The Molotovs Take Aim with UK Tour and Chart-Smashing Debut Album
Wasted On Youth defies the algorithm with a fan-powered rise toward No.1
Fresh off the release of their explosive debut album Wasted On Youth, London-based trio The Molotovs have announced their biggest UK tour to date — and they’re gunning for the top of the charts while they’re at it. Out now via Marshall Records, the album has landed at No. 2 in the midweek Official Charts, trailing only Lily Allen and ahead of heavyweight names like Olivia Dean, Cast and Kula Shaker.
It’s a result driven, not by hype but by relentless gigging. Since forming, siblings Matt (17) and Issey Cartlidge (19) have racked up over 600 live shows, selling 15,000 tickets and drawing in a fast-growing, passionate fanbase — all before their 20th birthdays.
Tour Rolls Out This September
The band will hit the road for a full UK tour in September 2026, taking their incendiary live energy to major cities including London’s 2,300-capacity Forum, as well as stops in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff and more.
The Molotovs UK Tour Dates:
- Thu 03 Sept – Tamshed, Cardiff
- Fri 04 Sept – Palais, Nottingham
- Sat 05 Sept – Chalk, Brighton
- Thu 10 Sept – TV Studio, Glasgow
- Fri 11 Sept – Digital, Newcastle
- Sat 12 Sept – Foundry, Sheffield
- Thu 17 Sept – The Wardrobe, Leeds
- Fri 18 Sept – Arts Club, Liverpool
- Sat 19 Sept – Academy 2, Manchester
- Thu 24 Sept – O2 Academy 2, Birmingham
- Fri 25 Sept – O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London
- Fri 02 Oct – Ulster Sports Club, Belfast
- Sat 03 Oct – The Grand Social, Dublin
Tickets on sale Thursday 5 February via themolotovs.os.fan
Wasted On Youth: A Generation’s Soundtrack
Produced by Jason Perry and mixed/mastered by Blair Crichton of Dead Pony, Wasted On Youth is a high-voltage cocktail of new wave, punk, indie and garage. The album opens with the snarling ‘Get A Life’, targeting social media toxicity, and closes with ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’ — a fist-pumping anthem of defiance.
Tracklist highlights include the hyperactive ‘More More More More’, stadium-ready ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’, and the title track ‘Wasted On Youth’, an angsty reflection on societal pressure and fleeting time.
“After tearing up every dive bar and stage on the circuit, finally unleashing Wasted On Youth feels electric… it’s the payoff we’ve been chasing.” – Matt Cartlidge
Despite their age, The Molotovs channel decades of attitude and authenticity, drawing comparisons to the legends they’ve shared stages with — Iggy Pop, The Libertines, Blondie, The Sex Pistols and more.
As the industry scrambles to make sense of their ascent, the band’s response is simple: play harder, play louder, and stay true.
Read our review of The Molotovs at Chalk, Brighton
More The Molotovs on Punkinfocus: Live review: The Molotovs Kick Down Doors at a Festive Charity Fundraiser (December 2025) · Live review: Youth, Fury and Anthemic Fire: The Molotovs Burn Bright (October 2025) · The Molotovs set second album Welcome To Urbia for April 2027 (September 2026) · The Molotovs feature in new Beatles Instagram reel (August 2026) · The Molotovs launch King’s Cross Summer Sounds with Bowie salute (August 2026)
