Slam Dunk? We believe so! In fact, the festival's twentieth birthday had one of the strongest weekends to date. The duelling dates at both Leeds and Hatfield rarely miss, but this year sunk the basket with its most ambitious roster yet. Staying true to its pop-punk roots, American high-fliers GOOD CHARLOTTE take the headlining slot, flanked by TAKING BACK SUNDAY and DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL. On the newer, heavier rebranding of their other main stage, hardcore takes precedent wi

For many of us, GOOD CHARLOTTE is one of the many cornerstones of early 2000’s pop-punk and our gateway drug into the genre. Now, in 2026, they are about to headline Slam Dunk Festival, playing a European exclusive show. Having formed in Maryland, USA all the way back in 1995, the band, built around twin brothers JOEL and BENJI MADDEN, accompanied by PAUL THOMAS and BILLY MARTIN , have been staples in the headphones of many since their inception. With a somewhat softer sound

When a completely unknown band appears on the lineup for one of the biggest rock festivals in the world, people notice. When that band has released no music, shows no faces, and speaks only in cryptic teasers? People start investigating. That’s exactly what happened when PRESIDENT burst onto the scene in February 2025 after appearing on the lineup for Download Festival. At the time, the name meant absolutely nothing to anyone. No singles, no music videos, no press—just a nam

Slam Dunk Festival has long been one of the UK’s most beloved celebrations of alternative music, building its reputation on bringing together the best of pop-punk, hardcore, metalcore, and alternative rock. What started as a relatively small gathering has evolved into a staple of the UK festival circuit, balancing scene legends with the rising acts shaping the future of heavy music. Taking place on Saturday 23rd May in Hatfield and Sunday 24th May in Leeds, this year’s lineup

At the forefront of today’s pop-punk scene is Neck Deep, the band shaping the genre’s future with their bold creativity and unmistakable...

The winter is coming to an extremely welcome end and the sun is starting to shine upon us once again, and for the music fans among us...

Words: Amber Brooks, Amy Watson, Dulce Mendes, Katerina Stepanikova and Vee Richardson Here it is- The monolithic 20+ festival guide to...

Read to hear what we thought of the acts at Slam Dunk South 2024. Bob Vylan At the Kerrang! Tent, the air is thick with riotous energy....