19 March 2025

Press Release

For immediate release

Guy Garvey, The Maccabees, Hot Wax and more join Music Declares Emergency to create the soundtrack for WWF’s Earth Hour

Major artists including Guy Garvey, The Maccabees and Hot Wax, have created unique, nature-inspired NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET playlists for people to switch off to during WWF’s Earth Hour
At 8:30pm on Saturday 22 March, many of the most iconic landmarks across the UK and the world are switching off their lights in support, while the public can switch off at home and reflect on their own connection with nature
Music lovers can also get involved by switching off and tuning into a nature-inspired playlist

Music Declares Emergency and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have teamed up with some of their favourite artists to create nature-inspired playlists for music lovers to switch off to during Earth Hour on Saturday 22 March.

Inspired by their connection with nature, artists and bands including Guy Garvey, The Maccabees, Hot Wax, Slowdive, Lou Hayter, Goat Girl, Dougie Poynter, Katy J Pearson and Iwan Rheon, have handpicked some of their favourite songs to create unique NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET playlists.

To access the playlists for Earth Hour, Music Declares Emergency and WWF are asking the public to sign up and join the movement at NOMUSICONADEADPLANET.ORG and pledge to take part in Earth Hour from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday 22 March.

By joining the movement, music lovers can switch off and chill out to playlists created by some of the UK’s best-known acts, with songs like Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell's River and Good Song by Blur, and reflect on their own connection with nature.

Guy Garvey on watching Puffins, Gannets, and Storm Kestrels on the Shetland Isles: “It was summer, and the memory of the endless day and those fabulous creatures connected me to the world in a really meaningful way. To think that this life is going on all the time is a wonderful feeling.”

Alfie from Hot Wax on hanging out at the beach in his hometown of Shoreham: “I grew up surfing and free-diving and always take my waterproof mp3 player with me. Listening to music in the water combines the things I love and inspires my musicality.”

Lewis Jamieson, CEO at Music Declares Emergency said: “We believe that music has the power to change the world, and I can think of few better examples of this than Earth Hour. We hope that, thanks to our amazing playlist contributors, music fans can take time to enjoy some beautifully curated compilations, step out of their everyday, and take time to look at the wonders around them.”

Holly McKinlay, Director of Strategic Communications and Brand at WWF-UK said: “Music has the incredible ability of transporting us into the heart of nature, stirring our emotions and memories and connecting us to the world around us. I’m thrilled that these incredible artists have given their time and creativity in making these playlists to help music and nature lovers switch off for Earth Hour.”

“Through combining the cultural and emotive power of music with this moment for the Earth, I hope that listeners can reflect on their own connection with nature and feel inspired to take action this Earth Hour and beyond.”

Starting in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour is a global moment to switch off, connect with loved ones, reflect on the collective impact we’re having on the planet and commit to restoring nature and ourselves.

During Earth Hour, simply taking the time to pause and connect with nature is also brilliant for our mental wellbeing. Just 20 minutes in nature each day can reduce stress and anxiety, lift our mood and help our minds rest, even at home.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Download artist imagery here

Download landmark imagery here

To access the NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET playlists for Earth Hour, music lovers will need to sign up and join the movement at NOMUSICONADEADPLANET.ORG, a community of thousands of music fans who take part in monthly climate challenges, are offered opportunities to work on stalls at some of the UK’s largest festivals, and gain access to unique competition prizes.

Full playlists are available to download ahead of Earth Hour on WWF-UK's Spotify

Everyone signing up to join the movement will automatically be entered into a competition to win a prize package of vinyl albums worth £400 from BRITs 2025 nominees and winners including Charlie xcx, Ezra Collective, Fontaines D.C. and more.

More information about Earth Hour and how to get involved can be found at wwf.org.uk/earth-hour

For more information about this year’s Earth Hour, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

George Mitchell | Media Manager at WWF 

T: +44 (0) 7972615910 | E: gmitchell@wwf.org.uk

Out of hours media contact: 

T: +44 (0) 1483 412 383 | E: press@wwf.org.uk

About WWF’s Earth Hour:

It all started back in 2007, born out of frustration about inaction to tackle climate change and protect nature, to replace people’s despair with hope and positivity at a global level. On 31 March 2007, more than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses in Sydney, Australia switched off their lights for one hour, which marked the beginning of the Earth Hour movement. And that one particular hour has gone global, with more than 190 countries participating in switch-off events and activities, to show their support for nature and climate.

Today, Earth Hour is one of the world’s largest grassroots environmental movements, which takes place every year with the same aim as back in 2007 – to unite the world in support of people and the planet. However, its impact has gone far beyond just turning off the lights for one hour. Earth Hour is more than making a small change on one day.

About WWF:  

WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is a global environmental charity, and we’re bringing our world back to life. With nature in freefall, we’re urgently tackling the underlying causes that are driving the decline – especially the food system and climate change. And we’re finding solutions so future generations have a world with thriving habitats and wildlife.

It’s a huge challenge, but there is hope. We’re working globally with governments, companies, communities and others who have the will to act and the power to transform our world. We’re using our ground-breaking scientific research, our global influence, and the backing of our many supporters to make sure the natural world’s vital signs are recovering by 2030.

WWF. Bringing our world back to life.

Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk 

About Music Declares Emergency:

Music Declares Emergency has been harnessing the power of music to put the climate emergency on the front page of culture for five years. Their team have created a community of support within music that encompasses all the major UK music organisations and businesses, over 4000 recording artists and a host of important individuals and change makers within UK music culture. By working across the entire music ecosystem, with a presence at grass roots shows and major festivals they are shifting access to climate activism into the mainstream.

About NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET:

The NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET Movement is a community of music lovers taking a stand on the climate crisis.

They are connecting music fandom with collective action by challenging their 12,000 movement members to monthly climate action challenges, incentivised by gig tickets, music bundles and VIP experiences. they are creating community, collective action and creative ideas to tackle the climate crisis and combat climate anxiety, together.