Over fifty new artists have been added for Reading & Leeds 2024, the Festival that attracts 240,000 combined visitors a year and the largest festival devoted solely to music.
Reading & Leeds’ unique soundscape – the beating heart of youth culture – continues its constant evolution with this latest cohort of contemporary artists reshaping music on their own terms.
Artists added to the line-up today include some of Gen Z’s leading talents – pop icon in-the-making and star of the new ‘Mean Girls: The Musical’ Reneé Rapp, guitar-pop hero Beabadoobee, rapidly rising singer-songwriter David Kushner, Tik-Tok sensation Arthur Hill, the ever-evolving alternative hit maker Ashnikko, Kenya Grace who has taken the world by storm with her viral electro-pop mixes and indie pop darlings The Japanese House.
Also joining are two indie trailblazers and fan favourites Two Door Cinema Club and The Wombats with a bottomless trickbag of festival anthems between them. Other rock and indie acts announced today include the return one of Ireland’s most intoxicating rock Irish groups post-punk upstarts Fontaines D.C., Wrexham’s finest ‘generic pop-punk’ heroes, Neck Deep, American Bleachers led by Lana Del Rey collaborator Jack Antonoff, newcomers and winners of the BBC Sound of Poll 2024, The Last Dinner Party, plus Pendulum, one of the biggest electronic rock crossover bands of all time.
Taking to the stage is hip-hop connoisseur and elite producer Kenny Beats, as well as Florida rapper Denzel Curry, celebrated for his high-energy live performances and embraced by both the rap and rock worlds. Joining them will be Nia Archives, who is driving drum and bass forward with innovative hyper-fast breakbeats, singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri and the genre-blending Hak Baker.
Feel-good dance pop act Confidence Man will bring their portable party to the festival, singer and producer Chinchilla will bring her own unique wonderland of pop. Also joining is one of the most original, contemporary live electronic acts Overmono, Derby born M.C. and bassline innovator Bru-C, chart-topping synth-pop extraordinaire G Flip, London rapper Skrapz, Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap and laidback indie pop artist Zach Templar who will bring dreamy summer vibes in abundance.
Dance music will be at the forefront as Reading and Leeds plays host to electrifying DJs including the huge Barry Can’t Swim and legendary house DJ Sonny Fodera. There will be a spotlight on drum and bass, including the innovative Bou, the chart-topping goddard., plus drum and bass extraordinaire A Little Sound whose dreamy anthems are pushing the genre’s resurgence and Manchester based producer Sota. Joining them will be Sim0ne, multi-instrumentalist producer KiLLOWEN bringing his fusion of garage and dance, award-winning house music producer Dom Dolla, live jungle production duo the 4am Kru and Jackum’s bumpy house hooks.
More artists include indie singer-songwriter Matt Maltese, social media sensation Mackenzy Mackay, Australian metalcore band The Amity Affliction, pop-punk duo Loveless, rock sensation Mannequin Pussy and lead singer of American rock band The Neighborhood, Jesse.
Joining them are Irish folk-inspired band Kingfishr, alt-rock group Militarie Gun, Manchester-based drum and bass producer Sota, local Reading indie group Only the Poets, underground nu-metal ‘king’ Deijuvhs, punk rockers Bad Nerves, Scotland’s finest Dead Pony, Brighton-based alternative singer James Marriot and soulful punk duo Big Special.
Guitar music is further represented across the bill with the addition of Spiritual Cramp, the intense energy of Loathe, the fierce presence of Destroy Boys, the outstanding punk trio Dream Wife.
Aussie pop-punkers Yours Truly, the distinctive sound of The Scratch, queer post-punk band Thus Love, and the alt-folk rising star Paris Paloma, known for her viral feminist anthem ‘labour.’ Adding a twist of electronic rock are Liverpool’s own Courting, the grunge-tinged Crawlers, buzzing indie band Wunderhorse, Swedish punk band Viagra Boys, indie-pop group Corella, Manchester-based rock group The K’s and punk rock innovator Kid Brunswick.
Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic: “It’s thrilling to announce such an incredible range of groundbreaking artists who are shaping the music scene in real time. Reading & Leeds doesn’t stand still; our audience demands the best and our line up strives to reflect what people are currently listening to. As the UK’s biggest and best music festival, Reading & Leeds is a unique and prestigious platform which attracts the world’s biggest artists. We’re proud to always be at the cutting edge and keen eyes may have spotted another evolution for the show on the poster; ‘The Chevron’ – details of which will be revealed soon.”
Tickets on sale now
www.readingandleedsfestival.com/
Main image by Maddie Armstrong for Leeds Living.
