2026 in British music

See also: Timeline of musical events

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

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]

February

• 28 February – The 2026 Brit Awards are scheduled to be held at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, the first time in the ceremony's history that it will be held outside London. ^[8]

March

• 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. ^[9]

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. ^[10]
• 27 June–1 July – A new music festival, the Blenheim Palace Festival, is scheduled to be held in Oxfordshire. ^[11]

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. ^[12]

August

• 1–8 August – The National Eisteddfod of Wales will be held in Llantwd, Pembrokeshire. ^[13]
• 12–16 August – The 2026 Boomtown Festival is scheduled to take place in Hampshire. Acts include Kneecap, Madness, Scissor Sisters, Faithless, The Vengaboys and Groove Armada. ^[14]

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	[15]
8 January	"Where Is My Husband!"	Raye	43,910	[16]
15 January	"End of Beginning"	Djo	47,898	[17]
22 January			53,743	[18]
29 January	"Raindance"	Dave and Tems	50,474	[19]
5 February	"Aperture"	Harry Styles	70,498	[20]

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	[21]
8 January	The Art of Loving	Olivia Dean	16,903	[22]
15 January			17,141	[23]
22 January			16,836	[24]
29 January	Britpop	Robbie Williams	34,157	[25]
5 February	How Did I Get Here?	Louis Tomlinson	28,416	[26]

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	[27]
8 January		11,111	[28]
15 January		9,229	[29]
22 January		8,993	[30]
29 January		8,620	[31]
5 February		8,224	[32]

Deaths

• 2 January – Tony Carr, 98, Maltese session drummer and percussionist (CCS, Hot Chocolate). ^[33]
• 5 January
  • Andrew Bodnar, 71, English bass guitarist (The Rumour) and songwriter ("I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass"). ^[34] (death announced on this date)
  • Andrew Carter, 86, classical choral composer and pedagogue ^[35]
• 11 January
  • Sheila Bernette, 94, English singer ( The Good Old Days , The Black and White Minstrel Show ) and actress ( The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins ). ^[36]
  • Andrew Clements, 75, classical music critic ^[37]
  • Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26, British guitarist (Black Midi). ^[38] (death announced on this date)
  • John Wallace, 76, Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator. ^[39]
• 15 January – Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees). ^[40] (death announced on this date)
• 26 January – Danny Coughlan, British singer and guitarist. ^[41]

See also

• 2026 in British radio
• 2026 in British television
• 2026 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 2026

References

1. "Wolf Alice named Radio X record winner". Radio Today. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
2. "Some news from the Aurora office team" (Press release). Aurora Orchestra. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
3. "Press Announcement: London Symphony Orchestra Names Next Managing Director" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
4. 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.
5. "Zoë Curnow appointed as Executive Director" (Press release). Orchestra of the Swan. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
6. Clarke, Naomi (19 January 2026). "Brits Critics' Choice: Jacob Alon crowned winner". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
7. 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.
8. Paterson, Colin (8 June 2025). "Brit Awards to leave London for Manchester after 48 years". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
9. Daykin, James (31 October 2025). "Ty Myers joins C2C 2026 main stage as CMA Spotlight Stage artists also revealed". Entertainment Focus.
10. Savage, Mark (28 January 2026). "Harry Styles adds record-breaking 12th show to Wembley Stadium residency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
11. Gudge, Ethan (10 November 2025). "Katy Perry, Teddy Swims and Pete Tong to headline Blenheim Palace Festival". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
12. Crane, Ross (30 October 2025). "WOMAD: Popular Wiltshire music festival reveals new home for 2026". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
13. Ian Lewis (19 May 2025). "More than 1,000 people attend Narberth proclamation ceremony ahead of 2026 National Eisteddfod". InYourArea. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
14. Waple, Katie (28 October 2025). "Boomtown festival 2026 line-up announced". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
21. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
22. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
23. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
24. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
25. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
26. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
27. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
28. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
29. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
30. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
31. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
32. "Official Compilations Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
33. Borg, Emma (2 January 2026). "Tony Carr, Maltese jazz drummer to the stars, dies aged 98". Times of Malta. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
34. Henk, Kremer (5 January 2026). "Bassist Andrew Bodnar (o.a. Graham Parker & The Rumour) overleden". hitzound.com. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
35. "Andrew Carter dead at 86". The Diapason. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
36. Holt, James; Feric, Carla (12 January 2026). "Good Old Days and Coronation Street star dies aged 94". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
37. Martin Kettle and Imogen Tilden (11 January 2026). "Andrew Clements, Guardian's classical music critic, dies aged 75". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
38. Monroe, Jazz (12 January 2026). "Black Midi Co-Founder Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin Dies at 26". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
39. "Obituary: John Wallace, 1949-2026" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
40. Murray, Robin (15 January 2026). "Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
41. "Muere el músico Danny Coughlan, alias Crybaby". muzikalia.com. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.