A brand new wave of artists have been confirmed for the Manchester Merch Market 2025, with New Order, The Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets and extra set to seem at their very own stalls.
Information of the market was first shared final month, when it was confirmed that Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess had organised an occasion the place bands might promote their merchandise at no cost and preserve 100 per cent of the revenue.
Happening on Might 25 from 11am, entry to the market is free and can see quite a lot of artists run their very own stalls and promote their very own merchandise to followers. For Burgess, his stall will include quite a lot of rarities that he’s collected over time, 5 Charlatans ‘Sproston Inexperienced’ sports activities luggage and extra, and he will even ship a reside present on the occasion.
Taking part venues holding stalls, reside performances and on-stage interviews embody O2 Ritz Manchester, Gorilla, Canine Bowl and extra.
Now, NME can completely reveal that a large variety of artists have been confirmed as participating in Merch Market 2025 together with New Order, A Sure Ratio, BMX Bandits, Inspiral Carpets and extra.
The solo artists and members of every band can be showing on the occasion, operating the stalls themselves, promoting merchandise to followers, and collaborating in different actions throughout the positioning.
For New Order, drummer Stephen Morris and keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert can be internet hosting the stall, in addition to doing an on-stage interview with Dave Haslam.
Discussing the occasion, organiser Tim Burgess stated: “Merch is a key ingredient that may assist bands thrive and survive in a world the place revenue from precise music is decrease than ever. The Merch Market is a commission-free zone the place bands can arrange store and promote direct to followers.
“No charges, all the things saved by the artists for no matter they need to spend it on – extra to announce quickly however I’ve texted numerous mates in bands and it’s going to be a superb day.”
He continued: “I can’t fairly imagine what’s occurred with The Merch Market – a brand new order stall with Stephen and Gillian doing an on-stage interview could be sufficient for me however so many superb artists acquired in contact, from bona fide legends to youthful bands taking their first steps. Nonetheless numerous thrilling stuff to announce too. See you in Manchester on the finish of Might.”
Take a look at the complete checklist of artists and companies participating beneath.
We have been going to announce the primary wave of bands concerned in The Merch Market this morning. But it surely’s so good everybody would have thought it was an April Idiot’s Day trick 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8J2gFl09kr
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) April 1, 2025
Artists showing on the 2025 Manchester Merch Market are:
New Order
The Charlatans
BMX Bandits
Inspiral Carpets
Nik Void
Natalie McCool
Tom A Smith
Sea Fever
Bis
Pete Wylie
Stealing Sheep
A Sure Ratio
Free Articles
Milltown Brothers
Geneva Jacuzzi
Jane Weaver
Mark Gardener
Mich Dulce & Her Midnight Callers
Finn Forster
Ruby J
James Walsh
PINS
EEVAH
Andy Votel
Lissy Taylor
Using The Low
Goo
Might Payne
Mar Gunnarsson
The Froobz
Deja Vega
Two Headed Horse
The Cavs
Cloudburst
Companies and firms participating within the 2025 Manchester Merch Market are:
Press On Vinyl
Ox4 Sound
Print Manchester
Needle Mythology (Pete Paphides label)
Wee Badgers
One Cease Badges
Kendal Calling
Gail Myerscough
Ben The Illustrator
Cloud 9 Guitars
Bands FC
Amelia Fearon
Lucy Roth
Star Formed DJs
Off The Rails Journal
Timbola (win merch/competition tickets/studio time and so forth)
Fairsound
Swift Mastering
Serenity Booksellers
5 Rise Data
The multi-venue market builds on the success of Tim Burgess’ Vinyl Adventures report truthful within the metropolis again in 2021, and extra artists collaborating within the occasion are set to be shared at a later date.
Inspiration for the occasion comes after the artist spoke out about venues that took an unfair lower of merch gross sales again in 2021, saying: “The entire system wants addressing.”
“This isn’t about The Charlatans. It’s about these bands who want merch revenue to outlive,” he defined. “Some locations take 25 per cent. 1 / 4 of the complete promoting value. Vinyl doesn’t even have that markup to start with.”
It was later confirmed that 400 venues had agreed to not take a lower of artists’ merch proceeds by becoming a member of the ‘100% Venues’ database. Nonetheless, many venues are nonetheless not signed as much as the scheme.
Burgess drew gentle to the scenario once more when talking to NME in 2022, saying that the decision for change was extra “about equity” than “cash”, and Nottingham’s Rock Metropolis quickly waived its conventional lower of merch gross sales at a Charlatans’ present in response to Burgess’ campaigning.
Burgess isn’t alone in calling for change round merchandise both. Beforehand, Architects referred to as on bands to “go on strike” in protest, Yard Act and The Large Moon launched their very own pop-up shops on tour, and Tomberlin referred to as out a venue after it requested for over 40 per cent of her merch gross sales.
Over the pond, Jack Antonoff has beforehand instructed venues to “cease taxing” merch, saying that it was “actually the one method you make cash if you begin out touring”.
