Busted vs McFly – A Pop-Rock Showdown That Feels Like a Reunion
It’s funny how time works. Twenty years ago, if you were a teenager in the UK, chances are you either swore allegiance to Busted or you pledged yourself to McFly. For a while, the two bands even became one—forming McBusted, touring arenas, and putting out an album that, for many, felt like the ultimate millennial pop-rock dream. But now, in 2025, they’ve returned to the stage not as brothers-in-arms, but as rivals—albeit friendly ones—in a tour aptly named Busted vs McFly .
The O2 in London turned into an arena-sized battleground, complete with a tongue-in-cheek opening video that played out like a scene from Romeo + Juliet . Both groups were painted as “star-crossed bands,” destined to clash under the bright lights of Britannia. Fans weren’t shy about choosing sides either—couples came in Team Busted or Team McFly T-shirts, glancing at each other with playful suspicion. The atmosphere was charged with nostalgia, but also something fresher: the sense that this wasn’t just a throwback, but a reminder that both bands are still very much alive and kicking.
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McFly came out swinging first. Still trim, loud, and determined to prove their rock credibility, they opened with Where Did All the Guitars Go? —a track railing against soulless radio hits. The song may have been more bark than bite, but their set had undeniable charm. With classics like Obviously , All About You , and One for the Radio , they had the crowd singing along, even if some newer tracks didn’t quite land. Their visuals glitched and pixelated by the end, making way for their longtime “rivals.”
Then Busted took the stage—or rather, what was left of them. James Bourne was sidelined by illness, leaving just Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis to carry the flag. Without Bourne’s playful energy, the set leaned more serious, but it wasn’t without highlights. A heartfelt Sleeping with the Light On , dedicated to their absent bandmate, hushed the crowd, while Thunderbirds Are Go surprised everyone with its sheer ferocity—Simpson channelling something closer to hardcore punk than glossy teen pop. Still, there was a sense of strain as they tried to stretch their cheeky early anthems into heavier rock postures.
As the night wore on, the tension eased. The bands began to playfully cross enemy lines—Willis traded jabs with McFly’s Dougie Poynter from opposite sides of the arena, while Simpson and Danny Jones blended their voices on tender ballads. And then came the encore. Both bands merged once again, ripping through Shine a Light and, of course, Year 3000 . It was chaotic, joyous, and exactly what the fans had been waiting for—a flashback and a reminder of why these songs have endured.
By the end of the night, a verdict had to be reached. McFly, still intact and musically versatile, seemed to edge out the win. But in truth, no one lost. Fans left buzzing, voices hoarse from shouting along, friendships rekindled by shared memories. The rivalry may have been staged, but the energy was real. For one evening, the so-called battle was less about competition and more about celebration.
And if the cheers were anything to go by, Busted and McFly are bigger than they’ve ever been—proof that the soundtrack of your youth can still hit hard, even decades later.
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