Billboard UK
Thirty years on from Britpop’s commercial zenith, the U.K. still can’t get enough of the scene’s so-called big three. In 2023, Blur scored a hard-won victory lap with their plaintive eighth album, The Ballad of Darren, and followed that up with two shows at London’s Wembley Stadium, their biggest ever performances. Oasis, meanwhile, will swagger […]
After three months, Alex Warren’s reign atop the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart has come to an end as Sabrina Carpenter ousts him from the No. 1 spot (June 13). His spell was broken by Carpenter’s “Manchild,” which achieved the feat with 6.8 million streams in its opening week. The song and its playful video were […]
Pulp has scored its first No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart in 27 years with eighth LP More (June 13). The Jarvis Cocker-led band previously had two chart-toppers to its name (1995’s Different Class and 1997’s This is Hardcore), and a number of top 10 placings throughout its career: 1994’s His ‘N’ Hers […]
Paul McCartney has paid tribute to the late Brian Wilson, 82, whose death was announced on Wednesday (June 11), calling his songs “achingly special” and that “I loved him.”
Yesterday, news broke that the Beach Boys leader had died, but a cause and date of death has not yet been announced. A post on Wilson’s official Instagram account wrote, “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
Tributes have been shared by a number of musical greats who were inspired by Wilson’s songwriting genius, including Bob Dylan, Elton John, Questlove and more.
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On his Instagram account on Thursday (June 12), McCartney wrote, “Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time.”
He added, “I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’. Thank you, Brian. – Paul.”
Wilson’s work on the seminal LP Pet Sounds (1966) was hugely influential on McCartney and The Beatles’ subsequent studio albums, particularly Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). McCartney cited “God Only Knows” as one of “the best songs ever written” and in 2000, inducted Wilson into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Speaking during the ceremony, McCartney declared his admiration for Wilson’s work. “In the ’60s, particularly, he wrote some music that when I played it, it made me cry and I don’t quite know why. It wasn’t necessarily the words or the music, it’s just something so deep in it, that there’s only certain pieces of music that can do this to me… I think it’s a sign of great genius to be able to do that with a bunch of music and a bunch of notes. And this man, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, that’s for sure.
He added, “So thank you, sir, for making me cry. For having that thing you can do with your music – you just put those notes, those harmonies together, stick a couple of words over the top and you’ve got me, any day.”
Following the release of Pet Sounds, Wilson was increasingly impacted by mental health struggles and he was eventually diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. In February 2024, it was announced that he was diagnosed with dementia. Wilson is survived by his daughters Carnie and Wendy from his 1964 marriage to Marilyn Rovell, as well as his five adopted children with his wife Melinda Ledbetter, who passed in early 2024. Read Billboard’s full obituary here.
LONDON — The U.K. government shared its spending review on Wednesday (Jun. 11), Labour’s first since it won 2024’s parliamentary election. The U.K. music industry, however, has raised concerns that funds are not being prioritized for the sector and warned that “action is needed now” to ensure its stature on the global stage.
The review has been keenly anticipated as sectors look to Labour to stimulate the economic growth promised in its election manifesto. The last full spending review was issued by the previous Conservative government in 2021, but in July 2024 Reeves claimed the Conservative party had overspent by £21.9 billion ($29.6 billion) and that “a necessary and urgent decision” on budgets was required. The review sets out day-to-day budgets for government departments for the next three years, and details long-term investment plans until the end of the decade.
In the new review, chancellor Rachel Reeves shared spending plans for the NHS (National Health Service), and across housing, defense, transport and more. In recent months, the U.K.’s stakeholders have lobbied the Labour government for additional funds for the music industry, but their calls appear to have gone largely unheard.
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Last Thursday (May 29), an open letter from the PRS Foundation called on the government to pledge £10 million ($13.5 million) per year for music export and exchange, with the goal of promoting the U.K. music scene on a global stage. The letter was signed by over 350 figures in the industry, including Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis, Beggars Group founder and chairman Martin Mills and rock band Nova Twins. The signatories said the fund would “stimulate the long-term growth of the U.K. music industry” and pointed to South Korea and Australia as nations that had seen successful export programs in recent years.
Gee Davy, chief executive of AIM (Association of Independent Music), said in a statement to Billboard U.K.: “The U.K.’s music is a key element of our soft power, which creates jobs and value for the economy beyond some sectors receiving help in the government spending review. But a combination of economic shocks has hit our sector, with an amplified effect on grassroots and independent music.”
She added, “To regain our position on the global stage we urgently need the government to step in with an ambitious export strategy and commit to long-term investment, alongside incentives to boost music creation with a tax credit scheme similar to that in film. Action is needed now.”
There’s also concern about the Labour government’s commitment to alleviating the live music scene’s struggles in recent years. Recent data from the MVT (Music Venues Trust) indicates that two grassroots venues are closing every month in the U.K. and that the wider night time scene – including bars, clubs and suppliers – is suffering.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the NTIA (Night Time Industry Associations) says that while the government’s commitment to long-term energy infrastructure was a positive step, “venues are struggling to keep the lights on today” due to rising costs in operation. He outlined that the night time industry contributes £153 billion ($207 billion) to the U.K. economy every year, and employs 2.1 million people, but that businesses need “clarity” on what to expect in relation to business rates and potential tax hikes in the near future.
“We need a budget that understands our value, not one that inadvertently accelerates decline,” Kill said. “The government must work in partnership with us. The capital investment plans may look bold, but the devil is in the detail. We need immediate support, clear fiscal strategy, and genuine engagement ahead of the Autumn budget if we are to safeguard a safe, thriving, and sustainable night time economy.”
Music in education settings has also been a key area of focus in recent months with huge talent throwing their weight behind the cause. At the BRITs in March, rising star Myles Smith used his winners’ speech to call on the government to make music education more accessible in state schools. Ed Sheeran, meanwhile, led a campaign backed by Elton John, Harry Styles and Coldplay that called for additional funding for lessons and instruments.
Damian Morgan, employability and industry lead at dBs Manchester, says that the “U.K.’s global success in music is no accident – it’s the result of years of investment, opportunity and education. But right now, we’re at a critical tipping point.” The dBs institutes in Manchester, Bristol and Plymouth offer professional training for students with an interest in music technology, game design and the creative industries.
Morgan adds, “Without serious and sustained support, we risk leaving behind a generation of talent that simply can’t afford to access the opportunities others take for granted. We need the government to take this seriously: invest in music education, protect it in the curriculum, and ensure young people from all backgrounds can find their way into our world-leading music industry.”
CMAT’s newest single, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me,” has a lightning-in-a-bottle quality that nothing she had released previously could quite compare.
The track, which will feature on the country-pop songwriter’s third LP Euro-Country (due Aug. 29 via AWAL), is bright, hooky and possessed of a subtle emotional pull. Under a soulful, spacious melody, the tone shifts continually: from self-reflection to blame-laying, from denial to weariness, frustration and regret.
So as much as this irresistible earworm encapsulates the Song of the Summer ethos with its easy, forthright and effortlessly cool arrangement, it also in a way defies it. It offers a pained and pointed depiction of body image struggles in a world of constant online commentary — evoking a sunlit mood with lyrics rooted in a wider, meaningful conversation. CMAT (an acronym of Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) recently explained to BBC 6 Music that the track is about the mental anguish she has experienced, having previously received a flood of “nasty comments” on her physical appearance.
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Since its release last month, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” has taken on a life of its own, picking up significant traction on TikTok while also translating into real-world success. What started as a playful dance challenge by app user Sam Morris, a 37-year-old content creator based in Brighton, has snowballed into a trend. The routine follows along with the words of the second verse — “I did the butcher/ I did the baker/ I did the home and the family maker/ I did schoolgirl fantasies” — with participants miming chopping and baking actions.
Dubbed the “Woke Macarena” in reference to its simple choreography, the song has soundtracked over 28,000 TikTok videos in recent weeks, with stars such as Lola Young and Julia Fox getting involved. CMAT, meanwhile, is currently in the midst of an extensive festival run: at the end of May, she thrilled a Main Stage crowd at London’s Wide Awake festival, while a Pyramid Stage slot at Glastonbury is on the horizon. Last week (June 6), she supported Sam Fender at London Stadium in front of an audience of 82,500 — the venue’s biggest sold-out show to date.
Prior to this, CMAT and her band delivered an electrifying rendition of “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” on Later… With Jools Holland, kicking off the Euro-Country campaign in earnest. The performance proved that she wants viewers to understand what she’s singing about on the deepest level possible, and if that requires theatrical emotions and dancing, she is more than willing to oblige. It wouldn’t be remiss, then, to suggest that prestige slots on U.S. late night shows may soon come along.
“CMAT is firmly and deservedly positioning herself as one of this summer’s breakout stars,” says Adam Read, music programs manager at TikTok UK. “This is a track that speaks directly to identity, self-image and transformation, all while being incredibly catchy. The fact that the choreography took shape organically and is now being performed at live shows by entire crowds is exactly the kind of cultural crossover we love to see.”
Unlike this time last year, when Sabrina Carpenter’s smash hit “Espresso” was dominating the British (and global) airwaves, there arguably hasn’t been a Song of the Summer frontrunner just yet. Alex Warren’s ballad “Ordinary” has remained firmly at the summit of the Official U.K. Singles Chart for the past 12 weeks — the longest-running U.K. No. 1 of the 2020s — yet its sighing, plaintive melody doesn’t quite speak to the easy-breezy feel of the season.
Read and the team at TikTok UK, however, have predicted “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” as a contender, alongside Afrobeats star Darkoo’s “Like Dat” and Charli xcx’s “Party 4 U.” The latter is a 2020 fan favorite that peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 last month (May 31), with Atlantic Records having pushed it towards U.S. contemporary hit radio over the spring.
With over 575,000 video creations under the #SongOfTheSummer hashtag, TikTok is a key launchpad for new music at this time of the year. CMAT, meanwhile, has gained over 26.6 million content views in the past month alone, leading to a 71% growth in her follower count and, in turn, pushing her monthly Spotify listeners over the 1 million mark. The song is continuing to climb Spotify’s Viral 50 — Global chart and is approaching 4 million streams on the service.
That begs the question: is this CMAT’s crown to take? The Dublin-raised musician has perhaps never been better primed to make a mainstream crossover. Her second LP, 2023’s Crazymad For Me saw her break the Top 40 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart for the first time (No. 23), while also scooping Mercury Prize, BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations; the former is a notable feat, given that 2022 debut If My Wife New I’d Be Dead failed to crack the Top 75.
Shrewd marketing from the Sony-owned AWAL, meanwhile, has also played a role in the success of “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me”; the track recently landed a glowing feature in The New York Times. “We realized very quickly that this would be an opportunity to broaden her out to new audiences,” says Victoria Needs, senior vp at AWAL. Having announced a worldwide deal with CMAT four years ago, Needs adds that the label’s vision for 2025 revolves around “solidifying her positioning in the U.K., Ireland and the rest of Europe,” as well as making “further inroads” in the U.S. with a North American headline tour booked for September.
CMAT finds herself in fine company on the world stage, with fellow Irish exports Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap having also pushed the needle forward in 2025. All three acts are making music with rich, defiant messaging, an attribute that chimes well with TikTok audiences, where songs can take off if they are attached to a particular story or movement; in this case, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” rings true with the collective female experience.
“CMAT is a great example of a real artist who has put in the work and has earned this moment,” AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick tells Billboard U.K. “Across three album campaigns, we have been fortunate to partner with her and do the hard artist development work that AWAL is known for, building her fan base from the ground up. We are all excited to see this powerful record connect with audiences globally.”
Over the past week, Pitbull has embarked on a run of arena shows in the U.K. and Ireland, but he may be experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Fans have thrown themselves into a viral fancy dress trend for his shows, donning black suits, bald caps and sunglasses and meeting up for flash mobs outside of the venues.
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Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Pérez, has now responded to the long-running trend in an interview with the BBC, calling it “priceless” to see fans replicate his look at his shows.
“Every time I’m at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you’re ready to have the time of your lives – it feels deeper than just music,” he said. “It’s the ultimate trophy to be able to go on stage and see all the hard work that you put into the music. I’ve been in the game for 25 years and to see every demographic, everybody [dressing up] at the shows is priceless.”
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On recent tours, fans, male and female, have adopted the Pitbull attire for the evening and meeting up outside the venue. The rapper and singer toured the U.K. and Ireland earlier this year in February, and has returned for an extended European run with two shows at London’s O2 Arena (June 9, 10) and concluding in Stockholm, Sweden on June 29.
Speaking to the BBC, Pitbull expanded on his continued popularity on a global scale. “There’s an irony as I’m kind of an anomaly in the music business,” he said. “In the Latin world they said I was too English, and in the English world I was too Latin, so to bring it together now, when it all really started around 2010, feels really good.”
Pitbull, who performs in both English and Spanish, has had a number of hits both in the U.K. and U.S. throughout his career, including two No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 (2011’s “Give Me Everything” and 2013’s “Timber”). He released his most recent LP, Trackhouse, in 2023 and over his career has collected nine Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Noel Gallagher has teamed up with Mantra of the Cosmos, a supergroup composed of Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder and Bez, Ride’s Andy Bell and former The Who drummer Zak Starkey, for a new song “Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous).”
The song was first teased earlier this year and released on a limited vinyl run, and is now available to listen to on streaming services. Speaking to The Times in January, Gallagher described the psych-rock song: “It’s Dylan, Dali, Ginsberg and a bit of cosmic jibber-jabber. Add in Bez, who dances on the tunes like Zak plays the drums and Andy Bell plays all things stringed, and you have it.”
The band celebrated the limited vinyl release back in January with a show at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, where Starkey’s father Ringo Starr played early shows with The Beatles beginning in 1962.
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In a matter of weeks, Gallagher will kick off the Oasis reunion tour in Cardiff, Wales on July 4, with a run of shows in the U.K. and Ireland, North America, Asia and beyond. Bell is reported to join the Oasis lineup on bass, reprising a role he held between 1999 and 2009, appearing on three of their studio LPs. Starkey, who played in Oasis’ lineup from 2004 and 2008, appears to not be in the reunion tour, with Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.) set to take on the drummer role.
Recently Starkey has been embroiled in an ongoing saga regarding his position as drummer of The Who. Starkey joined the band in 1996 and accompanied the Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend-led band on a number of global tours.
Following a gig in March, however, Starkey was seemingly axed by the band over his performance, particularly on the show’s final track “The Song Is Over.” Following reports of his sacking, The Who blamed “communication issues” which “had been happily aired” and that Starkey was, indeed, back in the band.
Weeks later in late May, Starkey’s tenure in the band seemingly came to an abrupt end, and he claimed on his Instagram that Daltrey had asked him to “retire” from the band. Speaking on BBC 6 Music on Monday (June. 9), Starkey claimed that the issue arose from “two dropped beats” in the performance, but that “I’ve watched the gig over and over again on YouTube and I can’t find them.”
The Who will embark on their final North American tour this summer, kicking off in Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL on Aug. 16.
Listen to “Domino Bones” below.
Lola Young and Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall will collect prestigious awards from ASCAP at a ceremony in London next Tuesday (June 17).
The “Messy” hitmaker will be awarded the Vanguard Award which recognises an artist whose “innovative work is helping to shape the future of music,” and follows Young’s success at the Ivor Novello Awards in May in the Rising Star Category.
First released in May 2024, “Messy” enjoyed a month-long stay at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart earlier this year, and peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also topped the Pop Airplay and the Rock & Alternative Airplay charts. Later this month, Young will perform at Glastonbury Festival.
Simply Red’s Hucknall will also be celebrated at the ASCAP London Music Awards with the Golden Note Award which recognizes his songwriting catalog over the past 40 years as the lead singer and songwriter in Simply Red as well as in his solo career.
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The group released their debut LP, Picture Book, in 1985 and the band boasts five U.K. No. 1 LPs, and two of their songs – “Holding Back the Years” (1986) and “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (1989) – hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2025, Simply Red embarked on a 40th anniversary tour through the U.K., Europe and South America.
”Mick Hucknall has made an indelible mark on a generation with his impassioned vocals and classic songwriting,” said songwriting great and ASCAP chairman of the board and president Paul Williams. “His singular mix of soul, funk and pop sounds made him a master of blue-eyed soul. We are thrilled to present him with the ASCAP Golden Note Award.”
The Golden Note Award has not been handed out since 2016 when Duran Duran were chosen for the prize. Other previous recipients include George Michael, Elton John, Blondie, Usher, Lionel Richie, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder.
ASCAP will celebrate both Young and Hucknall at a private event in London on June 17, with U.K. songwriters honored in categories such as song of the year, top streaming song, top hot dance/ electronic song and more.
Exceleration Music has announced an agreement to acquire Cooking Vinyl, a key independent music company in the U.K. market (Jun. 9).
The move is the latest by Exceleration, lead by former Concorde CEO Glen Barros alongside influential executives John Burk, Amy Dietz, Charles Caldas and Dave Hansen, to consolidate its standing in the independent music space, offering distribution, investment and label support services.
In 2023, Exceleration also acquired distribution company Redeye Worldwide, joining existing labels such as +1 Records, Alligator, Azadi, Bloodshot, Candid, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, Redeye Worldwide, SideOneDummy, The Ray Charles Foundation/Tangerine Records and Yep Roc Records in Exceleration’s portfolio.
Cooking Vinyl originated in 1993 with its signing of folk troubadour and activist Billy Bragg, and over its 32-year history, has worked with acts such as Shed Seven, Suzanne Vega, Passenger, The Prodigy, The Cranberries, The Darkness, Deacon Blue, 47 Soul, Roger Waters and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
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In 2024, Cooking Vinyl enjoyed a pair of No. 1 albums with two separate LPs by Shed Seven hitting the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart: January’s A Matter of Time and September’s Liquid Gold. In February 2025, The Darkness hit No. 2 with Dreams on Toast.
A press release adds that Cooking Vinyl will operate independently and continue to be led by managing director Rob Collins, with founder Martin Goldschmidt remaining in his position as chairman. Cooking Vinyl Publishing UK, Cooking Vinyl Publishing Australia and Motus Music, the statement continues, are not included within the acquisition.
“At Cooking Vinyl, we’ve worked tirelessly to help our artists achieve both artistic and commercial success — without ever compromising their uniqueness or creative control. This deal enhances that mission,” says Collins in a statement.
“Our artists will still benefit from our close-knit, highly personalised team that combines deep industry expertise with old-fashioned hard graft. But now, with the expanded U.S. capabilities, enhanced resources, and the broader global reach of the Exceleration structure, we’re able to offer even stronger support to our current and future roster. I look forward to working with their team to spearhead this next phase for Cooking Vinyl!”