Netflix has cancelled its music competition series Building the Band after a single season. Produced by Remarkable Entertainment, the series brought together 50 singers who competed for the chance to form a new band without seeing one another during the early stages of the process. Instead, the contestants had to rely entirely on their voices, musical instincts and the connections they formed through sound.
Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean hosted the series, with Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland and Liam Payne serving as mentors and guest judges. The competition concluded with three live shows filmed in Manchester in August 2024. The programme later premiered on Netflix in July 2025 and was dedicated to Payne’s memory.
For many fans, Payne’s involvement gave the series an added emotional significance. Building the Band became one of his final screen projects, and seeing him offer advice and encouragement to a new generation of performers made the series feel especially meaningful.
The finalists, 3quency, SZN4, Soulidified and Midnight Til Morning, have continued pursuing music following the show, releasing original songs and taking their performances on tour.
For CultureCues, it is a real shame to see Building the Band end after just one season. It was an entertaining take on the music competition format, and seeing Liam encourage the contestants and share what he had learned throughout his own career gave the series something genuinely special. Had the show been given more time to grow, it could have continued opening doors for even more performers.
Building the Band is available to stream on Netflix.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.