Official Reading & Leeds 2026

[NorthernSoul52]

Franz Ferdinand suddenly seem to be a bit "cool" again, which is weird, because I don't feel there has been a kind of breakout on the Gen Z and beyond sphere for them.

 

Know it was probably always a one-and-done, but I would have liked to have seen them get back into bed with Sparks for another round of FFS. Missed that tour, back in the day.

 

Charli XCX is a strange one. LIDO still isn't sold out - though general release tickets are on Tier 5, which I believe to be the final one, so it is selling well enough - but I'd have assumed that might not be enough to earn outright headliner status on paper. Think she could be in the Hozier slot - the top half of a co-headliner situation, though I am not sure who the other act would be.

 

Post Malone, if he goes around again next year after his big stadium tour across the world in 2025, is another candidate, I guess.

[Andre91]

2 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Franz Ferdinand suddenly seem to be a bit "cool" again, which is weird, because I don't feel there has been a kind of breakout on the Gen Z and beyond sphere for them.

 

Know it was probably always a one-and-done, but I would have liked to have seen them get back into bed with Sparks for another round of FFS. Missed that tour, back in the day.

 

Charli XCX is a strange one. LIDO still isn't sold out - though general release tickets are on Tier 5, which I believe to be the final one, so it is selling well enough - but I'd have assumed that might not be enough to earn outright headliner status on paper. Think she could be in the Hozier slot - the top half of a co-headliner situation, though I am not sure who the other act would be.

 

Post Malone, if he goes around again next year after his big stadium tour across the world in 2025, is another candidate, I guess.

Charli co-headlining alongside Central Cee makes sense to me. They’d both pull in the younger audience. 

[NorthernSoul52]

Yeah, I can see that!

[andyrhodes24]

On 3/4/2025 at 9:30 PM, Andre91 said:

 

Charli will probably be able to headline outright if she was to play, I now think. 

 

 

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Frank Ferdinand back on the lineup in 2026. They seem to be having a bit of a Bloc Party style resurgence this year.
 

Nonetheless, if they’re going to keep the ‘festival icons’ slot a thing (which I think they should, it’s cool), I could see it being The Libertines next year. 

The festival icons slot is something I’m fully behind, give me some landfill indie either early evening main stage in the sun (Jamie T) or closing the R1 tent (Franz Ferdinand).

 

It’s decent idea, appeals the superstruct audience if you’re booking some Bloc Party, Kooks, Two Door, Wombats type names.

[CanWeRest]

On 05/03/2025 at 07:01, NorthernSoul52 said:

Franz Ferdinand suddenly seem to be a bit "cool" again, which is weird, because I don't feel there has been a kind of breakout on the Gen Z and beyond sphere for them.

 

Know it was probably always a one-and-done, but I would have liked to have seen them get back into bed with Sparks for another round of FFS. Missed that tour, back in the day.

 

Charli XCX is a strange one. LIDO still isn't sold out - though general release tickets are on Tier 5, which I believe to be the final one, so it is selling well enough - but I'd have assumed that might not be enough to earn outright headliner status on paper. Think she could be in the Hozier slot - the top half of a co-headliner situation, though I am not sure who the other act would be.

 

Post Malone, if he goes around again next year after his big stadium tour across the world in 2025, is another candidate, I guess.

 

FF confirmed for Glasto, so they must be cool again 😅

[NorthernSoul52]

Bring back FFS!

 

Anyway, Charli should finish those LIDO sales, and will get a bump from the Glasto coverage. Think she'll possibly need a new album or another run of shows somewhere to get the slot next year though - will be coming to the end of the touring cycle at the very least otherwise.

[andyrhodes24]

Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Fender, Foo Fighters

[NorthernSoul52]

Fontaines DC - but if so, as part of a co-headliner.

[Benj]

On 07/03/2025 at 07:22, andyrhodes24 said:

Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Fender, Foo Fighters

Would be a quick seller that

 

for me anyway

[NorthernSoul52]

I'd forgotten that R+L do like a headliner that has sometimes done the big G the year before.

 

So by that sense, think Olivia Rodrigo is a very good shout. It's just whether she wants to bounce across for a late summer run or not.

[Andre91]

Charli xcx / Fontaines D.C. / The Libertines 

 

Tyler, The Creator / Little Simz / Doechii

 

Linkin Park / Architects / Wolf Alice

[NorthernSoul52]

Architects into Linkin Park would thrill a lot of people I know.

[Andre91]

24 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Architects into Linkin Park would thrill a lot of people I know.

It makes sense. They’re supporting them on some massive stadium shows this summer (not the UK dates) and they’re supposedly announcing their ‘biggest ever tour’ shortly, which is rumoured to include the O2, so they fit perfectly as a sub under the ‘heavy’ headliner next year. 
 

God knows how they’re going to fill the O2. They did arenas a few years ago and it sold alright, then they subbed Biffy at several of those same arenas six months later. Since then, they seem to have turned off as many fans as they have made with their new material. I don’t see how they’re any bigger now than they were on that first arena run. 

Edited March 9, 2025 by Andre91

[foolee]

11 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Charli xcx / Fontaines D.C. / The Libertines 

 

Tyler, The Creator / Little Simz / Doechii

 

Linkin Park / Architects / Wolf Alice

Any reason why Charli headlines over Fontaines when Fontaines have sold more tickets to their own headline show in London? 

[charlierc]

On 05/03/2025 at 07:01, NorthernSoul52 said:

Franz Ferdinand suddenly seem to be a bit "cool" again, which is weird, because I don't feel there has been a kind of breakout on the Gen Z and beyond sphere for them.

News to me tbf - I saw them 3 times in 2018 and each time a lot of people were up for what they were putting down.

[charlierc]

42 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

God knows how they’re going to fill the O2. They did arenas a few years ago and it sold alright, then they subbed Biffy at several of those same arenas six months later.

I did find it a little peculiar when they did The O2 on that Biffy run and had comedian turned Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett introduce them. Something his friend, comedian and noted metalhead Ed Gamble probably found hilarious.

 

For disclosure, I did enjoy Architects when I saw them support Biffy at Birmingham on the same run.

[NorthernSoul52]

Kind of feel their moment in the sun is gone, though they weren't horrendous sales the other day either. Looked, at one point, like nailed-on Download headliners in another five years, but the fire has dimmed since.

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, foolee said:

Any reason why Charli headlines over Fontaines when Fontaines have sold more tickets to their own headline show in London? 

It’s a co-headline! Should’ve made that clear. 

[NorthernSoul52]

I could buy that as a co-headliner. Think you'd get a decent spread - imagine there's more of a venn diagram overlap than you think.

 

Charli has a bit of the indie rock cred and Fontaines DC seem to be the young dance fan's guitar band, to an extent.

 

I am, of course, getting on a bit and my finger may be wildly off the pulse.

[jcarb]

I'm going to go;

Lewis Capaldi / Central Cee
Paramore (Maybe swap this for My Chemical Romance but I recon they'll want a female centred headliner)
Foo Fighters

[Sam Y]

I'm thinking

Sam Fender

Charli XCX/Central Cee

Foo Fighters

[RedJosh]

I think Foos will definitely be there if Dave is off the naughty step. If not I think they will try to get Olivia Rodrigo instead.

 

My guess is: Linkin Park / Foos or Olivia Rodrigo / Dua Lipa

 

 

[NorthernSoul52]

If FF were in the mix for this year before DG's indiscretions, then absolutely can see them coming around next year.

 

The alternative is that Download finally convinces them to do no other UK shows and accept the exclusivity clause that has reportedly been a barrier there.

[northernangel]

On 12/03/2025 at 13:25, jcarb said:

I'm going to go;

Lewis Capaldi / Central Cee
Paramore (Maybe swap this for My Chemical Romance but I recon they'll want a female centred headliner)
Foo Fighters

 

More than likely a female headliner.

On 13/03/2025 at 23:29, Sam Y said:

I'm thinking

Sam Fender

Charli XCX/Central Cee

Foo Fighters

 

I doubt Sam only 3 years later.

On 13/03/2025 at 23:55, RedJosh said:

I think Foos will definitely be there if Dave is off the naughty step. If not I think they will try to get Olivia Rodrigo instead.

 

My guess is: Linkin Park / Foos or Olivia Rodrigo / Dua Lipa

 

 

 

Dua Lipa I don't see happening. Glastonbury, then Stadiums and then Reading 3 years in a row is unlikely and the album came out less than 12 months ago. Next year at the minumum will be a new album and there was a 3/4 years gaps between each one but I'd say 2027 is definitely an option unless BST swoop in which is probably likely.

 

I'm going:

 

Central Cee/Charli XCX

 

Olivia Rodrigo

 

Foos

 

Olivia though could easily opt for stadiums instead and why wouldn't you really if you can't and the money is there.

 

I'm going for Capaldi sub as they'll have to have some caution in case he pulls out.

 

I'd also go for Biffy to be tbe special guest as it was said before Foos as well.

Edited April 4, 2025 by northernangel

[Andre91]

44 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

More than likely a female headliner.

 

I doubt Sam only 3 years later.

 

Dua Lipa I don't see happening. Glastonbury, then Stadiums and then Reading 3 years in a row is unlikely and the album came out less than 12 months ago. Next year at the minumum will be a new album and there was a 3/4 years gaps between each one but I'd say 2027 is definitely an option unless BST swoop in which is probably likely.

 

I'm going:

 

Central Cee/Charli XCX

 

Olivia Rodrigo

 

Foos

 

Olivia though could easily opt for stadiums instead and why wouldn't you really if you can't and the money is there.

 

I'm going for Capaldi sub as they'll have to have some caution in case he pulls out.

 

I'd also go for Biffy to be tbe special guest as it was said before Foos as well.

I also don’t see Dua Lipa ever playing R&L again. 
 

Cench x Charli, O-Rod and Foos is a great shout. As is Capaldi subbing in the event he can’t make the show (a bit like how they had The Libs sub in 2010 because there were concerns it might not happen). 
 

I do think Linkin Park are in with a huge shout. If Foos aren’t back by then, they will fill the rock headliner role. 
 

Charli x Central Cee 

Olivia Rodrigo 

Linkin Park 

 

Seems a solid and very on-brand set of headliners for this festival. 

Edited April 4, 2025 by Andre91