Tuesday 31st March – Today The Great Escape has unveiled a fresh wave of 100+ artists joining this year’s line-up, bringing emerging talent from across the globe to Brighton for the festival’s 2026 20th anniversary edition. This year’s daily highlights have also been revealed, spotlighting the artists set to make a major impact across the four-day festival, alongside the introduction of new TGE Wristband Rewards, offering exclusive perks and discounts for attendees across participating Brighton venues
Heading to Brighton this May, the latest additions highlight a diverse roster. Among them are Los Angeles pop singer-songwriter Arima Ederra, Brighton alt-indie duo ARXX, and Orlando indie-pop talent Bella Kay, alongside Welsh songwriter Ben Ellis. UK drag artist and pop provocateur Bimini also joins the line-up, supporting Peaches’ Spotlight Show at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall on the 15th May. South London rapper Ceebo adds a dose of grime and hip-hop, while London’s Charlotte Plank brings high-energy drum & bass-infused electronic pop. US hyperpop artist Chase Icon also joins the bill, alongside Nottingham post-punk outfit Do Nothing and Birmingham alt-indie duo Gans.
Elsewhere, Irish/Cornish indie outfit Girl in the Year Above and Swedish indie-pop band Girl Scout showcase fresh indie sounds, while Cambridge shoegaze duo The Healing Power of Horses and Glasgow’s soulful singer-songwriter Kerr Mercer add further depth. North London talents Lauren Duffus and Madmadmad represent the capital’s thriving electronic scene, joined by London based indie artist Max Winter and Bristol post-punk newcomers My First Time. Soulful R&B comes courtesy of Nectar Woode, while electronic trio PVA and Norwegian dream-pop artist Sassy 009 continue the genre-spanning momentum.
The line-up also features Los Angeles post-punk band Sunday Mourners, Belgian indie rockers The Haunted Youth, and London’s progressive outfit The Orchestra (For Now), alongside indie rock favourites The Skinner Brothers and Australian four-piece The Tullamarines. Lancashire’s Tom Rasmussen brings art-pop flair, while Cambridge singer-songwriter Tommy Barlow offers a more introspective edge. London producer Tsatsamis adds confessional dance-pop to the mix, joined by genre-defying band Y.
New for 2026, The Great Escape introduces TGE Wristband Rewards, giving festivalgoers even more to explore across Brighton beyond the music. In partnership with a range of local businesses, wristband holders will be able to unlock exclusive perks throughout the festival, including discounts and special offers such as 10% off purchases or complimentary items with in-store spend. Participating venues include Shelter Hall, Helm Gallery, Stanley Road Department Store, Chilli Pickle, Beach Box Spa and Family Store, with more to be announced. Full details on all available rewards will be accessible via the official TGE app, offering fans a seamless way to make the most of their festival experience both on and off stage.
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.
ANNOUNCED TODAY BY GENRE:
ALTERNATIVE & INDIE
ARXX | BLACK NYLON | DO NOTHING | GANS | GIRL IN THE YEAR ABOVE | GIRL SCOUT | THE HEALING POWER OF HORSES | MAX WINTER | MY FIRST TIME | SUNDAY MOURNERS | THE HAUNTED YOUTH | THE ORCHESTRA (FOR NOW) | THE SKINNER BROTHERS | THE TULLAMARINES | TOMMY BARLOW | Y | AIFRIC | BUREAU DE CHANGE | CALL ME FRANCO | CORDELIA GARTSIDE | ELIZA MCLAMB | EVERYDAY SAINTS | FLORA HIBBERD | FRIGHT YEARS | FUNERALCARE | INTERNET CAFE | JAWDROPPED | JOE BRADWELL | LUVIS | MATT HENNESSY | MÊN AN TOL | MONKS | NCY MILKY BAND | PACIFICA | PAMELA | QUIET HOUSES | ROOMER | SELL EVERYTHING | SUPERMARKET | SWIM DEEP | TESSI NANDI | THE ROOKS | THE WRONG TROUSERS | THEBOYSHADOW | VIREN NEEL | WINTER GARDENS | WORLD NEWS | ROCKET | XANADU
GRIME, RAP & HIP-HOP
CEEBO | DIZ LYRIC | KEYAH/BLU | NORI | SUGABOO
FOLK, AMERICANA & COUNTRY
JACK VAN CLEAF | JAMIE MCINTYRE | JOSEPHINE ILLINGWORTH | KRUMPETS | MILLY PYE | TESSA ROSE JACKSON | WU TIAO REN
JAZZ, R&B & SOUL
NECTAR WOODE | ADJUA | BOUDICCA | EBI SODA | IMANI RUIZ | LEN BLAKE | PAPAYA NOON | PATCHE | VICKY SOMETANI | ELYSIA BIRO
ELECTRONIC & DANCE
CHARLOTTE PLANK | LAUREN DUFFUS | MADMADMAD | PVA | TOM RASMUSSEN | TSATSAMIS | 8BITE | AKI OKE | CHARLIE JEER | DEMI RIQUÍSIMO | HOLYBONES | KIIMI | MEL BLUE | REVENGE OF CALCULON | TAMIW
POP & SINGER SONGWRITERS
ARIMA EDERRA | BELLA KAY | BEN ELLIS | CHASE ICON | KERR MERCER | SASSY 009 | AIMÉE FATALE | ALFIE CASTLEY | ALFREDA | ALICE FAYE | AMY PALMER | ANABEL ROSE | BETINA QUEST | BRODIE MILNER | CHANTELLE MARQUEZ | FLISS | GILSKA | GIRL APOCRYPHA | HUTCH | IONA LUKE | ISABELLE METTLE | MIA LANGRIDGE | NOONZY | OSKAR HAAG | ROOM SERVICE | SHAY O’DOWD | WINNIE AMA
PUNK, ROCK & METAL
BIG TRUCK | DÉÉFAIT | LONNIE GUNN | SPIKEMYHEART | THE CABS
AFROBEATS
SAVARA
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS (*indicates TGE Spotlight Show which requires additional ticket)
WEDNESDAY 14 MAY
BNNYHUNNA | EMNW | FLOODING | FROZEMODE | GILSKA | GIRL APOCRYPHA | GLAZYHAZE | HEALING POWER OF HORSES | HEMI HEMMINGWAY | JACK VAN CLEAF | JOS RIVERS | LEMONSUCKR | LONNIE GUNN | MAE HILL | MUDRAT | NATIVE JAMES | ROOM SERVICE | SWORD II | THE ITCH | VERA ELLEN
THURSDAY 15 MAY
ABBIE PIPER | ANGINE DE POITRINE | AU/RA | BECKY SIKASA | BROOKI | CHINESE AMERICAN BEAR | DC3 | DEAD DADS CLUB | GIRL GROUP | HAUTE & FREDDY | HEARTWORMS | IN COLOR | JNR WILLIAMS | JULIA CUMMING | KELLAN CHRISTOPHER CRAGG | LIME GARDEN | LITTLE GRANDAD | LOTTERY WINNERS | LUCA GEORGE | PIGEON | PISS | RINGLETS | THE ORIELLES | THE SKINNER BROTHERS | TOOTH | WAY DYNAMIC | WESTSIDE COWBOY
FRIDAY 16 MAY
AMANZI | ANY YOUNG MECHANIC | BELLA KAY | BIMINI | BLEECH 9:3 | BROTHER WALLACE | DÉÉFAIT | GIRL TONES | HEADSEND | HEIDI CURTIS | KEO | LEVITATION ORCHESTRA | LORD APEX | LUCIA & THE BEST BOYS | MADDIE ASHMAN | MARSY | PIXIE MCCAN | POLLYFROMTHEDIRT | POZZY | PVA | RAGHD | SLAG | THE ORCHESTRA (FOR NOW) | TOM A SMITH | TONY BONTANA | VILLANELLE | WESLEY JOSEPH
SATURDAY 17 MAY
AK PATTERSON | ARXX | BUG TEETH | CONGRATULATIONS | EBI SODA | FLORA HIBBERD | FRENZEE | GLASSHOUSE RED SPIDER MITE | GOODBYE | HALF HAPPY | HANK | KEYAH/BLU | MARTIAL ARTS | MOTHER SOKI | NATIVE JAMES | OPAL MAG | PROBLEM PATTERNS | PSYCHONAUT | SHTËPI | SONG DONGYE | THE GNOMES | THE SLOW COUNTRY | TOM RASMUSSEN | TOMMY WÁ | TRUTHPASTE | TSATSAMIS | UGLY OZO | Y
For The Great Escape Full lineup visit greatescapefestival.com.
