Frankly Mr Shankly

I'd take a guess at the headliners being: Volbeat, Behemoth, Mercyful Fate with special guests Dimmu Borgir

Perhaps if you'd provided this handy key with your first post the confusion would have been avoided. I assumed we were both using the actual definition of the word current, rather than in the context you have now provided with this handy key. Past or previous were perhaps the more accurate words you were looking for to describe what you meant. i.e. 'of the past or previous headliners only 12 could still headline again in the future.' Anyway, glad we cleared that up.

I'm not really sure what you mean by 'current' Download headliner because that isn't a thing? They've obviously never played before, but that doesn't mean they won't & I thought that was the point of the conversation... Copping named Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters & Van Halen as his dream bookings in 2018, so in that regard yes I'd say they're very 'current' when the booker looks at who he wants to headline...

They have tried on occasion. Of the ones that jump out to me straight away: Foo Fighters were provisionally booked in 08 & pulled out. Pearl Jam were provisionally booked in 13 & pulled out. Green Day were very nearly booked in 17 but chose BST instead.

Metallica, Maiden, Rammstein, Kiss, Def Leppard, System of a Down, Slipknot, Tool, Green Day, Blink 182, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Ozzy, Avenged Sevenfold, Guns n Roses, AC/DC, Muse, Biffy Clyro, Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chili Peppers- that's 21 proven festival headliners that are still active to some degree at the moment & could headline Download. That's without the ones that you could argue either way for e.g. - ADTR, BMTH, Alter Bridge, Korn, NIN etc. Of course a lot of the acts on that list are reaching the end of their careers, so Download should be looking to the long term future I agree.

The last time Maiden played Twickenham was 11 years ago. Which was also the last time they played a stadium in the UK I believe.

When you look at some of the names they've booked in the past I don't think Metallica are unrealistic. AC/DC possibly are, but then you could say that about any festival. Van Halen have a 'reunion' tour lined up for next year - no idea if it includes Europe or not though. I disagree about the others not fitting - granted Blink might be pushing it for Hellfest but the others would be fine.

The following have all never played either & could headline: Metallica, AC/DC, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, NIN, Queens of the Stone Age, Green Day, Van Halen, Blink 182 (some more likely than others I agree). I could see Hellfest going all in with the big bucks for some sort of European exclusive on a Misfits show too. I'd say the most obvious band to have never played is Metallica though, so it's probably them...

A Day to Remember (& to a lesser extent Alter Bridge) are on the up though, playing bigger venues & higher slots at festivals each time they tour... Placebo have peaked & dropped down from where they were in 05-07 when they possibly could have been considered a headliner. I say that as a fan of Placebo & not of the other two.

They've played it every time I've seen them - twice in 2012, once in 2016. I do get the feeling Bob isn't a massive fan of the song though.

Parkway Drive, ADTR, Ghost, Architects and Korn are the obvious ones that jump out to me over the next few years to step up. Of existing headliner sized bands I imagine Foo Fighters, Green Day, QOTSA and Blink will all probably do it in the next 5-10 years as the 'big' headliner pool grows shorter.

The Pot was the best live performance I think I've ever seen, perfect set. The sound on the mainstage for Tool was the best I've ever heard at a festival, which begs the question why it was so ropey for the rest of the weekend. Pumpkins were good, the setlist could have been better but Billy actually sounded great again.

Is it just me or are the dates wrong on this? Thursday is the 18th not the 17th & so on...

There was nothing wrong with your response at all. I thought it was a very genuine & empathetic post.

I don't think you can really call Download too small when the arena has a capacity of 110,000 (I think they have a license to extend to 120,000 if needed) - that's bigger than any stadium in the UK. Plus if it's a farewell tour they could easily do Stadium dates as well later in the year. Download has in the past made changes to accommodate demands - Ozzfest branding in 05, allowing AC/DC their own stage in 10, allowing big headliners no clashes, Download France adding a fourth day to accommodate Guns n' Roses. etc. So I suppose it depends how badly Copping wants to book them & if there is still enough money to be made for LiveNation once everything is considered. I would say they're unlikely but far from impossible.