The Great Escape announce 130+ artists to the 2026 lineup including Peaches

Tuesday 3rd February – Today, The Great Escape, the festival for new music, announces that genre-defying icon Peaches will headline a Spotlight Show at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on 15th May 2026.

A trailblazer of electroclash and feminist performance art, Peaches has spent over two decades pushing boundaries with her fearless sound, provocative lyrics and theatrical live shows. Born in Canada and based in Berlin, she first exploded onto the global stage with her seminal album ‘The Teaches Of Peaches’, becoming a defining voice in alternative pop and electronic music. Celebrating the release of her new album and as part of her upcoming world tour, this Spotlight Show promises an unforgettable night of raw energy and razor-sharp wit from one of modern music’s true originals.

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Access to Peaches’ Spotlight Show will be via standalone tickets, available on general sale from 10am on 6th February via greatescapefestival.com, with artist and venue pre-sales on 4th February from 10am, and Live Nation pre-sale on 5th February from 10am.

Today, the festival has also unveiled a huge wave of over 130 new acts for the 2026 line-up. Showcasing an exceptional range of emerging artists from around the world, The Great Escape 2026 will spotlight some of the most exciting new talent spanning pop, rock, rap, R&B, folk, soul, indie, electronic and more.

Heading to Brighton this May, today’s line-up additions shine a spotlight on returning festival favourites The Lottery Winners, the beloved Lancashire indie-pop fourpiece back for a special comeback after their 2017 appearance. They’re joined by Australian electro-pop provocateur BIG WETT, high-energy London rock trio VILLANELLE, carnival-pop duo Haute & Freddy, emotive Minneapolis songwriter Mother Soki, and Dutch alt-pop riser Min Taka, with London based rising rockers Keo set to headline the Billboard UK Stage, and many more.

Following the announcement of New Zealand as The Great Escape’s Lead Country Partner for 2026, a second wave of artists from New Zealand join the line-up, featuring punchy indie rock trio Office Dog, boundary-pushing alternative artist Ratbag, 60s-inspired crooner pop songwriter Hemi Hemingway and rising singer-songwriter Jude Kelly. Led by the New Zealand Music Commission and Live Nation New Zealand, the partnership will deliver two showcases, industry panels and receptions celebrating the depth and diversity of New Zealand’s music scene, alongside partners including Live Nation New Zealand and The British Council.

Rooted firmly in its home city, The Great Escape also shines a spotlight on Brighton’s own, with a huge wave of local talent joining the line-up. This year’s Brighton contingent includes indie-folk artist Amanzi, genre-spanning multi-instrumentalist Bert, punchy four-piece Congratulations, post-rock folk outfit LadyLike, alt-punk band Lemonsuckr, and eight-piece collective Big Long Son. They’re joined by beloved indie rockers Lime Garden and a strong showing from the city’s singer-songwriter scene, featuring Isaac Frank, Lynnie Snow, Mae Hill and soulful favourite Lily Moore — celebrating the vibrant community at the heart of the festival.

In celebration of its own milestone, bespoke music management company Raw Power is joining forces with The Great Escape as part of the festival’s 20th anniversary celebrations. Known for guiding a roster of internationally successful artists, primarily in rock and alternative genres, Raw Power brings decades of expertise and a deep love for live music to the partnership.

Craig Jennings CEO, Raw Power says: “It’s a very special year for Raw Power with it being our 20th anniversary, and partnering with The Great Escape is an integral part of the celebrations, Brighton has always held a place in our heart with several amazing shows over the years from our artists, no doubt this will be another one of those. TGE is always a highlight of the musical calendar with shows of all sizes and a wonderful atmosphere around the town. We are proud to be a part of it.”

Synonymous with new music discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, The Great Escape is the festival for new music. Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across 35+ walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference, the festival will kick off the 2026 season from 13th – 16th May in Brighton. Tickets for The Great Escape festival are on sale HERE.

ALTERNATIVE & INDIE

Renowned for championing the best in indie and alternative music, The Great Escape 2026 will once again showcase an extraordinary selection of emerging talent across its iconic Brighton venues. The festival will feature genre-defying performances from Canadian indie-rock duo Ribbon Skirt, Irish four-piece Bleach 9:3, London’s off-kilter art-pop outfit 1000 Rabbits, new wave rockers Lady Of Mars, and funk-punk collective The Kitchen Sink Band. They’ll be joined by math-rockers Cowboyy, dreamy Manitoba indie-pop band sundayclub, Melbourne alt-pop rockers Joan & the Giants, and LA platinum-selling singer-songwriter Em Beihold, alongside Sleepazoid, Casual Smart, BABYRAT, Brooki, The Bracknall, Long Island and Heathers.

Further highlights include a wave of bold newcomers including Bathing Suits, Garage Flower, THEATRE, Monks, Alice Costelloe, Alice SK, Blue Bendy, Eaves Wilder, Heartworms, Oslo Twins, RAYNOR, Sunnbrella, Tooth, Truthpaste, Way Dynamic, Georgia Knight, Afternoon Bike Ride, In Color and KatzPascale. The festival will also spotlight acts such as Cyn Cwsg, Kids Return, Unsafe Space Garden, Raghd, Sylvie’s Head, Tummyache, Glazyhaze, Steinza, The Slates, Comastatic, Dolder, and Gently Tender, rounding out a line-up bursting with energy, experimentation and the very best of indie innovation.

GRIME, RAP & HIP-HOP

From the worlds of grime, rap and hip-hop, festivalgoers can expect a globally minded showcase featuring Australian rapper MUDRAT, Austrian-Nigerian lyricist NENDA and Ipswich rap-metal disruptor Native James. They’re joined by Johannesburg’s rising hip-hop force Money Badoo, London rap-punk powerhouse Hyphen, British MC Lord Apex and Bury St Edmunds rapper Pozzy, alongside Māori–Samoan rapper and performance artist Jamaica Moana and Anishinabe powerhouse John from Dawson, delivering a bold mix of voices, sounds and perspectives.

FOLK, AMERICANA & COUNTRY

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For more folk inspired sounds, this year’s line-up includes Amsterdam folk duo Lumï, Canadian country troubadour Skinny Dyck, folk-rock outfit Status/Non-Status and New Orleans songwriter Chris Acker, bringing Americana steeped in classic country roots. They’re joined by North Yorkshire folk songwriter, pianist and composer Natalie Wildgoose and UK alt-folk outfit Any Young Mechanic.

JAZZ, R&B & SOUL

Smooth grooves and soulful energy will run through the festival this year, as a standout mix of R&B, soul and jazz artists take over stages across the weekend. New additions to the line-up include Amsterdam-based Bnnyhunna, blending jazz-infused soul with an experimental edge, Antwerp neo-soul and jazz fusion artist Blu Samu, and Georgia born soul standout Brother Wallace. They’re joined by London producer and multi-instrumentalist BUKKY, Norfolk hip-hop and jazz songwriter LFay, emerging Swiss Indian singer BombayMami and Vancouver’s Kimmortal, whose queer alt-soul sound brings pop flair and fearless expression to the bill.

ELECTRONIC & DANCE

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Pulsing beats and electronic energy will surge through the festival this year, with a bold selection of boundary pushing electronic and dance acts lighting up stages across the weekend. New additions to the line-up include Australian electro-pop provocateur BIG WETT, Manchester electronic duo Silverwingkiller, Montreal’s dystopian synth-pop force Annie-Claude Deschênes, and electronic producer Hologramme.

POP & SINGER SONGWRITERS

Pop lovers can look forward to a diverse mix of rising voices bringing intimate storytelling and bright melodies to Brighton’s stages. The line-up features dreamy Calgary based songwriter Micah Sage, the heart-wrenching solo work of Slow Leaves, Darlington’s Pollyfromthedirt, Scottish songwriter Brodie Barclay and Australian singer songwriter Darcie Haven, alongside French indie-pop artist Vera Daisies, queer Irish songwriter SexyTadhg and Chatham bedroom-pop standout Nadia Loren.

They’re joined by an even broader selection of singer songwriters across the weekend, with appearances from Pat Hamilton, Quiet Man, Ninush, Storefront Church, Archie, Chinese American Bear, Hetta Falzon, Charlie Houston, Lukas Oscar, Mira Taylor and Eileen Alister, rounding out a line-up packed with melody, emotion and emerging talent.

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PUNK, ROCK & METAL

For music fans chasing heavier sounds, the 2026 festival line-up promises a thrilling mix of punk, rock and metal, with Atlanta post-punk multi-instrumental trio Sword II, Belgium’s psychedelic post-metal collective Psychonaut, Canadian rock band GreenWing, high-energy Crete punkers Frenzee, fierce queer Derry rockers Cherym, Kansas City noise-rock band Flooding, London punk-rap trio Frozemode, psych-punk threesome Hot Face and Norwegian sludge-metal outfit Heave Blood & Die joining the line-up. Additional acts include Cowboy Hunters, Overgrown, Bonnie Trash, Cobra the Impaler and Cold Court, delivering a weekend of relentless riffs, raw energy and boundary-pushing performances.