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Music and festivals

From pop pioneers to the diverse sounds of today, Britain has a long and dynamic musical legacy just waiting to be discovered. Our taste in music is just as eclectic and vibrant as our venues, with star-studded festivals, mighty classical concerts, hopping dance halls, and the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on our shores in 2023. Read on for the ultimate British playlist…

A music and festivals showcase

Why Britain's best for music and festivals

Love music? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you catch a gig in the Liverpool bar where The Beatles were discovered, tour Oasis and Joy Division’s Manchester hang-outs, or enjoy a soul-stirring Proms concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, you’ll find that Britain’s streets are paved with songs.

You can hear the best bands in the world at our famous music festivals, such as Glastonbury and Creamfields – or discover the next-big-thing on small, intimate stages – such as London’s Moth Club and Bush Hall. Often, music will take you to Britain’s most glorious locations too, such as Green Man Festival in the Brecon Beacons, or Scotland’s Hebridean Celtic Festival – set on the beautiful Isle of Lewis.

Sometimes, a great gig will catch you completely by surprise: a soulful saxophone played on a street corner perhaps, or a toe-tapping Celtic band in a Northern Irish pub. From centuries-old folk music played on traditional instruments, to cutting-edge dance music, A-list stars and emerging talents – here’s where to get into the groove.

Top music and festivals experiences

From a Beatles pilgrimage in Liverpool to a rock and roll tour of London, discover Britain’s best music experiences around the nation.

The summer signals festival season in Britain, so grab your wellies and get ready to party with one of the many music festivals taking place around the country.

Nici Eberl

Crowd at the Green Man Festival in front of the stage

From the Beatles’ Childhood Homes in Liverpool, to Abbey Road and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust street in London, discover the UK’s most iconic musical landmarks.

VisitBritain

Pianist playing in a moodily lit bar. Red lighting

Discover the spots that inspired the songs from The Clash and the Sex Pistols, to Queen and David Bowie.

VisitBritain/Chris Orange

Interior view of the Sky Garden

Love Me Do in Liverpool, the birthplace of the Beatles, as you follow in the footsteps of the Fab Four.

Oh Me Oh My

Rooftop of Oh me oh my restaurant in Liverpool

From the Edinburgh International Festival to Glasgow’s Celtic Connections, tune in to Scotland’s best festivals.

VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett

The arena at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo during a performance of the military event, parade ground and packed spectator seating. A light show projecting onto the castle walls. Marching band with a leading conductor, and massed pipers playing the bagpipes. Fireworks exploding in the night sky.

Top music and festival destinations

From its famous West End shows to musical museums, scroll down for 10 of the best music attractions in the city.

Where to find the best music and festival experiences

It’s not all about mega-stadiums, discover some of Britain’s most historic and quirky music venues.

Don’t miss the UK-exclusive last ever shows from The Eagles at Manchester’s vibrant new venue, Co-op Live.

Get your concert tickets

Manchester Co-Op Live

Promotional artwork for the final Eagles show at Manchester Co-Op Live
The Eagles – The Long Goodbye Final Tour

One of the most famous music venues in the UK, The Cavern Club helped launch the career of The Beatles.

The Cavern Club

VisitBritain/Rod Edwards

Liverpool

Inside club showing arched ceilings, coloured lights and stage
The Cavern Club

Witness an explosion of creative energy as Edinburgh hosts stand-up comedy, music, dance and more – for three action-packed weeks in August.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

VisitBritain/Pinzutu/Kit Oates/Peter Anderson

Street perfomer Peter Anderson, juggles swords in front of a crowd on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, during the Festival Fringe 2022.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Birmingham Mela

13th - 14th July 2024

Experience the sights and sounds of the UK’s biggest South Asian music festival, held every summer.

Spice things up at Birmingham Mela

VisitBritain/Mela Festival

Crowd of people in front of a stage at the Mela Festival watching a performance
Birmingham Mela

Home of the world-famous Proms, the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington is affectionately known as “the nation’s village hall”.

The Royal Albert Hall

VisitBritain/Jason Hawkes

Royal Albert Hall, London
The Royal Albert Hall

In Cardiff Bay, the Wales Millennium Centre hosts top-class live music and theatre shows from all over the world.

Book your tickets for Wales Millennium Centre

VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett

Person looking up at the front of a bronze building at night
Wales Millennium Centre

For a truly unforgettable experience, head to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, an outdoor theatre hewn out of a cliff-top.

Minack Theatre

VisitBritain/Sarah McNally

View from the top of the Minack Theatre
Minack Theatre

An intimate venue renowned for attraction the biggest names in music.

Discover more about the 100 Club

gelatoray

A jazz performer on stage at the 100 Club, an intimate and historic venue in the heart of London's Soho district
The 100 Club

It is the world’s oldest surviving music hall and Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping is one of London’s best-kept secrets.

Wilton’s Music Hall

missjonesrb/ian9972

Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton’s Music Hall

The Norwich Arts Centre is in a 14th century church, which came back to life as a music venue in the 1980s.

Norwich Arts Centre

Adni Sapey

Norwich Arts Centre
Norwich Arts Centre

Snape Maltings is a fabulous arts and concert hall in a converted Victorian malthouse.

Snape Maltings

brittenpearsarts

Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings

The Bristol Old Vic prides itself as being the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, running since 1766.

Bristol Old Vic

The Meaning of Zong @curtisrichardphotography/@bristololdvic1766

Actors performing in The Meaning of Zong at Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic

This opera house in a stately home, hosts the annual Glyndebourne Festival, where you get to dress up and picnic in the beautiful grounds.

Glyndebourne

McCoy Wynne

Crowd of people at Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne

The Barrowland Ballroom is a former dance hall and its excellent acoustics have resounded to everyone from The Clash to the Foo Fighters.

The Barrowland Ballroom

murrants

Two musicians on stage looking out to a large crowd of people dancing to the music and under bright lights and discoballs at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow
The Barrowland Ballroom

Don’t miss the UK-exclusive last ever shows from The Eagles at Manchester’s vibrant new venue, Co-op Live.

Get your concert tickets

Manchester Co-Op Live

Promotional artwork for the final Eagles show at Manchester Co-Op Live
The Eagles – The Long Goodbye Final Tour

One of the most famous music venues in the UK, The Cavern Club helped launch the career of The Beatles.

The Cavern Club

VisitBritain/Rod Edwards

Liverpool

Inside club showing arched ceilings, coloured lights and stage
The Cavern Club

Witness an explosion of creative energy as Edinburgh hosts stand-up comedy, music, dance and more – for three action-packed weeks in August.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

VisitBritain/Pinzutu/Kit Oates/Peter Anderson

Street perfomer Peter Anderson, juggles swords in front of a crowd on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, during the Festival Fringe 2022.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Birmingham Mela

13th - 14th July 2024

Experience the sights and sounds of the UK’s biggest South Asian music festival, held every summer.

Spice things up at Birmingham Mela

VisitBritain/Mela Festival

Crowd of people in front of a stage at the Mela Festival watching a performance
Birmingham Mela

Home of the world-famous Proms, the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington is affectionately known as “the nation’s village hall”.

The Royal Albert Hall

VisitBritain/Jason Hawkes

Royal Albert Hall, London
The Royal Albert Hall

In Cardiff Bay, the Wales Millennium Centre hosts top-class live music and theatre shows from all over the world.

Book your tickets for Wales Millennium Centre

VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett

Person looking up at the front of a bronze building at night
Wales Millennium Centre

For a truly unforgettable experience, head to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, an outdoor theatre hewn out of a cliff-top.

Minack Theatre

VisitBritain/Sarah McNally

View from the top of the Minack Theatre
Minack Theatre

An intimate venue renowned for attraction the biggest names in music.

Discover more about the 100 Club

gelatoray

A jazz performer on stage at the 100 Club, an intimate and historic venue in the heart of London's Soho district
The 100 Club

It is the world’s oldest surviving music hall and Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping is one of London’s best-kept secrets.

Wilton’s Music Hall

missjonesrb/ian9972

Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton’s Music Hall

The Norwich Arts Centre is in a 14th century church, which came back to life as a music venue in the 1980s.

Norwich Arts Centre

Adni Sapey

Norwich Arts Centre
Norwich Arts Centre

Snape Maltings is a fabulous arts and concert hall in a converted Victorian malthouse.

Snape Maltings

brittenpearsarts

Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings

The Bristol Old Vic prides itself as being the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, running since 1766.

Bristol Old Vic

The Meaning of Zong @curtisrichardphotography/@bristololdvic1766

Actors performing in The Meaning of Zong at Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic

This opera house in a stately home, hosts the annual Glyndebourne Festival, where you get to dress up and picnic in the beautiful grounds.

Glyndebourne

McCoy Wynne

Crowd of people at Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne

The Barrowland Ballroom is a former dance hall and its excellent acoustics have resounded to everyone from The Clash to the Foo Fighters.

The Barrowland Ballroom

murrants

Two musicians on stage looking out to a large crowd of people dancing to the music and under bright lights and discoballs at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow
The Barrowland Ballroom

Music tours in Britain

Brixton, London

Get to know the man behind Ziggy Stardust as you uncover the stories and sounds of a musical legend in Brixton and Soho.

Brit Music Tours

Stub

Brit Music Tours - David Bowie
The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester

Strut through the streets and discover the venues and places that make up Manchester’s musical legacy.

Manchester Music Walkabout Tour

A group of people on a music themed tour of Manchester
Different locations across London

A musical journey through the sounds of rock music, from 1950s beatnik coffee houses in Soho, to Freddie Mercury and Queen’s very own playground in Kensington.

London Rock Tour

Stub

People on the London Rock Tour coach
Liverpool Central Library, William Brown St, Liverpool

Follow in the footsteps of the band that took the world by storm, spy the world-famous Cavern Club and snap a at picture at the John Lennon Statue.

Brit Music Tours

Stub

Brit Music Tours - Beatles Liverpool
Tours across Glasgow's city centre

Discover the city’s legendary music spots on these toe-tapping walking tours, including folk pubs and the famous stage of King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut.

Glasgow Music City Tours

Stub

Glasgow Music City Tour Guide Fiona Shepherd presenting
Belfast, Northern Ireland

From the Oh Yeah music hub in the heart of Belfast, journey through the UNESCO City of Music.

Creative Tours Belfast

Stub

Group of people on street taking part in Belfast Music Tours
Marquis of Granby, 2 Rathbone St, London

Party, parade and prance through the dazzling streets of London’s West End, taking in the city’s theatres while listening to their musical sounds.

Silent Disco Walking Tours

A group of people on an outdoor Silent Disco in London's West End