2026 marks 20 years of Slam Dunk, as well as 10 years of The Key Club Stage and this year was filled with an incredible line-up filled with nostalgic bands (Good Charlotte, A, Dashboard Confessional, Broadside to name a few), festival titans (Bury Tomorrow, Knocked Loose, Malevolence), exciting debuts (Currents, President, The Home Team), viral bands currently on an unstoppable roll (Unpeople) and a tease of what the future may hold (Dead Pony, SiM). Whether you came for the pop-punk/alt rock emo nostalgia, the moshpit heavy titans, or to see what the fuss of the new bands is all about, there was something for everyone! With the amount of rock and metal sub-genres out there, it’s getting increasingly difficult to please everyone; however, I’m happy to say that Slam Dunk managed to deliver yet again a line-up that offers stellar options for any fans.

Slam Dunk, the UK’s biggest independent rock festival, has dropped its second and final wave of artists, locking in a massive line-up for its 20th anniversary in 2026. Joining previously announced headliners Good Charlotte and Sublime, Kentucky’s hardcore heavyweights Knocked Loose lead the latest additions, alongside more than 20 new names spanning pop-punk, emo, ska, metal and beyond.

Slam Dunk Festival has revealed the first batch of artists set to perform at its 2026 event, marking the festival’s 20th birthday with what organisers promise will be “the biggest and best Slam Dunk yet.” The festival’s southern edition takes place at Hatfield Park on Saturday 23 May 2026, headlined by a European-exclusive set from pop-punk icons Good Charlotte.

Good Charlotte are back with Motel Du Cap, their first new album in seven years and the eighth studio release in their decades-long career. The pop-punk icons - still led by founding members Joel Madden (lead vocals), Benji Madden (guitar, backing vocals), and Paul Thomas (bass)- celebrate 30 years since forming in 1995, joined by longtime bandmates Billy Martin (guitar) and Dean Butterworth (drums).