Meltdown has its next headline decision-maker: Harry Styles will curate the festival’s 31st edition at the Southbank Centre—and he’s also slated to deliver a headline concert during the run. The dates are set (June 11–21, 2026), but the specific night of his performance is still unspecified, keeping the biggest ticket in suspense.
In his announcement statement, Styles said his goal is “to share the music and art that I love,” framing the booking less as a pop-star takeover and more as a taste-making assignment. That matters because Meltdown’s core idea is curation as autobiography: the lineup becomes a map of influence, obsession, and curiosity—and the festival’s wider “music plus arts” remit gives the curator room to build a world, not just a bill.
Organizers say his programming will reach from pop and soul to electronic, rock, and underground scenes, with emerging British talent in the mix. Translation: expect genre-crossing linkups and a few “how did they get that slot?” surprises—especially with a global hitmaker steering a historically left-field festival format.
