside more than 20 new names spanning pop-punk, emo, ska, metal and beyond.

Germany’s most explosive export, ELECTRIC CALLBOY, have unleashed their brand-new single ‘TANZNEID’, a high-voltage anthem that transforms dance-floor envy into a full-body experience. The track kicks off what promises to be the band’s biggest era yet, paving the way for their massive TANZNEID WORLD TOUR 2025/2026.

Nottingham pop-punks As December Falls have today dropped their brand-new single, ‘Flametide,’ taken from the hit rhythm video game Muse Dash.