Crowd favourite … Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, who return to T in the Park next year. Photograph: Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images
Arctic Monkeys will headline T in the Park 2014, returning to the stage eight years after their first performance at the event.
The band, who released their Mercury prize-nominated album AM in September, are the first act to be announced for next year’s festival at Balado park, Perth and Kinross, on 11-13 July. According to festival director Geoff Ellis, the team behind T in the Park confirmed the band’s slot in response to an audience poll.
“After this year’s fantastic 20th-year celebrations, we asked our audience who they would like to see at next year’s festival and Arctic Monkeys came top of the poll, so we’re really pleased to be able to confirm them for T in the Park,” Ellis said in a statement released on the festival’s website.
“When they take to the stage in Glasgow this week, they’ll prove exactly why they’re one of the greatest live acts around, and I’m sure we can look forward to another phenomenal set at T in the Park. We have many more fantastic acts in store which we’ll announce next year, and can’t wait to see you all again in July.”
The band made their debut performance at T in the Park in 2006 following the release of the album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and headlined the festival in 2011 alongside Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Beyoncé. Last week, Arctic Monkeys confirmed two outdoor shows in London’s Finsbury Park, taking place on 23-24 May , with support from Tame Impala, Miles Kane and Royal Blood.
Tickets for T in the Park go on general sale on Friday.
