Liverpool’s multi-venue festival of talent discovery, Sound City 2026, has announced its first wave of artists, bringing together indie’s rising stars, punk upstarts, and new pop sensations. Following the rapid sell-out of early bird tickets for the three-day event, Sound City, which opens with the Sound City+ Conference on Friday, May 1, and continues with two days of live music, is demonstrating that its keen talent scouting is sharper than ever. The festival is already welcoming back two previous small-stage artists as headliners this year: Keo and Jalen Ngonda will both perform at the ornate, 3,500-capacity St George’s Hall, setting a high standard for the emerging acts on the bill. This first wave announcement is packed with genre-defying prospects and future figureheads. Bouncing into national recognition after their debut ‘This Better Be Something Great EP’, Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy leads the charge, heading into 2026 as folkish, infectious indie figureheads. They are joined by Australian powerhouse duo Teenage Joans—Tahlia Borg and Cahli Blakers—who make a stop in Liverpool for the first time during their debut UK tour, promising songs from their album ‘The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest’. Adding fuel to the rock and roll fire, sibling mod duo The Molotovs will arrive for the weekend following the release of their debut album, ‘Wasted On Youth’, in January. The lineup also features buzzed-about London acts Saint Clair and ashnymph, along with Brighton’s complex math-rock risers, SLAG, making for a truly intriguing alternative music compendium.
Sophisticated nu-soul stalwart Brooke Combe returns to Sound City 2026 having previously taken her songbook to overlooked UK towns on the Sound City Tour. She will be joined by similarly exciting and emotive solo artists like Liverpool’s soul-inspired MT Jones and prodigious multi-instrumentalist songwriter Blossom Caldarone. Tik-Tok-borne sensations are also highly represented, with Lincolnshire’s Cherryholt making their debut and guaranteed to draw a huge crowd after their song “Irresistible” caught fire online. The festival also welcomes back hometown heroes Keyside, along with Wigan’s The Lilacs, who bring loud, sing-along crowd-favorites. Sound City’s Managing Director, Becky Ayres, is thrilled, saying: “Sound City has always been about discovering tomorrow’s superstars today: giving artists the platform to grow, connect with audiences, and take their first steps toward global success. This first wave gives a glimpse of the unforgettable experiences waiting for audiences in the world capital of music, Liverpool, in 2026.”
Sophisticated nu-soul stalwart Brooke Combe returns to Sound City 2026 having previously taken her songbook to overlooked UK towns on the Sound City Tour. She will be joined by similarly exciting and emotive solo artists like Liverpool’s soul-inspired MT Jones and prodigious multi-instrumentalist songwriter Blossom Caldarone. Tik-Tok-borne sensations are also highly represented, with Lincolnshire’s Cherryholt making their debut and guaranteed to draw a huge crowd after their song “Irresistible” caught fire online. The festival also welcomes back hometown heroes Keyside, along with Wigan’s The Lilacs, who bring loud, sing-along crowd-favorites. Sound City’s Managing Director, Becky Ayres, is thrilled, saying: “Sound City has always been about discovering tomorrow’s superstars today: giving artists the platform to grow, connect with audiences, and take their first steps toward global success. This first wave gives a glimpse of the unforgettable experiences waiting for audiences in the world capital of music, Liverpool, in 2026.”
Confirmed Artists for Sound City 2026 (First Wave)
- Westside Cowboy
- Brooke Combe
- Teenage Joans
- Keo (Headliner)
- Jalen Ngonda (Headliner)
- Saint Clair
- ashnymph
- SLAG
- The Molotovs
- MT Jones
- Blossom Caldarone
- Finn Forster
- Lynnie Snow
- Jack Devlin
- Cherryholt
- Keyside
- The Lilacs
- Will Parker
- et al