Manchester's premiere music conference and festival Beyond The Music returned this month, this time taking over Salford's Media City. The daytime conference brought together some of the most influential and forward-thinking music business professionals for discussions on industry inequalities, innovative music-making and the future of the industry landscape. Highlights were the discussion with the team behind Yungblud and the keynote with Steve Coogan marking the anniversary

Danish duo A Good Year have only been releasing music since 2024 but have rapidly cemented themselves in the Alternative Indie scene. Their musical catalogue transports the listener into a dusky, smoky parallel world. Punctuated by the duo’s ability to effortlessly add their own flare. This universe-transforming superpower is explicitly demonstrated in ‘Play’, the duo’s follow up to ‘Sofina (Soundtrack)’. Photo Credit: Johanna Hvidtved The album begins its enchantment with ‘D

Whether its Folk, Indie, Rock our Alternative, discover the best new artists emerging out of America right now... Animal Scream Animal Scream is the psych-pop project of songwriter-producer Chad Monticue, and Don't Tell Me You Want Me is great insight into his surrealistically cinematic brain. Driven by heavy drums, reminiscent of Fontaines D.C.'s Romance era, and wrapped in the moody, hazy atmosphere of early The Neighbourhood, the track establishes a powerful sound from the

2025 didn't just bring us some incredible albums and some defining releases from the biggest voices in the Indie world, it also uncovered a slew of exciting new voices who we believe are in for a huge 2026. From scrappy Indie Rock youngsters to bands who are on the crest of a wave ready to plunge into their debut albums, here's an unordered list of acts you need to watch out for this year. Fright Years ‘Dye Star’ feels like the moment things start to get dangerous. Fright Yea

On a warm Autumn night in Manchester, we saw the long awaited return of one of the city's brightest talents, Phoebe Green, all thanks to the work wonderful work of Independent Venue Week who have showcasing the #BestofBritish at shows across the country. Photo Credit: Kitty Handley Known for her introspective and uniquely relatable lyricism and hypnotic electro-pop textures, Phoebe has long been at the forefront of Manchester's emerging scene. Her 2020 single 'Reinvent' beca

The Dublin five-piece’s sophomore album arrives like a brick through a window. ‘Nobody’s Coming To Save You’ is a title that initially reads like a threat, until you take time and listen to the album. This isn’t an album rooted in despair, it’s built on acceptance. Nobody’s coming to pull you out of the mess. The only way through it is forwards. Gurriers don’t pretend to have the answer, instead they soundtrack the moment that people stop waiting for someone else to make the

You only need to glance at the cover art for Keo’s debut album ‘Put On A Smile For Me’ to understand what they stand for. It looks like a faded 90s band T-shirt picked up in a vintage sale at a freshers fair, perfectly encapsulating their modern Grunge aesthetic. Photo Credit: Hermione Sylvester As one of the most talked about new guitar bands in the country, with constant comparisons to their Grunge revival peers Wunderhorse, this record manages to live up to the hype while

Beyond The Music, Manchester's creative industry conference and music showcase returns from October 6-9 for three days of vital, policy-setting, conversations, lectures and networking events as well as three nights of break through music showcased across venues in Salford. TICKETS ON SALE NOW Photo Credit: Mark Waugh The full 2026 conference programme titled Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness details Beyond The Music’s commitment to a strengthened, connected and colla

Since 2021, No Play have provided grassroots music for the scene, by the scene, and this year's festival is no different. 35 Bands across 5 stages provided the perfect day out for any Alternative or Hardcore Fans, with a strong sense of community throughout every aspect of the festival. No Play Festival encapsulates everything incredible about the Hardcore and Alternative fellowship, especially within the North West. Photo Credit: @eyes_widephotography Based in the heart of L