Sitting as a shining light on the trailblazing sound of the here and now, Sound City returns as the home of new music discovery and the beating pulse of music fans’ favourite new artists across Liverpool City Centre kicking off with the Sound City+ Conference on Friday 2nd May 2025 before the multi-venue festival kicks off between May 3rd-4th 2025.
Reflecting the most exciting new artists that are destined to soundtrack the year ahead – Sound City sits as a temperature check on the bands and artists making their mark before anyone else, with next year’s return already shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend in Merseyside.
It’s personified by 2025’s first headliners – The Royston Club. A band who through an insatiable knack for writing soaring anthems and a relentless work ethic that has seen them tour up and down the UK over the past few years, they’ve become one of the breakthrough bands of a new generation for indie music. Cuts like ‘I’m A Liar’, ‘Mrs Narcissistic’, ‘Shallow Tragedy’ and latest single ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’ have lit a fire under a generation of fans searching for THE band to soundtrack modern life and with sold out tours and rammed-out festival tents following their every move – The Royston Club have become a true sensation.Promising a special headline moment when they take to the Sound City stage in 2025, it’s sure to be a landmark occasion to witness a band defining right now in full flight for what comes next.
Speaking about their huge Sound City 2025 headline slot, The Royston Club said: “The past few years have been a really amazing ride for us. Sound City and Liverpool hold such a special place in our hearts, so to be returning as headliners for our biggest show to date next May is an honour. Expect something special for springtime.”
The Royston Club stand as the very first name announced for Sound City 2025, with 100s more to be revealed in the coming months. Also announced today are the first details of the Sound City+ Conference which in 2025 will see an industry leading programming collaboration with the BPI (the trade association of the British recorded music industry) and the UK’s leading independent music trade publication + music business consultancy CMU. The BPI will be bringing their ‘In Tune With Tomorrow’ conference programming to the North as part of the conference for the very first time.
More programming and details will be announced in the coming months.
Also announced today are the first details of the Sound City+ Conference which in 2025 will see an extensive programming collaboration with the UK’s leading independent music trade publication and music business consultancy CMU. Bringing together important voices from across the music industry to discuss, debate and push for change around the issues affecting the industry, the Conference is aimed at inspiring and informing artists + aspiring industry professionals on how to shape the future.
Welcoming artists from across the UK and beyond, Sound City has played a pivotal role in providing an early step for names that have gone on to become global superstars. Whether it’s The 1975, Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Florence & The Machine, Lizzo, Catfish & The Bottlemen, The xx, alt-J, The Wombats or Royal Blood amongst many others – Sound City has served as one of the first chances to catch the essential artists of tomorrow making their mark. Always looking to celebrate the vital fresh new artists paving their own destinies, Sound City is the spotlight that’s always shining on the sounds defining the year ahead. The UK’s longest consecutively-running showcase festival, Sound City’s reputation as the kickstart of the summer festival season ensures it’s a must for all music fans, offering a first look at your next favourite artist.
It follows an incredible 2024 festival which saw the weekend hailed as one of Sound City’s best, with defining moments pointing to the bands and artists who went on to have huge years. Whether it was a showstopping headline turn from The Snuts, The K’s shutting down the official afterparty with a riotous tiny set which laid the marker for a breakthrough year for them, jaw dropping performances from the likes of Corella, Antony Szmierek, Brooke Combe and more. Sound City’s fingerprints were laid firmly on 2024 to come, as a vital date in the diary for one of Europe’s leading new music festivals/conferences.
Speaking about Sound City 2025, Managing Director Becky Ayres says:
“This year’s Sound City was a true landmark moment for us – welcoming thousands of music fans across Liverpool City Centre to discover, celebrate and be inspired by the exciting new wave of artists leaving their mark on playlists, venues and memories alike. Witnessing those artists make their start at Sound City before going on to huge success is something that drives us – and it’s why The Royston Club feel like the perfect headliner for Sound City 2025. Leading a whole new generation of bands and fans, it’s going to make for a really special headline turn that’ll be talked about for years to come. With 100s of artists (including our second headliner) and our extensive Conference programme still to be announced, Sound City 2025 promises to be an unforgettable weekend where the music fan comes first”.
Spanning across Liverpool City Centre, Sound City is an inner-city music festival which revels in the thrill of new music and a weekend in one of the best cities on the planet. Whether it’s the incredible surroundings of The Dome @ Grand Central Hall or the historic steps of the Arts Club (Theatre + Loft), Liverpool is a city where history and atmosphere reigns supreme. Catching shows in legendary venues such as The Jacaranda, EBGBs, The Kazimier Stockroom or tucked into the Spanish Caravan forridiculous moments – Sound City brings music fans together for a feel-good weekend firmly on the pulse of unmissable artists soundtracking the here and now.
Continuing their long-standing relationship, Sound City is once again the UK’s lead festival for Keychange, a global movement focused on the restructuring of the music industry to achieve gender equality. Leading a vast array of festivals and events across the UK and beyond, the focus remains on achieving a gender balance across all Sound City events and initiatives. An equal representation of women and diverse genders will play across the Sound City weekend with a range of initiatives, panels and more lined up in collaboration with Keychange over the coming months.
Sound City is proud to work with many leading and innovative partners, sponsors and funders. These include Arts Council England- supporting new artistic and industry talent and organisations from all corners of the sector, CAPLL; T alent Development Partner, SAE; a global higher education provider in creative media industries and Principal Creative Education Partner, PRS/PPL/PRSF, Amplead; the festival’s Apply T o Play Partner and Gigseekr- the official festival app and Official Discovery Partner. With other partners including Leeds Conservatoire, Musician’s Union and Liverpool Hope University- it ensures Sound City is a coming together of industry supporting the new.
With these names but a snapshot of a huge lineup heading across Liverpool City Centre this May, tickets for Sound City 2025 are on-sale now available on the website.
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