NME Celebrates 20 Years of The Great Escape with The Kooks
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM; 5 MARCH, 2026 – Today, NME (nme.com), the world’s defining voice in music and pop culture since 1952, partners with The Great Escape, the UK’s leading festival for new music discovery, to announce British indie favourites The Kooks will headline a 20th Anniversary Spotlight Show at the TGE Beach on Wednesday, 13 May 2026.
Formed in Brighton in 2004, The Kooks were among the breakthrough acts to perform at the very first edition of The Great Escape in 2006, the same year they released their now multi-platinum debut album ‘Inside In/Inside Out’, also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Off the strength of that album, which NME rated 8/10, The Kooks went on to grace the NME Stage at Oxegen Festival and Club NME in Los Angeles later that year, and to a nomination for Best New Band at the 2007 NME Awards. The Kooks have been part of the fabric of British indie, and the NME universe, ever since.
Now, for The Great Escape’s 20th anniversary, NME is proud to present The Great Escape 20th Anniversary Spotlight Show featuring The Kooks, taking place Wednesday, 13 May on the TGE Beach.
Access to The Kooks’ Spotlight Show will be via standalone tickets, available on general sale on Friday 13 March via greatescapefestival.com, with artist and TGE presales on Tuesday 10 March.
Luke Pritchard of The Kooks said: “Brighton always feels like coming home in a way no other city does. The Great Escape is special because it’s fundamentally about music happening in rooms where you can feel people breathing. There’s something really powerful about when the distance between the band and the crowd just disappears. It always takes us back to the beginning and why we started this in the first place. I hope people leave feeling like they caught something rare, we can’t wait to see you there!”
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Great Escape to celebrate two decades of music discovery – and to bring The Kooks back to the festival for a special show in a full-circle moment. Here’s to 20 years of new music and many more ahead!” said NME Managing Editor (Music) Karen Gwee.
NME’s mission has always been about what’s new and what’s next – and the Great Escape’s 2026 line-up proves the pipeline is as strong as ever. Alongside The Kooks, TGE has announced over 100 new artists joining the bill.
Rooted in new music discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, The Great Escape is the festival for new music. Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across 35+ walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference, the festival will kick off the 2026 season from 13 – 16 May in Brighton, England.
Tickets for The Great Escape festival are on sale here: https://greatescapefestival.com/
For more info about the collaboration, visit: https://www.nme.com/events/uk/brighton/nme-presents-the-great-escape-20th-anniversary-spotlight-show-the-kooks
ABOUT THE GREAT ESCAPE
The Great Escape is the festival for new music and the UK’s premier showcase for emerging talent from around the world. Synonymous with discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, the festival presents over 450 up-and-coming and hotly tipped acts across 35+ walkable venues throughout Brighton, alongside a vibrant pop-up festival site on Brighton Beach.
Celebrated for kickstarting the careers of global stars, The Great Escape offers a vital platform for musicians to reach new audiences and forge key industry connections at a crucial stage in their development.
Running during May in Brighton, England, the festival also hosts The Great Escape Conference, a leading industry gathering that welcomes more than 4,000 music professionals each year. The conference programme runs alongside the live events and features insightful panels, keynote conversations, partner sessions and networking opportunities designed to equip industry attendees with valuable knowledge, insight and connections.
ABOUT NME
Launched in London, UK, in 1952 as the New Musical Express, NME has grown into a global media powerhouse that creates and curates content, products and experiences essential to fans of music and pop culture today. NME brings together the best writers and photographers to provide a multi-platform editorial offering at the bleeding edge of what matters most across the globe — whether music, film, TV or gaming.
ABOUT NME NETWORKS
NME Networks is a global, next-generation media group that views the wider world of pop culture through the lens of music and connects artists and brands to music-obsessed audiences. Our portfolio of popular music-journalism brands, comprising NME, Guitar.com and MusicTech, takes audiences on a lifelong journey through musicianship and fandom. NME Networks is part of Caldecott Music Group.
ABOUT CALDECOTT MUSIC GROUP
Headquartered in Singapore, Caldecott Music Group is a global music industry operator, innovator and investor spanning multiple sectors, including digital (BandLab Technologies), media (NME Networks), and manufacturing, retail and distribution (Vista Musical Instruments). By integrating the physical, digital and social supply chain around music, CMG brings together brands and people passionate about music to deliver authentic content, products and experiences for music lovers worldwide.