Beyond The Music has named a second wave of artists for its third edition, which runs at MediaCity in Salford, Greater Manchester, from 6 to 9 October 2026. The additions include the British and Chinese electro duo SILVERWINGKILLER, the audio visual duo Another Country $$$$, and the alt rap outfit ALT BLK ERA.
They join a list that already carried Sunderland singer songwriter Tom A. Smith, who is also speaking at the event's creative industry forum, the Scottish art rock group Walt Disco, the British Jamaican artist, producer and rapper Superlative, and Manchester singer songwriter Cody Frost.
The event sits somewhere between a festival and a conference, and the 2026 programme leans hard on that split. Three days of panels, keynotes and debates are themed around Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, and stages across MediaCity carry the music alongside them.
Two set pieces sit outside the music entirely. There is an exclusive premiere of the 24th anniversary edition of 24 Hour Party People, the Michael Winterbottom film about Factory Records and Manchester's music scene, and the debut launch of Billboard UK's 40 Under 40 list.
The programme also includes an All Content AI Summit backed by Andy Burnham, bringing practitioners and policymakers from several content industries together around what the organisers describe as an integrity first position on AI. Festival tickets, delegate passes and single show tickets are all on sale.
Greater Manchester's venue map keeps shifting around events like this, with The White Hotel in Salford set to reopen as BASTION in 2027. Other UK indie festivals have been filling out their bills at the same time, including Pitchfork Festival London adding DIIV and Panda Bear. Confirmed names sit on the festival tracker.
The facts
- Third edition runs 6 to 9 October 2026 at MediaCity, Salford
- Second wave adds SILVERWINGKILLER, Another Country $$$$ and ALT BLK ERA
- Walt Disco, Superlative, Cody Frost and Tom A. Smith are also booked
- Programme includes a premiere of a 24 Hour Party People anniversary edition
- Billboard UK launches its 40 Under 40 list at the event
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