Marketplace Shine On New Single 'Place Nice!' Ahead Of SXSW

Hartlepool’s fast-rising indie five-piece Marketplace are stepping confidently into 2026 with the release of their razor-sharp new single ‘Play Nice!’, out now. Arriving just weeks before major showcase appearances at New Colossus Festival and SXSW, the track finds the band riding a growing wave of critical buzz, and signalling a bold new chapter in their ascent.

Produced by Chad Rodgers, whose past collaborators include Cape Cub, Finn Forster, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Llovers and Loren Heat, ‘Play Nice!’ captures Marketplace’s bright, hook-laden blend of alt-pop and indie rock at its most immediate. Shimmering guitar lines intertwine with subtle synth textures, while driving drums and grounding bass form a buoyant backdrop for the band’s charismatic dual-vocal attack.

At its core, however, ‘Play Nice!’ carries a sharp emotional edge. What sounds breezy on the surface is, in fact, a cathartic release of frustration - a punchy, guitar-driven diss track delivered with melodic charm.

Vocalist Evie Rhodes explains:

“Play Nice! was born from being thrown into the kind of situation which I had not been in since secondary school, and the frustration of feeling like I was long past the point of dealing with interpersonal issues in that sort of immature, psychological, mean-girl way. In its most basic form, it is a diss track, which was something I would never have expected I’d do. It kind of demonstrates how checked out I’d become with the situation, in that it’s basically years of frustrations boiling up to the surface that I wished I’d been able to express at the time.”

Balancing emotional candour with irresistibly catchy songwriting, their music draws influence from the jangling immediacy of Alvvays, the punchy power-pop of The Beths, the heartfelt storytelling of Modern Baseball and the art-rock eccentricity of Talking Heads. Live, that sound has been steadily building a reputation across the UK circuit. The band’s forthcoming trip to the US marks a significant milestone: they will perform at New York’s New Colossus Festival from 3–8 March before heading south to SXSW in Austin from 12–18 March, introducing international audiences to their sharp songwriting and energetic stage presence.

The showcases follow a strong run of UK festival appearances, including Kendal Calling, Y Not Festival, Stockton Calling and Butterfly Effect Festival, as well as support slots alongside Alfie Templeman and Swim Deep.

With ‘Play Nice!’ marking the first of a series of releases throughout 2026, Marketplace appear poised for a breakout year. It’s a track that reveals a more direct and fearless edge to the band, proof that beneath their sunny indie-pop exterior lies a willingness to sharpen the knives when the moment calls for it.

‘Play Nice!’ is available now via Singing Light Records and Wipe Out Music.