In the magazine May 2026

Festival special! Featuring Wolf Alice, Kasabian, Lykke Li, Marmozets, Genesis Owusu and more.

It’s likely that we don’t need to remind you of the CV of this month’s cover stars, but - in the name of reminiscing! - it’s safe to say that ever since they first graced the stage of The Old Blue Last for us (all the way back in 2013!), Wolf Alice have held a huge chunk of DIY’s collective hearts. Across four incredible albums, they’ve put in the hard yards on their way to the big time, and now - following their huge BRIT win earlier this year - it feels all too right to bring it back home. So, ahead of their massive headline turn at London’s Finsbury Park this summer, we caught up with the fabulous four.

“They do make you quite nervous, those gigs,” bassist Theo Ellis says in our cover feature, looking ahead to the big day. “But they are uniquely special, because there’s that little percent more of yourself in you if you know your mum’s there, or that person you went to school with that thought you were an idiot. These people have watched you grow. We really did cut our teeth playing absolutely every venue around here, so that scalable journey within London is really unique. A North London homecoming outdoor show: it’s proper bucket list.”

And that’s not all! This month, we’re bringing you a special bumper edition that includes a big ol’ preview of this year’s festival season, led by veterans of the game and professional party-starters Kasabian. Elsewhere in our special festival section, you’ll find a handy guide to 2026’s key headliners, an interview with hardcore cult favourites Basement, and a crib sheet on the best new artists to catch out in the fields, as well as - of course - our *very* comprehensive calendar of all the essential dates for your summer diary. 

Fittingly, light and shade is a bit of a theme for the mag this month, as both shapeshifting multi-hyphenate Dua Saleh and powerhouse Aussie disruptor Genesis Owusu tell us how they’re striving for hope on their respective new albums. Marmozets, too, are returning renewed and future-facing, and the inimitable Rostam is back with latest solo effort ‘American Stories’, his most personal work yet. 

Beyond all that, our May 2026 issue also features chats with musical maverick My New Band Believe, outsider pop stalwart Lykke Li, and cultural iconoclast - and latest In Deep digital cover star - Thundercat, while our monthly Neu section sees us get better acquainted with rising stars Heidi Curtis, KuleeAngee, and Y. Plus, our reviews pages are full to bursting with what to expect from Spring’s biggest releases, and we even catch up with a Beckham for the beloved back page! 

So what are you waiting for? Time to grab your sunnies (and your wellies) and gear up for summer! Order your print copy via our online shop below, or check out the digital edition at the top of the page.