Queen, The Beatles, The Who, ELO, David Bowie and Kate Bush appear on UK government-curated Coronation playlist

Queen and King
(Image credit: Freddie Mercury - Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images / King Charles - Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

The Queen is dead, long live The King.

That's the message that the UK is sending out to its citizens, and a vaguely interested world, on May 6, with the Coronation of King Charles III at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Additionally, for reasons best known to themselves, the suits at The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have decided to dedicate some of their UK taxpayer-funded working hours to devising a Coronation playlist to soundtrack the bank holiday weekend celebrations, which is most helpful for those among us who traditionally spend bank holiday weekends in total silence, devoid of music, uninspired and listless.

What's that? Who's on said playlist? Patience dear reader, patience, but we won't be giving away too much when we tell you that Crass, Fuck Buttons, Howling Willie Cunt and Abörted Hitler Cöck do not feature.

Here's the list in full:

1. The Beatles - Come Together
2. Boney M - Daddy Cool
3. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars
4. David Bowie - Let’s Dance
5. Ed Sheeran - Celestial
6. Elbow - One Day Like This
7. Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
8. Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed
9. Emeli Sandé - Starlight
10. George Ezra - Dance All Over Me
11. Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm – Hot Blooded Version
12. Harry Styles - Treat People With Kindness
13. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
14. Madness - Our House
15. Michael Bublé - It’s A Beautiful Day
16. Pet Shop Boys - All Over The World
17. Queen - We Are The Champions
18. Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart - People Get Ready
19. Sam Ryder - SPACE MAN
20. Spandau Ballet - Gold
21. Spice Girls - Say You’ll Be There
22. Take That - Shine
23. The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
24. The Who - Love Reign O’er Me
25. Tom Jones - Green Green Grass Of Home
26. Years & Years - King

Apparently, The Proclaimers I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) was also on the playlist, but has now been removed due to the duo's “anti-monarchy views”. Presumably The Cure didn't make the cut for the same reason...

Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.