Nine Inch Nails, Mogwai, Deftones and more for Robert Smith’s Meltdown festival

The first artists for this year’s Meltdown festival at London’s Southbank Centre have been confirmed.

The 25th edition of the event will take place between June 15-24, with the festival curated by The Cure’s Robert Smith

Many more artists will be confirmed in due course, but it’s been revealed that Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, Manic Street Preachers, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, Placebo, The Psychedelic Furs, 65daysofstatic, Alcest, The Anchoress, Kristin Hersh, MONO, The Notwist, Kathryn Joseph and The Libertines will all perform.

Smith says: “I am honoured and excited to be curating the 25th Meltdown festival. More than 30 of my all-time favourite artists – some of the most exciting, inspirational, intense and influential performers of the last 40 years – will make sure this 10-night extravaganza at London’s Southbank Centre is the ‘must see’ event of the summer!”

Senior contemporary music programmer at Southbank Centre, Bengi Unsa adds: “Robert Smith is the perfect artist to help us celebrate our silver jubilee Meltdown.

“Over a career spanning four decades, he has achieved globally-recognised excellence, paving the way for the alternative and the un-categorisable.

“This year’s festival will be a celebration of that influence and that legacy. We also celebrate the legacy of Meltdown, where the legendary and the contemporary meet, where icons perform in an iconic setting, and where both artists and audiences enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

Tickets will go on sale to Southbank Centre Members on March 13 and on general sale on March 15.

Further artists will be revealed in due course.

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Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.