[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!
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[2025] A roundup of recommended bands from the UK. Plenty of rising acts, too! (41–50)
Dreadlock Holiday10cc
“I’m Not in Love” is well known in Japan, often used in commercials, and it showcases the quintessential 10cc style.
With a distinctive, not-too-quiet yet laid-back rock sound, it captivates fans, and the band has produced many hit songs in the UK.
[2025] A Roundup of Recommended UK Bands, with Many Up-and-Coming Acts! (51–60)
StayNo Devotion
A band formed by former members of Lostprophets and members of Thursday.
Compared to the bands they previously belonged to, it’s a completely different entity, offering a unique, danceable alternative sound with a hint of new wave.
Its gothic melodic sensibility has a curious texture that gently seeps into the listener’s ears.
Dirty old townThe Pogues
The Pogues is a British rock band formed in London around Irish vocalist Shane MacGowan.
They are world-famous for skillfully blending Celtic music with punk rock, and they’re a band I can recommend.
Not The American AverageAsking Alexandria
This is a track by a globally popular metal band from the UK that creates highly advanced and radical music.
The song puts their brutal elements and eccentricity front and center, making it a fresh listen.
It’s a perfect track for high schoolers who love new things.
Deja VuLionsheart
This is a band fronted by ex-Grim Reaper vocalist Steve Grimmett.
It’s from their second album, “Pride In Tact.” The bluesy, melody-driven vocals and riff work are steeped in sheer grit.
With vocals that rival Whitesnake in power and a precise guitar performance, the band’s strengths are undeniable.
Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve
This song, which became a major hit for The Verve, won the Best British Album at the Brit Awards.
The intro feels classical, then naturally transitions into a rock style, giving the piece a cohesive, fully realized quality.
Run To The HillsIron Maiden
They were a band that was hugely popular in the UK when they debuted in 1975, but from the mid-1980s they also expanded their success in the United States, and they’re a long-running band that even released an album in 2015.
By 2015, they had sold 9 billion album copies and are known as the most successful hard rock and heavy metal band in the world.