6 Music playlist, 18 May 2026

Last Updated on May 25, 2026

See what's now playing on BBC Radio 6 Music

By the numbers

160 pieces aired on 6 Music on 18 May 2026, captured live as each track changed.

Most-played artists

6music Playlist for 18 May 2026

The 6music playlist for 18 May 2026 featured 160 pieces, showcasing a diverse range of artists and genres. The day began with Beck’s “Ride Lonesome” and Jump Source & billy woods’ “Empty Bars (feat. Billy Woods)”, setting an eclectic tone. The playlist included a mix of well-known acts and emerging artists, reflecting 6music’s commitment to varied programming.

Ozzy Osbourne was the most-played composer, with six tracks aired throughout the day, including a strong presence in the final hours. Jesca Hoop also featured prominently with four pieces, notably including several 6 Music Session recordings. Other artists with multiple plays included RIP Magic, Dua Saleh, and Blondshell. The day concluded with a trio of Ozzy Osbourne tracks: “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, “Believer”, and “Mr. Crowley”, providing a distinct end to the broadcast.

The running order presented a journey through different musical landscapes, from the indie sounds of Blondshell and Yard Act to the classic rock of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. The inclusion of BBC Session recordings for artists like Jesca Hoop and The Jim Jones Revue offered unique versions of their work. This daily playlist provides a comprehensive look at the music broadcast on 6music on this specific date.

What 6 Music featured today

Today’s playlist included new releases from:

• Alewya (Zero)
• Bloc Party (Anatomy of a Brief Romance)
• Opus Kink (The Sweet Goodbye)
• Peaches (Big Mistakes (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series))
• Yard Act (You’re Gonna Need a Little Music)
• Dua Saleh (Of Earth & Wires)
• aja monet (the color of rain)
• Olof Dreijer (Loud Bloom)
• MT Jones (Joy)
• Bleachers (everyone for ten minutes)
• Buzzcocks (Attitude Adjustment)
• IZCO (POWERSCROFT)
• Rostam (American Stories)
• Fruit Bats (The Landfill)
• Kim Gordon (PLAY ME)
• Ivy Knight (Iron Mountain)
• La Sécurité (Bingo!)
• Big Long Sun (love songs and spiritual recollections)
• mary in the junkyard (Role Model Hermit)
• Genesis Owusu (Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge)
• MORN (Insha)
• Y (Roofless Records for Drop Tops: Disc 2)
• Irked (The Grievance)
• Kelela (new avatar)
• Ibeyi (Offering)
• Widowspeak (Roses)
• villagerrr (Carousel)
• Knats (A Great Day in Newcastle)
• My New Band Believe (My New Band Believe)
• Chiminyo (NRG 5)
• Momoko Gill (Momoko)
• Jesca Hoop (Long Wave Home)
• The Boo Radleys (In Spite Of Everything)
• Office Dog (Prime Corner)
• The Bug Club (Every Single Muscle)
• LYR (Dark Sky Reservation)
• Crack Cloud (Peace and Purpose)
• Aldous Harding (Train on the Island)

Currently on tour:

• Ritchie (Winter Dance Party)
• Wunderhorse (Australia & New Zealand Tour 2025)
• Sleeper (Inbetweener Tour 2025)
• Pet Shop Boys (Obscure Pet Shop Boys)
• Peaches (No Lube So Rude)
• Echo & the Bunnymen (More Songs to Learn and Sing)
• Sade (2011 World Tour)
• Danny Brown (Stardust Tour)
• Bleachers (BLEACHERS FOREVER)
• PJ Harvey (I Inside the Old Year Dying)
• The Undertones (50th Anniversary Tour 2026)
• Kim Gordon (Play Me Tour)
• Caroline Rose (year of the slug Tour)
• La Sécurité (EU / UK Spring / Printemps 2026)
• Nation of Language (Early 2026)
• mary in the junkyard (Role Model Hermit In-Store Tour)
• Genesis Owusu (Red Star Wu's Pirate Radio Tour)
• Lush (Blind Spot)
• Wu-Tang Clan (Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber)
• Y (The Winner's Circle)
• Bleech 9:3 (Apr/May 2026)
• My New Band Believe (UK Tour 2026)
• Chiminyo (Chiminyo presents UNIRI)
• Jesca Hoop (UK 2026)
• Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (50 Years a Rebel)

Recent live shows from these artists:

• Alewya recently played Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 16 September 2023.
• Sylvester recently played The I-Beam, San Francisco on 23 November 1987.
• Ritchie recently played Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake on 2 February 1959, opening with La bamba.
• Wunderhorse recently played Freo.Social, Fremantle on 27 September 2025, opening with Midas.
• RIP Magic recently played 3Arena, Dublin on 13 May 2026.
• Show Me the Body recently played Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City on 14 May 2026.
• Sleeper recently played Limelight 1, Belfast on 19 April 2026, opening with Cellophane.
• Bloc Party recently played Recinto Ferial de la Fica, Murcia on 2 May 2026, opening with Every Time Is the Last Time.
• Regina Spektor recently played The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, Purchase on 21 November 2025, opening with Folding Chair.
• Opus Kink recently played The Cornish Bank, Falmouth on 10 April 2026.
• Pet Shop Boys recently played Electric Ballroom, London on 10 April 2026, opening with We're the Pet Shop Boys.
• Boy Azooga recently played Glanusk Park, Crickhowell on 20 August 2021.
• Peaches recently played Brighton Dome, Brighton on 15 May 2026, opening with Hanging Titties.
• Yard Act recently played Brudenell Social Club, Leeds on 10 May 2026, opening with Empty Pledges.
• Echo & the Bunnymen recently played SOMA, San Diego on 18 May 2026.
• Sade recently played du Arena, Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2011, opening with Soldier of Love.
• Talking Heads recently played Waldorf Astoria New York, New York on 18 March 2002, opening with Psycho Killer.
• Dua Saleh recently played House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista on 19 December 2025, opening with buzzin.
• Danny Brown recently played Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver on 18 May 2026.
• Father John Misty recently played Fox Theater Pomona, Pomona on 17 May 2026.
• Blondshell recently played Outdoor Theatre, Indio on 18 April 2026, opening with Veronica Mars.
• Jennifer Lara recently played Eric's, Liverpool on 28 September 1979.
• aja monet recently played Stadtgarten Köln, Cologne on 19 November 2025, opening with why my love?.
• Adjua recently played Queens Hotel, Brighton on 15 May 2026.
• Pete Heller recently played Dockber Farm, Sawley on 17 July 2022.
• The Prodigy recently played Cosmic Meadow, Las Vegas on 16 May 2026.
• Olof Dreijer recently played The Pink Room, Manchester on 28 March 2026, opening with Monument.
• MT Jones recently played Grote Zaal, Amsterdam on 13 May 2026.
• Bleachers recently played Howard Stern Radio Program, New York on 28 April 2026, opening with the van.
• PJ Harvey recently played GORILLA HALL OSAKA, Osaka on 19 March 2025, opening with Prayer at the Gate.
• Buzzcocks recently played Pool Deck @ Norwegian Pearl, Miami on 5 April 2026.
• St Germain recently played Area di Pian di Nave, Sanremo on 19 August 2018.
• ROSALÍA recently played Guadalquivir, Seville on 9 May 2026, opening with Reliquia.
• Grace Jones recently played Botanic Park, Adelaide on 7 March 2026, opening with Nightclubbing.
• IZCO recently played Rock Farm, Slane on 8 July 2023.
• The Undertones recently played Hirsch, Nuremberg on 20 May 2026.
• Rostam recently played World Stage, Philadelphia on 15 May 2026.
• Fruit Bats recently played Topo Designs – Base Camp Store, Denver on 19 April 2026.
• Rotary Connection recently played Festival Site, Wimborne Saint Giles on 16 August 2025.
• Stevie Wonder recently played Rainbow PUSH Coalition Headquarters, Chicago on 7 March 2026, opening with They Won't Go When I Go.
• Delegation recently played AXA Aréna NTC, Bratislava on 27 July 2022.
• Smerz recently played Button Factory, Dublin on 26 April 2026.
• Portishead recently played The Cube, Bristol on 2 September 2025, opening with Roads.
• Kim Gordon recently played Progresja, Warsaw on 21 April 2026, opening with PLAY ME.
• Ivy Knight recently played Night Club 101, Manhattan on 23 April 2026.
• Fuzzbox recently played Box, Birmingham on 15 January 2026, opening with Rules and Regulations.
• Fat Dog recently played Peddler Warehouse, Sheffield on 16 May 2026.
• Caroline Rose recently played Hi-Dive, Denver on 21 November 2025.
• David Bowie recently played WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York on 19 May 2007, opening with Little Fat Man.
• Elastica recently played The Leadmill, Sheffield on 16 April 2001.
• Chloe Slater recently played Komedia, Brighton on 15 May 2026.
• little grandad recently played Chalk, Brighton on 14 May 2026.
• Run‐D.M.C. recently played Yankee Stadium, The Bronx on 11 August 2023, opening with Rock Box.
• LIFE recently played Havsvallen, Smögen on 28 July 2023.
• La Sécurité recently played La Source Beer Co, Schaarbeek / Schaerbeek on 20 May 2026.
• Big Long Sun recently played The Hope and Ruin, Brighton on 15 May 2026.
• X‐Ray Spex recently played Roundhouse, London on 6 September 2008, opening with Oh Bondage! Up Yours!.
• Nation of Language recently played Foro Indie Rocks!, Mexico City on 11 April 2026, opening with Moments in Love.
• ¡Forward, Russia! recently played Leeds Town Hall, Leeds on 3 May 2014, opening with Thirteen.
• Dr. John recently played Yonder Field, Bowman on 14 October 2017, opening with The Monkey.
• mary in the junkyard recently played Presuming Ed’s Coffee House, Brighton on 16 May 2026.
• The All Seeing I recently played Little John's Farm, Reading on 28 August 1999.
• Genesis Owusu recently played Enmore Theatre, Sydney on 18 May 2026, opening with Pirate Radio.
• Wah! recently played The Cluny, Newcastle upon Tyne on 9 May 2025.
• Dorothy Moore recently played Honda Center, Anaheim on 16 February 2019.
• Geneva recently played King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow on 4 February 2020, opening with What Your Shrink Says.
• Lady G recently played De Leide, Halle on 7 September 2012.
• Saint Clair recently played Omeara, London on 5 August 2025.
• Lush recently played Manchester Academy 1, Manchester on 25 November 2016, opening with Undertow (Spooky Remix).
• The Allergies recently played Broczyno Lotnisko – Koło Czaplinka, Broczyno on 1 August 2025.
• Adam and the Ants recently played Le Krypton, Aix-en-Provence on 22 May 1982.
• Wasuremono recently played The Lexington, London on 21 October 2021, opening with Lonely Type.
• Faithless recently played Auckland Domain, Auckland on 21 March 2026, opening with Forever Free [Intro].
• Wu-Tang Clan recently played Tom Lee Park, Memphis on 2 May 2026, opening with Intro.
• MORN recently played Fort 2, Wommelgem on 15 November 2025.
• Rizzle Kicks recently played Trinity College Dublin, Dublin on 10 April 2026.
• MUDRAT recently played Komedia, Brighton on 14 May 2026.
• Any Young Mechanic recently played The George Tavern, London on 12 May 2026.
• LEMONSUCKR recently played The Grace, London on 18 May 2026.
• Mr. Scruff recently played Beaver Works, Leeds on 19 April 2026.
• BODEGA recently played Silver Lining Lounge, New York on 27 February 2026, opening with Network.
• Y recently played Eulogy, Asheville on 14 May 2026.
• Touching Ice recently played The Rooftop, Brooklyn on 12 May 2026.
• Monobloc recently played Estadio GNP Seguros, Mexico City on 15 March 2026.
• Really Good Time recently played Patterns, Brighton on 14 May 2026.
• Sweeping Promises recently played AS220, Providence on 3 May 2026.
• Irked recently played Fulfordgate Club, York on 9 May 2026, opening with I.R.K.E.D.F.U.
• ZEP recently played Staf Versluyscentrum, Bredene on 24 September 2011.
• Sadie recently played Hibiya Yagai Ongakudou, Tokyo on 16 March 2025, opening with Ice Romancer.
• Kelela recently played The Flea at One Hanson, Brooklyn on 4 April 2025.
• Nomi recently played Danceteria, New York on 21 April 1983, opening with Three Wishes.
• Ibeyi recently played Le Centquatre-Paris, Paris on 26 October 2025.
• Qendresa recently played The Pink Room, Manchester on 9 December 2025, opening with Tearz.
• Widowspeak recently played Stone Circle Theatre, Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, Queens on 3 January 2025.
• Bleech 9:3 recently played Scala, London on 16 May 2026.
• villagerrr recently played Subterranean, Chicago on 9 May 2026, opening with Runnin’ Round.
• Knats recently played BIKO, Milan on 8 May 2026.
• My New Band Believe recently played Common Ground Workspace, Oxford on 6 May 2026, opening with Target Practice.
• corto.alto recently played Next Step, Cully on 17 April 2026, opening with B.W.N (09).
• Chiminyo recently played Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, London on 9 November 2022.
• Momoko Gill recently played Banquet Records, Kingston upon Thames on 18 February 2026.
• Jesca Hoop recently played St Michael In The Hamlet Church, Liverpool on 16 May 2026.
• Siouxsie and the Banshees recently played Makuhari Messe Kokusai Tenjijou, Chiba on 18 August 2002, opening with Pure.
• Jon Spencer recently played Maker Park, Staten Island on 12 July 2025, opening with come on!.
• Laura Veirs recently played Le Grand Mix, Tourcoing on 1 February 2026, opening with Sun Song.
• Little Richard recently played South Church Street, Murfreesboro on 25 August 2014.
• The Jim Jones Revue recently played The Forum, London on 4 October 2014, opening with It's Gotta Be About Me.
• The Boo Radleys recently played The Piper, Hastings on 8 May 2026, opening with C'mon Kids.
• Office Dog recently played Windmill Brixton, London on 19 May 2026.
• Go-Kart Mozart recently played Exchange, Bristol on 16 January 2019, opening with Zelda's in the Spotlight / Come On You Lot.
• Led Zeppelin recently played The O2 Arena, London on 10 December 2007, opening with Good Times Bad Times.
• Alternative TV recently played The Croft, Bristol on 24 January 2026, opening with The Ancient Rebels.
• Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel recently played Het Depot, Leuven on 25 April 2023, opening with How Good It Feels.
• The Bug Club recently played The Glad Cafe, Glasgow on 16 May 2026.
• LYR recently played Church of King Charles the Martyr, Falmouth on 9 May 2026.
• John Lee Hooker recently played Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, Redondo Beach on 31 March 2001.
• Vic Godard recently played Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow on 23 November 2013.
• Brassy recently played Metro, Chicago on 19 November 2003.
• Crack Cloud recently played The Grand Social, Dublin on 7 May 2026.
• Aldous Harding recently played TSB Bank Arena, Wellington on 6 February 2026, opening with Passion Babe.
• Elvis Costello recently played Beacon Theatre, New York on 5 March 2026, opening with Pump It Up.
• Immersion recently played BBC Studios, Salford on 16 March 2026, opening with Defiance.
• Ozzy Osbourne recently played Villa Park, Birmingham on 5 July 2025, opening with O Fortuna.
• Black Sabbath recently played Villa Park, Birmingham on 5 July 2025, opening with Sabbra Cadabra.
• Jazz Sabbath recently played Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich on 5 November 2025, opening with Black Sabbath.

The full playlist

1. Ride Lonesome, Beck
2. Empty Bars (feat. Billy Woods), Jump Source & billy woods
3. Selah, Alewya
4. I Need You, Sylvester
5. Happy Birthday, Avalon Emerson & the Charm
6. Menina Veneno, Ritchie
7. Midas, Wunderhorse
8. 5words, RIP Magic
9. Dance In The USA, Show Me the Body
10. Sale Of The Century, Sleeper
11. Coming On Strong, Bloc Party
12. Company, Baba Stiltz & Okay Kaya
13. Eet, Regina Spektor
14. Come Over Do Me Wrong, Opus Kink
15. Being Boring, Pet Shop Boys
16. Loner Boogie, Boy Azooga
17. Kick It (feat. Iggy Pop), Peaches
18. Redeemer, Yard Act
19. Bring On The Dancing Horses, Echo & the Bunnymen
20. The Sweetest Taboo, Sade
21. Road To Nowhere, Talking Heads
22. Cállate, Dua Saleh
23. Grown Up, Danny Brown
24. Rubberband Man, The Detroit Spinners
25. The Payoff, Father John Misty
26. Heart Has To Work So Hard, Blondshell
27. A Change Is Gonna Come, Jennifer Lara
28. Elsewhere (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello & Georgia Anne Muldrow), aja monet
29. Love Calling (The Great Escape Festival 2026), Adjua
30. Big Love, Pete Heller
31. No Good (Start The Dance), The Prodigy
32. Makwande (feat. Toya Delazy), Olof Dreijer
33. You Don't Love Me Now, MT Jones
34. the van, Bleachers
35. You Said Something, PJ Harvey
36. Why Can't I Touch It?, Buzzcocks
37. Rose Rouge, St Germain
38. Focu 'Ranni, ROSALÍA
39. Ritmo Babilonia, Mexican Institute of Sound, Meridian Brothers & Beck
40. She's Lost Control, Grace Jones
41. Wonderluv, IZCO
42. Dream A Little Dream (War Child), Terry Hall & Salad
43. Wednesday Week, The Undertones
44. Back of a Truck, Rostam
45. That Goddamn Sun, Fruit Bats
46. I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun, Rotary Connection
47. Too High, Stevie Wonder
48. Oh Honey, Delegation
49. Spring summer, Smerz
50. Strangers, Portishead
51. PLAY ME, Kim Gordon
52. Red Rock, Ivy Knight
53. Love Is The Slug, Fuzzbox
54. Go Love Urself, Fat Dog
55. Yip Yip Yow, Caroline Rose
56. Life On Mars?, David Bowie
57. Connection, Elastica
58. UGLY, Chloe Slater
59. Don't Say That's Just For White Boys, Way of the West
60. Sleepwalking, little grandad
61. It's Like That, Run‐D.M.C.
62. Wild Grasses, LIFE
63. Deny, La Sécurité
64. Call it a Voice (BBC Introducing at The Great Escape, 14 May 2026), Big Long Sun
65. I Am a Poseur, X‐Ray Spex
66. Tougher Than the Rest, Nation of Language
67. Twelve, ¡Forward, Russia!
68. Right Place Wrong Time, Dr. John
69. New Muscles, mary in the junkyard
70. Beat Goes On, The All Seeing I
71. LIFE KEEPS GOING, Genesis Owusu
72. The Story Of The Blues (Part 1), Wah!
73. Misty Blue, Dorothy Moore
74. Into The Blue, Geneva
75. All the way home, Band Of Revelations
76. Nuff Respect, Lady G
77. Too Young To Notice, Saint Clair
78. For Love, Lush
79. Dig It Up (feat. Andy Cooper & BlabberMouf), The Allergies
80. Stand And Deliver, Adam and the Ants
81. Me and the Noise, Wasuremono
82. Salva Mea, Faithless
83. Gravel Pit, Wu-Tang Clan
84. Standard Model, MORN
85. Down With The Trumpets, Rizzle Kicks
86. YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT POOR PEOPLE, MUDRAT
87. Pretty Strange World, Any Young Mechanic
88. My House Divides, Any Young Mechanic
89. Unmasked, little grandad
90. Modern Man, MORN
91. Central Reservation Blues, Big Truck
92. House on Fire (The Great Escape Festival 2026), LEMONSUCKR
93. Get A Move On, Mr. Scruff
94. Pick up the Check, BODEGA
95. Skipper, Y
96. Praise Kink (Mandy, Indiana Remix), Touching Ice
97. City, Monobloc
98. Do It, Really Good Time
99. Shooting Shadows, Sweeping Promises
100. Repeat Offender, Irked
101. Together (feat. Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza and Prentiss), The Avalanches, Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza & Prentiss
102. Hardy (feat. Clairo), Rostam
103. Its Here, Smerz
104. Heart Has To Work So Hard, Blondshell
105. New Muscles, mary in the junkyard
106. Ne Plus Ultra, ear
107. Screwdark, RIP Magic
108. AGAIN AND AGAIN, ZEP
109. Better Angels, Sadie
110. ALL IS LOVE (feat. aja monet), Dua Saleh
111. Yassify Me, Telehealth
112. No Shame At All, House Arrest
113. linknb, Kelela
114. sweet talk, Nomi
115. Aset, Ibeyi
116. Rain in July, Qendresa
117. Soft Cover, Widowspeak
118. No Surprise, Bleech 9:3
119. Virginia (feat. Hotspit), villagerrr
120. Never Gonna Be A Boxer, Knats
121. Numerology, My New Band Believe
122. THIEF, corto.alto
123. Transference, Chiminyo
124. No Others, Momoko Gill
125. Lilac Wine, Arooj Aftab & Beck
126. Caravan (6 Music Session, 18 May 2026), Jesca Hoop
127. Happy House, Siouxsie and the Banshees
128. Mr. Lion, Jon Spencer
129. Flying Into Darkness, Laura Veirs
130. Milky Pinks, Lunge & Neil Halstead
131. Lucille, Little Richard
132. Rock n Roll Psychosis (BBC Session, 11 Dec 2008), The Jim Jones Revue
133. Lazarus, The Boo Radleys
134. Reins, Office Dog
135. We're Selfish, Lazy and Greedy, Go-Kart Mozart
136. Big Storm (6 Music Session, 18 May 2026), Jesca Hoop
137. Designer Citizen (6 Music Session, 18 May 2026), Jesca Hoop
138. Playground (6 Music Session, 18 May 2026), Jesca Hoop
139. Misty Mountain Hop, Led Zeppelin
140. Action Time Vision (Radio 1 Session, 5 Dec 1977), Alternative TV
141. Mr. Soft (BBC Session, 22 Jan 1974), Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
142. A Good Day For Dying, The Bug Club
143. Guernica Jigsaw, LYR
144. Crawling King Snake, John Lee Hooker
145. Penny Drops, Vic Godard
146. Straighten Out (BBC Session, 09 June 1996), Brassy
147. Reunion, Crack Cloud
148. One Stop, Aldous Harding
149. Shipbuilding, Elvis Costello
150. We Don't Need Your Validation, Immersion
151. Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne
152. Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath
153. The Wizard, Black Sabbath
154. Bark at the Moon, Ozzy Osbourne
155. Changes, Kelly Osbourne & Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne & Ozzy Osbourne
156. Breakin' All the Rules, Ozzy Osbourne
157. Iron Man, Jazz Sabbath
158. Mama, I'm Coming Home, Ozzy Osbourne
159. Believer, Ozzy Osbourne
160. Mr. Crowley, Ozzy Osbourne