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2026 in British music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a summary of the year 2026 in British music.

Events

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January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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Charts and sales

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Number-one singles

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The singles chart includes a proportion for streaming.

Chart date
(week ending)
Song Artist(s) Chart sales References
1 January "Last Christmas" Wham! 92,580 [50]
8 January "Where Is My Husband!" Raye 43,910 [51]
15 January "End of Beginning" Djo 47,898 [52]
22 January 53,743 [53]
29 January "Raindance" Dave and Tems 50,474 [54]
5 February "Aperture" Harry Styles 70,498 [55]
12 February "Raindance" Dave and Tems 43,829 [56]
19 February "Opalite" Taylor Swift 47,509 [57]
26 February "Rein Me In" Sam Fender and Olivia Dean 43,425 [58]
5 March 46,272 [59]
12 March 62,104 [60]
19 March "American Girls" Harry Styles 64,056 [61]
26 March "Rein Me In" Sam Fender and Olivia Dean 61,422 [62]
2 April 62,384 [63]
9 April 60,713 [64]
16 April 60,510 [65]
23 April 55,822 [66]
30 April "Drop Dead" Olivia Rodrigo 65,435 [67]
7 May "Rein Me In" Sam Fender and Olivia Dean 58,189 [68]
14 May 56,538 [69]

Number-one albums

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The albums chart includes a proportion for streaming.

Chart date
(week ending)
Album Artist(s) Chart sales References
1 January Christmas Michael Bublé 20,818 [70]
8 January The Art of Loving Olivia Dean 16,903 [71]
15 January 17,141 [72]
22 January 16,836 [73]
29 January Britpop Robbie Williams 34,157 [74]
5 February How Did I Get Here? Louis Tomlinson 28,416 [75]
12 February The Art of Loving Olivia Dean 18,557 [76]
19 February 18,490 [77]
26 February Wuthering Heights Charli XCX 21,071 [78]
5 March Prizefighter Mumford & Sons 35,505 [79]
12 March The Mountain Gorillaz 29,982 [80]
19 March Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally Harry Styles 183,045 [81]
26 March 26,524 [82]
2 April Arirang BTS 41,551 [83]
9 April This Music May Contain Hope Raye 46,976 [84]
16 April The Weight of the Woods Dermot Kennedy 22,155 [85]
23 April The Art of Loving Olivia Dean 12,585 [86]
30 April You Got This Skindred 20,414 [87]
7 May The Great Divide Noah Kahan 55,826 [88]
14 May The Essential Michael Jackson Michael Jackson 29,453 [89]

Number-one compilation albums

[edit]

The compilation albums chart includes a proportion for streaming.

Chart date
(week ending)
Album Chart sales References
1 January KPop Demon Hunters 10,673 [90]
8 January 11,111 [91]
15 January 9,229 [92]
22 January 8,993 [93]
29 January 8,620 [94]
5 February 8,224 [95]
12 February 7,966 [96]
19 February 7,608 [97]
26 February 7,926 [98]
5 March 7,007 [99]
12 March 6,932 [100]
19 March Help(2) 18,491 [101]
26 March KPop Demon Hunters 6,385 [102]
2 April 6,184 [103]
9 April 6,421 [104]
16 April 6,338 [105]
23 April 5,629 [106]
30 April Now 123 6,088 [107]
7 May KPop Demon Hunters 5,023 [108]
14 May 4,657 [109]

Deaths

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See also

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References

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  3. ^ "Press Announcement: London Symphony Orchestra Names Next Managing Director" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  4. ^ Savage, Mark (9 January 2026). "'It's incredible, surreal': Skye Newman wins BBC Radio 1's Sound of 2026". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Zoë Curnow appointed as Executive Director" (Press release). Orchestra of the Swan. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  6. ^ Clarke, Naomi (19 January 2026). "Brits Critics' Choice: Jacob Alon crowned winner". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  7. ^ Savage, Mark (23 January 2026). "Robbie Williams breaks The Beatles' chart record with his 16th number one album Britpop". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
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  41. ^ Clarke, Naomi; Murphy, Ian (10 March 2026). "Radio 1's Big Weekend: Olivia Dean and Niall Horan to headline". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
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  44. ^ Savage, Mark (28 January 2026). "Harry Styles adds record-breaking 12th show to Wembley Stadium residency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
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  49. ^ Waple, Katie (28 October 2025). "Boomtown festival 2026 line-up announced". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
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  111. ^ Henk, Kremer (5 January 2026). "Bassist Andrew Bodnar (o.a. Graham Parker & The Rumour) overleden". hitzound.com. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
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  113. ^ Holt, James; Feric, Carla (12 January 2026). "Good Old Days and Coronation Street star dies aged 94". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  114. ^ Martin Kettle and Imogen Tilden (11 January 2026). "Andrew Clements, Guardian's classical music critic, dies aged 75". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
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  116. ^ "Obituary: John Wallace, 1949–2026" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  117. ^ Murray, Robin (15 January 2026). "Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  118. ^ "Muere el músico Danny Coughlan, alias Crybaby". muzikalia.com. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  119. ^ "Much-loved Guild member and writer Des De Moor passes away". British Guild of Beer Writers. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
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  121. ^ Holmes, Ian (21 February 2026). "Blackburn Cathedral pays tribute after death of former music director Dr John Bertalot". blackburnlife.com. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  122. ^ Banner, Megan (2 March 2026). "The Quarrymen's Len Garry dies aged 84". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  123. ^ "Mike Vernon, Legendary Producer and British Blues Champion Has Died Aged 81". MNPR Magazine. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
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