Bring Me the Horizon: Band History, Songs & Tour Info

Bring Me the Horizon carved their path by screaming into a mic in a basement and ended up sharing stages with pop stars at awards shows — a Sheffield metalcore outfit that somehow made it to the 2022 Brit Awards alongside Ed Sheeran. The question is how they got here, and whether every step along the way was one worth taking. This article tracks the band’s evolution, their biggest collaborations, the controversies that followed them, and what’s coming down the road.

Formed: 2004 · Origin: Sheffield, England · Genre: Rock · Notable Collaborations: Ed Sheeran, BABYMETAL · Current Members: 5 (Oli Sykes, Matt Kean and others)

The table below summarizes the band’s core profile details from publicly available sources.

What are the allegations against Bring Me the Horizon?

The most persistent controversy surrounding Bring Me the Horizon involves an incident that occurred in the early hours of Sunday, April 7 or 8, 2007, at Rock City in Nottingham. Lead vocalist Oli Sykes was arrested and charged with allegedly urinating on a female fan inside the band’s tour bus, a claim he has consistently and strongly denied.

According to reporting by Drowned in Sound, Visible Noise — the band’s label at the time — issued a statement clarifying that while Sykes was arrested, he had not been charged or questioned regarding the alleged assault of the female fan. Police reportedly could not charge anyone in connection with a bottle being thrown because the women involved could not identify which band member was responsible.

Background on claims

The band was subsequently banned from Rock City following the incident. What makes this case particularly murky is that the legal process appears to have stalled — there is no verified public record of formal charges being filed or a conviction. This means the factual record as it stands is limited to the initial arrest, the band’s denial, and the venue ban that followed.

Responses from band

Oli Sykes has publicly denied the allegations multiple times over the years. The incident has, however, remained a recurring reference point in media coverage of the band, surfacing in searches and discussions whenever the group attracts new attention.

“The legal status of the 2007 incident is unclear from available public records. Anyone with verified court documents or official statements is encouraged to share them with verified news outlets.” — Editor’s note

Is Bring Me the Horizon Irish?

Bring Me the Horizon is frequently searched for Irish identity, likely because the band’s aggressive sound and occasional controversial headlines create a certain cultural associations. The factual record, however, is straightforward: Bring Me the Horizon are a British rock band, not Irish.

Band origins

The band formed in Sheffield, England, in 2004. Lead vocalist Oliver Scott Sykes and guitarist Dean Curtis “Lee” Malia both come from Sheffield, and the band has maintained its primary operations in that city throughout its existence. The band’s original lineup assembled while members were still in school.

Formation location

Sheffield has been the band’s home base since inception. The city is known for its steel industry heritage and has produced several notable acts across multiple genres. The band’s British identity is verified through their label affiliations (Visible Noise, eventually RCA and Sony), their touring history, and the consistent reporting of their origin in English-language media.

“BMTH are a British rock band that never stopped being difficult — to categorize, to pigeonhole, or to ignore.” — Summary assessment

What happened between Bring Me The Horizon and Coldplay?

One of the more memorable moments in Bring Me the Horizon’s awards-show history occurred when lead vocalist Oli Sykes reportedly crashed Coldplay’s table at a British music awards ceremony. The interaction became a talking point among fans of both bands, with Sykes drawing attention for his unapologetic presence at the pop-rock group’s celebration.

Chris Martin, Coldplay’s frontman, has spoken publicly about dealing with hearing issues during his career — a relevant detail given the volume dynamics at awards shows where acts perform back-to-back. While the specific details of the Sykes-Coldplay interaction vary depending on which account you read, the general narrative involves Sykes inserting himself into Coldplay’s moment, prompting reactions ranging from amusement to bewilderment among other attendees.

Oli Sykes incident

Sykes has built a reputation for being outspoken and unafraid of confrontation, whether with other artists, the media, or venue management. The Coldplay incident fits a pattern of behavior that has both defined his persona and occasionally landed him in controversy.

Awards show context

Awards shows in the UK — whether the Brit Awards or the NME Awards — have served as periodic venues for such interactions. The setting creates a pressure-cooker atmosphere where artists who might not normally share a bill find themselves in proximity, sometimes leading to memorable collisions between different fanbases.

Did Ed Sheeran do a song with Bring Me the Horizon?

Yes, and the collaboration was far more substantial than a typical guest appearance. Ed Sheeran and Bring Me the Horizon performed “Bad Habits” together at the 2022 Brit Awards on February 8, 2022, with Oli Sykes adding his signature screaming vocals to the rendition.

The performance was elaborate — featuring choreographed dance moves, fog effects, a spectacular light show, and what appeared to be trapeze artists, according to Loudwire’s coverage. Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits” had been sitting at the top of the Official U.K. Singles Chart for 11 weeks straight at the time of the performance, giving the collaboration extra mainstream visibility.

Collaboration details

According to a YouTube interview with Jordan Fish, Ed Sheeran’s management initially approached BMTH to serve as his backing band for the Brit Awards performance. This was later clarified to be a full collaboration, with both parties invested in creating something that pushed beyond a standard promo appearance.

The collaboration was rehearsed at the O2 Arena and subsequently released as a collaborative studio version following the awards show, giving fans a permanent record of the partnership. Oli Sykes described the experience to KIIS FM as “The Perfect Challenge” — a phrase that captured both his enthusiasm for pushing outside his comfort zone and the unexpected chemistry between pop and metalcore aesthetics.

Song release

Ed Sheeran revealed plans to write an original song with Bring Me the Horizon after their Brit Awards collaboration, though as of the most recent verified information, no such original composition has been confirmed. The collaborative version of “Bad Habits” remains their sole official studio release together.

“The Sheeran collaboration worked because neither side backed down. Neither side fully compromised their brand.” — Editorial assessment

Bring Me the Horizon Tour and Upcoming Events

Bring Me the Horizon’s touring schedule has remained active even as the band has navigated lineup changes and creative shifts. The group announced The Third Ascension Program North American tour, scheduled for autumn 2025/2026, with Motionless In White and The Plot In You as supporting acts, according to Kerrang!

Current tour dates

The Third Ascension Program tour represents one of the band’s most substantial North American runs in recent years. The supporting acts — Motionless In White and The Plot In You — represent adjacent corners of the alternative music world, suggesting the tour is designed to appeal to existing fans while reaching listeners who may have discovered BMTH through streaming.

2026 plans

Searches for Bring Me the Horizon tour 2026 reflect ongoing fan interest, though concrete announcements beyond the autumn 2025/2026 North American run have not been verified through official channels. The band performed their 2006 debut album “Count Your Blessings” in full at Outbreak Fest in summer 2025, a move that signaled nostalgia appeal alongside forward-looking releases.

At the end of 2024, Oli Sykes told Kerrang! that the band had written many songs for “NeX GEn” and expressed interest in releasing a director’s cut version. Whether that project materializes, and what form it takes, remains an open question that fans are tracking closely.

Merch and tickets

Official merchandise is available through horizonsupply.co, and ticket purchases for upcoming dates should be directed to verified primary ticketing platforms to avoid inflated resale prices. The band’s official website and social channels remain the most reliable sources for tour announcements.

Lineup and Key Members

Bring Me the Horizon’s current lineup stands at five members, anchored by lead vocalist Oli Sykes. The band’s history includes several lineup changes, most notably the December 2023 departure of keyboardist and producer Jordan Fish, who had been with the band since 2009 and played a significant role in shaping their evolution from early metalcore toward more mainstream rock and electronic-inflected sounds.

Oli Sykes and guitarist Matt Kean have been constants throughout the band’s existence. The departure of Fish marked the end of an era that included the band’s most commercially successful period, spanning albums from “Sempiternal” through the “Post Human” series.

The Post Human Project and Recent Releases

The “Post Human” project represents Bring Me the Horizon’s most ambitious creative statement in recent years. The initiative is structured as a multi-album series, with “Post Human: Survival Horror” arriving in 2020 and “Post Human: NeX GEn” delayed in September 2023, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

Oli Sykes has been candid about the difficult creative process surrounding “NeX GEn.” He called the writing process “miserable” and admitted to considering stepping away from the band entirely during this period. The tension between Sykes and Jordan Fish had been building since the release of “Post Human: Survival Horror” in 2020, with both parties’ priorities diverging.

Verified Timeline

Five key moments define the arc from underground metalcore to mainstream presence.

The timeline illustrates the band’s progression from underground origins through major-label success to recent creative transitions.

Collaborations Beyond Ed Sheeran

The Ed Sheeran partnership is not the band’s only notable collaboration. Bring Me the Horizon have worked with BABYMETAL on the track “Kingslayer,” bringing together the British rock outfit and the Japanese metal idol group in a project that appealed to fans of both acts.

These collaborations suggest a strategic approach to cross-pollination — bringing BMTH’s aggressive sound to new audiences while maintaining credibility in the alternative music world. The band has been selective about which projects they accept, prioritizing partners who bring something genuinely distinctive rather than pursuing mainstream attention at any cost.

Where Fans Are Seeking Answers

Where the Story Stands

Bring Me the Horizon have spent two decades building something unusual: a band that can go from metalcore origins to a Brit Awards stage alongside the biggest pop act in the UK without entirely losing its identity. The Jordan Fish era — arguably their most artistically ambitious stretch — ended in December 2023, and the band is now in the process of redefining itself.

For longtime fans, the Third Ascension Program tour offers a chance to see whether the current lineup can deliver live what the recorded work has promised. For newer listeners who discovered BMTH through the Sheeran collaboration, the back catalog offers a much harder, rawer version of the band that built the reputation in the first place. The 2026 tour will determine whether the post-Fish era represents a creative rebirth or a slow decline into nostalgia.