Liverpool’s multi-venue Sound City festival, renowned as a premier showcase for emerging talent, has announced the initial wave of artists for its 2026 edition. The three-day event kicks off with the Sound City+ Conference on Friday, May 1, 2026, followed by two days of live music across the city, running through Sunday, May 3. Highlighting the festival’s keen eye for talent scouting, the headliners will be returning Sound City alumni, Keo (Saturday) and Jalen Ngonda (Sunday), both of whom will perform at the ornate, 3,500-capacity St George’s Hall.
The first artist announcement spans genres and territories, confirming the festival’s dedication to talent discovery. The lineup highlights include Manchester’s buzzed-about indie-rock four-piece Westside Cowboy, folk-pop sensation Brooke Combe, and a rare UK appearance from Australian duo Teenage Joans. They will be joined by London’s cutting-edge guitar acts Saint Clair and ashnymph, complex math-rock risers SLAG, and sibling mod duo The Molotovs. This diverse curation emphasises a blend of TikTok-born sensations, established stars, and fresh, early-days indie talent.
In addition to the exciting line-up, Sound City has opened the 2026 Apply To Play portal, powered by TuneCore and Amplead. This initiative once again offers an opportunity for any artist to get into contention as next year’s ones to watch. Following the rapid sell-out of early bird tickets, remaining Weekend and Day Tickets are on sale now, as the festival clears a path for imminent reveals of even more emergent and established talent.
