![[2025] A roundup of recommended UK bands, featuring many up-and-coming artists!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/UVzVUDXoi0Y/maxresdefault.webp)
[2025] A roundup of recommended UK bands, featuring many up-and-coming artists!
In Japan, both now and in the past, bands from the UK have been especially popular among Western music.
As fellow island nations, there’s a shared sensibility—those slightly damp, melancholic melodies and lyricism resonate perfectly with Japanese tastes, and many people are also drawn to the distinctly European worldview.
In this article, we’ve researched recommended UK bands.
The first half spotlights up-and-coming and new artists you should watch to understand the “now” of Britain, while the second half takes a broader look—centered on rock—at veterans and mid-career acts you ought to know.
It features plenty of bands that are great for beginners to UK rock and Western music alike, so be sure to check it out!
[2025] A roundup of recommended UK bands, featuring many up-and-coming artists (1–10)
I’m In Love With YouThe 1975
THE 1975 is a four-piece band from the UK.
Formed in 2002, they have remained at the forefront of the UK rock scene since their 2013 debut.
Centered on pop rock, their appeal lies in a distinctive sound that fuses a wide range of genres, including R&B, electronic, and jazz.
Their debut album, The 1975, produced hits like “Sex” and “Chocolate,” and their subsequent albums have all reached No.
1 in the UK.
Their 2016 release, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It, also hit No.
1 in the US.
Frontman Matty Healy’s emotional vocals and lyrics that capture the zeitgeist from a distinctly British perspective are striking.
They’re a recommended band not only for fans of UK rock, but also for newcomers to Western music.
Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOdBring Me The Horizon
Bring Me The Horizon has grown into a rock band that the UK can proudly present to the world.
Formed in Sheffield in 2004, they began with deathcore, moved through metalcore, and evolved into a unique sound that incorporates elements of pop and electronica.
They made a name for themselves with their debut EP, This Is What the Edge of Your Seat Was Made For, and reached No.
3 on the UK charts in 2013 with Sempiternal.
In 2015, they achieved the remarkable feat of hitting No.
2 on the US charts with That’s the Spirit.
Alongside their musical evolution, their live performances have transformed from the intense shows of their early days into more refined expressions.
Their constant pursuit of new musical possibilities captivates not only rock fans but a wide range of music listeners.
nightmaresHard Life
Hailing from Leicester, UK, Hard Life has been gaining popularity for their unique sound that fuses alternative R&B, hip-hop, jazz, Afrobeat, and more.
They placed second in the Sound of 2020 poll, and their debut album Life’s a Beach, released in 2021, reached No.
2 on the U.
S.
charts.
The following year, they made their first visit to Japan with a performance at Summer Sonic.
Originally active under the band name easy life, they were forced to change their name after being sued for trademark infringement.
Overcoming that setback, they released a track called “tears” in June 2024, marking a new beginning—one to watch closely going forward.
the gardenunpeople
The emerging alternative rock band Unpeople, where heavy guitar riffs fuse with lyrical melodies, is rapidly gaining presence.
Formed in the UK in 2024, the four-piece has been making a striking mark on the music scene with socially conscious lyrics and catchy sounds.
Their album “unpeople” was praised by Metal Hammer as “the most promising debut in the UK metal scene in 2024,” and their energetic live performances are also generating buzz.
Their October 2024 London show sold out immediately.
Their music, which reveals delicate sensibilities within a powerful sound, is recommended not only for fans of heavy rock but also for those drawn to melodious songs.
Heat WavesGlass Animals
They’re a four-piece electronic/pop band from Oxford, England.
They released their debut album, Zaba, in 2014, gaining attention with hit singles like Gooey.
Their second album, How to Be a Human Being, in 2016 received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.
Known for a distinctive approach that portrays different stories and characters on each album, their sound—infused with psychedelic elements—leaves a powerful impression.
After overcoming the challenge of their drummer being in an accident in 2018, the band grew even more united and released their third album, Dreamland, in August 2020.
Tracks from the album reached No.
1 in the United States, earning them worldwide success.
As a fresh talent in UK rock, they’re highly recommended for a wide range of music fans.
2005South Arcade
A rising star of pop punk born in Oxford, UK.
The four-piece band South Arcade has been turning heads since forming in 2021 with a fresh sound that revives the diverse musical styles of the 2000s for today.
They made their debut in 2023 and, in just one year, achieved the milestone of surpassing one million streams on Spotify.
Influenced by Pale Waves and Bring Me The Horizon, their music strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and novelty.
Their rehearsal clips on Instagram and TikTok have generated buzz, and in November 2024 they also appeared on BBC Radio 1’s New Music Live.
With melodious sounds and energetic live performances, they shine as one of the most promising acts on the UK music scene.
Highly recommended for fans of pop punk and alternative rock.
Nothing MattersThe Last Dinner Party
The Last Dinner Party is a five-piece indie rock band formed in London in 2021.
They shot to prominence with their 2023 debut single “Nothing Matters,” and released their debut album, “Prelude to Ecstasy,” in February 2024.
Their music features elements of art rock, eccentric vocals, and a distinctive visual aesthetic that fuses decadence with purity.
Drawing inspiration from a wide range of works—by figures such as Jane Austen, Sofia Coppola, and David Lynch—their world-building captivates many fans.
Their stage shows are also a highlight, incorporating diverse fashion elements like gothic, fetish, and 80s styles.
As a new talent in UK rock, they’re a band whose future success is highly anticipated.