Harry Styles’ Meltdown 2026 line-up brings together indie heavyweights and jazz icons

Harry Styles has unveiled the full line-up for his Meltdown 2026 curation, and it’s a suitably broad mix of indie staples, jazz heavyweights and forward-thinking electronic artists.

The takeover runs at London’s Southbank Centre from the 11th of June to the 21, with Styles acting as curator of the long-running festival series, which hands creative control to a different artist each year. Alongside a headline solo performance at the Royal Festival Hall, the former One Direction frontman has assembled a programme that reflects both his personal taste and the eclectic spirit Meltdown is known for.

Opening the run is LA indie band Warpaint, while the closing night will feature a DJ set from James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. In between, the line-up spans established names and emerging acts, with performances from the likes of Nilüfer Yanya, Bar Italia, Stephen Fretwell and Orlando Weeks, alongside appearances from Devonté Hynes (performing with an ensemble) and Jon Hopkins in a collaborative live setting.

Meltdown has long been known for its genre-fluid approach, and Styles’ edition leans heavily into that legacy. Jazz features prominently, with multiple appearances from US saxophonist Kamasi Washington, including a full live presentation of his album Fearless Movement as well as a separate set reinterpreting jazz standards.

Elsewhere, Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke returns to the Southbank Centre, while UK-based artists such as drummer Yussef Dayes and multi-instrumentalist Shabaka Hutchings add to the programme’s live improvisational edge.

Electronic and experimental sounds are also well represented, with performances from Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Ninajirachi and a collaborative set featuring Jon Hopkins, Maddie Ashman and Leo Abrahams. On the pop-adjacent end, artists like Erika de Casier and Fousheé bring a more contemporary edge to the bill.

Styles himself will also perform a solo headline show at the Royal Festival Hall on the 16th of March, sitting alongside a busy summer that includes a run of Wembley Stadium dates.

“Music is my life,” Styles said of the curation. “Every artist involved in this year’s Meltdown festival means so much to me… it’s a true honour to host legends who have paved the way for the generations that follow them, as well as new acts that have inspired me to push my creative boundaries.”

Meltdown’s curatorship has previously been handled by artists including David Bowie, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Grace Jones and Little Simz last year, placing Styles in a long line of musicians trusted to shape the festival’s identity.

Tickets go on sale to Southbank Centre members from the 8th of April, before the general sale opens two days later on the 10th.

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