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Formed in 2021, The Guest List came together as school friends and music students, initially bonding over a shared love of The Strokes. After building a huge following through high-energy TikTok covers, they quickly carved out their own lane with early singles like Canada, London and Loose Tongue, produced by James Skelly. Driven by Cai Alty’s emotive, socially conscious songwriting and an urgent indie sound that has drawn comparisons to Arctic Monkeys and Sam Fender, the band are fast emerging as one of the UK’s most exciting young acts.
Their rise has been powered as much by their formidable live reputation as by their recorded output. A huge 2025 festival run saw them appear at Glastonbury Festival, The Great Escape, TRNSMT and more, while a sold-out UK headline tour — including three nights at Camden Assembly and a major hometown show at New Century Hall — further cemented their reputation as a standout live act.
Rooted in Manchester but keen to move beyond the city’s inherited mythology, the five-piece have built a growing audience around songs that combine immediacy with social urgency. With over 5 million streams, the release of Something Real, and new music in the works with producer Matias Tellez, The Guest List head into 2026 with serious momentum and all the makings of a breakthrough year.