Harry Styles is booked and busy. The singer and actor confirmed he'll be curating and headline the 2026 edition of Meltdown, a music festival at London’s Southbank Centre (which is also the world’s longest-running artist-curated music festival).
The event will take place 11–21 June 2026 and coincides with the 75th anniversary of the iconic riverside venue, which also serves as the central hub for the London Film Festival and the BAFTA Film Awards. Styles will not only oversee the lineup but will also perform a headline concert during the 11-day celebration.
Styles said he is "deeply honoured" to curate the festival during such a milestone year. "My goal as the curator is to share the music and art that I love, and to celebrate the rich history of the venue,” he said, highlighting the Southbank Centre’s long-standing role in making great music accessible to the public.
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How can I buy tickets?
Tickets go on sale in April. The Members’ presale will take place on Thursday 9 April at 10am (which is 7pm AEST), followed by a general sale on Friday 10 April at 10am (also 7pm AEST). All tickets are available via the Southbank Centre.
Given Styles’ recent record-breaking demand – including 30 dates at Madison Square Garden that drew more than 11 million presale applications and a historic 12-night run at Wembley Stadium – tickets for his Meltdown headline performance are expected to sell quickly.
Who will be on the lineup?
The offical lineup has now been announced, and it's as great as we expected. In testament to the unparalleled Australian music scene (and Styles' impeccable taste), it includes a set from Australian DJ and producer Ninajarichi. There's also names like Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), Bar Italia, and Warpaint. The full lineup is as follows:
- Harry Styles
- Mulatu Astatke
- Yussef Dayes
- Erika De Casier
- Beverly Glenn-Copeland
- Devonté Hynes Ensemble
- Warpaint
- Kamasi Washington
- James Murphy
- Ninajirachi
- Bar Italia
- Fousheé
- Jon Hopkins with Maddie Ashman and Leo Abrahams
- Shabaka & Friends
- Orlando Weeks
- Nilüfer Yanya
- Stephen Fretwell
- Getdown Services
In a statement about the genre-defying lineup , Styles said: “Music is my life; every artist involved in this year’s Meltdown festival means so much to me, both as a fan and a musician. 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.”
What exactly is Meltdown festival?
It's one of the UK’s most anticipated annual music events, having run annually since 1993. Each year, for ten straight days across each of Southbank's venues, a a guest artist is invited to curate the lineup – and Meltdown has a history of high-profile curators, including Little Simz in 2025, as well as past editions led by Robert Smith, Grace Jones (who's about to play in Australia) and Nile Rodgers.
The festival has become famed for offering exclusive collaborations and intimate, once-in-a-lifetime musical experiences. So the anticipation is palpable for what Styles will bring to the table in 2026.
