The Isle of Wight Festival 2017 announces 18 new acts

 Added to the bill are: The Pretenders, The Kooks, Imelda May, Razorlight, Alison Moyet, Starsailor, Space, Melanie C, Scouting For Girls, Tom Chaplin, Alex Francis, Lucy Spraggan, Bang Bang Romeo, Paradisia, Wild Front, The Slow Readers Club, Showhawk Duo and Victoria.

Of the exciting new additions to the bill, John Giddings says: “This makes it one of the best line ups we have ever had.  Roll on June!

Over the years The Pretenders have had various line-ups but the one constant is Ohio born leader Chrissie Hynde.

A former music journalist, Chrissie has been married to both Jim Kerr, Scottish frontman of Simple Minds and singer-songwriter Ray Davies of the Kinks. In the New Year Honours list Ray became a Knight of the Realm.

1979 saw the Pretenders first grace the charts, when ’Stop Your Sobbing’ became their first Top Forty single. Within the year they had scored their one and only #1 single with ‘Brass in Pocket’.

Their eponymous first album release in 1980 saw them enter the chart at #1-a feat they have failed to repeat.

Thanks to two separate collaborations Chrissie herself has secured two Number 1 singles with ’I Got You Babe’ (1985) and ‘Love Can Build a Bridge’ ten years later.

Memorable songs by the Pretenders include ‘Kid’, ’Talk of the Town’, ‘I Go to Sleep’, ‘2000 Miles’, ‘Hymn to Her’ and ‘I’ll Stand by You’.

The Kooks will celebrate a decade together as a band with their ‘Best Of’ UK tour taking place this year. Their 2006 debut album ‘Inside In / Inside Out’ was recently certified five-times platinum and is still engaging new fans today. The band now have three more studio albums, a number of massive world tours, awards and critical acclaim under their belts.

Imelda May has become one of Ireland’s most celebrated female artists in history. Discovered by Jools Holland, who asked Imelda to support him on tour, Imelda has gone on to perform alongside legendary artists including Lou Reed, Bono and Smokey Robinson. Her previous album ‘Tribal’ debuted at #1 in Ireland and #3 in the UK. 

Razorlights 2006 self-titled album topped the UK Album Chart and went on to be certified multi-platinum, spawning the huge singles ‘In The Morning, ‘Before I Fall to Piecesand UK #1 ‘America. Over their 15-year career, the band have played shows alongside Queen, Oasis and The Who and have become a staple of the British indie movement.

Alison Moyet first came to prominence in the early eighties, when under the moniker ‘Alf’, she fronted Yazoo. Despite a short- lived chart career the duo were voted Best British Newcomers at the 1983 Brits. Yazoo recorded three Top 3 singles ‘Only You’, ‘Don’t Go’ and ‘Nobody’s Diary.’When Yazoo split up Alison embarked on a very successful solo career. By coincidence her first solo #1 album was entitled ‘Alf’,

Alison’s career is in its fourth decade. Her earliest hits as a solo artist include ‘All Cried Out’, ‘Is This Love?’ and ‘Love Resurrection’. Moyet has released five UK Top 10 albums, including two #1s, and most recently Top 5 album ‘The Minutes’ in 2013.

In recent years James Walsh has graced the stage at Seaclose as a solo performer. This year he returns with his bandmates in Starsailor, who are no strangers to the IW Festival.

Britpop four-piece Starsailor have released ten Top 40 singles and two Top 10 albums since debuting in 2000. Not only have they toured the world extensively the band have also enjoyed more than their fair share of prestigious gigs, supporting the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Police, The Killers, and U2, and have sold over 3 million albums worldwide.

Melanie C is an international pop icon and founding member of Spice Girls. Since Spice Girlsdisbandment in 2000, Melanie C has gone on to establish herself as a hugely successful solo artist, selling 20 million records worldwide and collaborating with Bryan Adams and TLCs Lisa ‘Left-EyeLopes. She released her latest solo album, ‘Version of Me, in 2016.

With the Spice Girls stratospheric career on the wane Melanie C (real name Melanie Jayne Chisholm) embarked on a solo career. In 1998 she featured on Bryan Adam’s #3 hit ‘When You’re Gone’.

In 2000. She secured a pair of #1 hit singles. ‘Never Be The Same Again’ was a collaboration with Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes who died just two years later. Lisa was a member of the American trio TLC.

Scouting For Girls released four UK Top 10 singles and four UK Top 10 albums since their debut in 2007. The three-pieces 2010 single ‘This Aint A Love Songdebuted at #1 and spent a whopping 22 weeks on the UK chart. In December 2016, the band announced a ballot for their 10th anniversary show, which received 20,000 applicants for just 300 tickets.

The Isle of Wight Festival takes place from 8th – 11th June at Seaclose Park, Newport. Due to popular demand, 2017 sees the return of Day Tickets in addition to Weekend Tickets.

For a VIP festival experience, exclusive glamping options are also on sale. Eves Tipis offer a luxury stay with a cocktail bar and hot breakfast options.  Podpads will also be returning which include a power point to keep your phone charged throughout the weekend. Love Your Tent, Tangerine Fields and Pink Moon Camping also offer unique camping experiences for a weekend in style.