Download 2026

[AwakeToken4]

1 hour ago, Spiral_Low said:

Metallica, SOAD and MCR all doing their own big shows.....a headliner set like that and Download gonna be looking at a drop in numbers again, just have they have experienced over last 2 years. Pre covid they were regularly hitting 80000+ and last 2 years it's been 75K. That headliner set in a year vs these shows and I think it drops even further, 65 to 70K. 

I see where you're coming from but at the same time ToP are a big draw and can easily sell out arenas, and sold out 2 nights at the O2, Ghosts most recent arena tour sold out almost instantly and LP are LP. The strength of headliners is subjective, I watched plenty of older people leaving during BMTH and plenty younger people leaving during Metallica. I think ToP covers the younger crowd, Ghost covers a range of people and LP covers everyone 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

7 hours ago, Marka23 said:

Generally RaR and Download share a lot of acts 

Yes I know that. But the post said if Ghost aren’t at RaR they aren’t going to be about. Plenty of bands play Download (and other Euro fests) and don’t do RaR. 

[Cammers]

Anyone think Pendulum could appear somewhere on the bill?

Last appeared 2023, new album + a nice catalogue of heavier songs now and Rob's even singing the In Flames vox on Self vs Self.

[Siddey1994]

1 hour ago, Cammers said:

Anyone think Pendulum could appear somewhere on the bill?

Last appeared 2023, new album + a nice catalogue of heavier songs now and Rob's even singing the In Flames vox on Self vs Self.

Would love them back but they need to headline 2nd at the same time as main headliner so they can play in the dark.

[northernangel]

17 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

What I was saying was that a few years ago bands of 21P and ST’s genres would’ve been laughed out of Donington as headliners but both those bands appeal to today’s Download crowd despite neither being metal.

 

Genres aside, 21P are also unbelievably more interesting than ST fwiw.

 

They are more interesting than ST yes, that's not difficult though and definitely not a decision maker lol.

16 hours ago, foolee said:

Weren’t they also like 24th choice on the list? I think if any of Ghost, Limp Bizkit, Iron Maiden or Guns N Roses are touring in the summer they’ll be booked. 

 

There was that person who talked about GNR and LP  ring booked next year, it's suddenly out of the question. LB would be a ridiculously bad booking already for it. They've toured too much.

Their own arena tour was only Wembley Arena. Ao, Birmingham and the Hydro. Not even one 02 or coop. They shouldn't headliner anyway, really desperate move for that to happen. Even without being a gimmick hour of fun, the sales aren't there to back it up. Reading didn't sell out adding them to a BMTH day already and I don't believe as someone said ...I don't definitely know, that their gunnersbury shows sold out.

 

16 hours ago, foolee said:

Was just the rumour a few months back. Not sure how legit. Seems talk of Limp Bizkit now on the RAR/RIP forum. Will be interesting to see that RAR/RIP announcement now as if it’s Bizkit Volbeat & LP I think that nails on Bizkit for Download. Lots of ifs though

 

That 3 for RAR would be really bad personally. I dont think RAR have really had a great lineup though since 2023. 

16 hours ago, AwakeToken4 said:

Personally think we're getting LP, Ghost and Twenty One Pilots which Imo is a pretty good lineup. wouldn't complain at GnR or Limp Bizkit either tbh. Don't see Muse or Biffy being in the headline slot again. Probably get Yungblud subbing for Twenty One Pilots or Bizkit and Volbeat subbing for Ghost or GnR. 

 

Someone a while ago heard that GNR and LP were booked.

10 hours ago, AwakeToken4 said:

I see where you're coming from but at the same time ToP are a big draw and can easily sell out arenas, and sold out 2 nights at the O2, Ghosts most recent arena tour sold out almost instantly and LP are LP. The strength of headliners is subjective, I watched plenty of older people leaving during BMTH and plenty younger people leaving during Metallica. I think ToP covers the younger crowd, Ghost covers a range of people and LP covers everyone 

 

It doesnt matter whether they do or not, as lot of bands sell out arenas and wouldn't play Download. Selling arenas doesn't make you automatically a fit to headline anywhere around, it just means you can do what is thought to be suitable. 

[Spiral_Low]

10 hours ago, AwakeToken4 said:

I see where you're coming from but at the same time ToP are a big draw and can easily sell out arenas, and sold out 2 nights at the O2, Ghosts most recent arena tour sold out almost instantly and LP are LP. The strength of headliners is subjective, I watched plenty of older people leaving during BMTH and plenty younger people leaving during Metallica. I think ToP covers the younger crowd, Ghost covers a range of people and LP covers everyone 

With respect, I think you are overestimating how much of a 'young crowd' Download can pull.

 

[SmackRat]

If TOP and Yungblud are on or anywhere near Mainstage I'm selling my ticket. If I wanted a pop festival I'd go to R+L

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Spiral_Low said:

With respect, I think you are overestimating how much of a 'young crowd' Download can pull.

 

 

They can pull a young crowd but the older crowd that says no thanks will stop the attending number reaching anywhere near their peak point. Some or the acts mentioned on here will be lucky to take it past 65k.

24 minutes ago, SmackRat said:

If TOP and Yungblud are on or anywhere near Mainstage I'm selling my ticket. If I wanted a pop festival I'd go to R+L

 

Yungblud I'd almost guarantee it and I'd rather he headlined that TOP personally but he shouldn't headline. He is 100% more rock than TOP are though. I dont dislike TOP.

[Mstuart2499]

36 minutes ago, SmackRat said:

If TOP and Yungblud are on or anywhere near Mainstage I'm selling my ticket. If I wanted a pop festival I'd go to R+L

See you at download when they get announced then

[Marka23]

4 hours ago, northernangel said:

 

They are more interesting than ST yes, that's not difficult though and definitely not a decision maker lol.

 

There was that person who talked about GNR and LP  ring booked next year, it's suddenly out of the question. LB would be a ridiculously bad booking already for it. They've toured too much.

Their own arena tour was only Wembley Arena. Ao, Birmingham and the Hydro. Not even one 02 or coop. They shouldn't headliner anyway, really desperate move for that to happen. Even without being a gimmick hour of fun, the sales aren't there to back it up. Reading didn't sell out adding them to a BMTH day already and I don't believe as someone said ...I don't definitely know, that their gunnersbury shows sold out.

 

 

That 3 for RAR would be really bad personally. I dont think RAR have really had a great lineup though since 2023. 

 

Someone a while ago heard that GNR and LP were booked.

 

 

It doesnt matter whether they do or not, as lot of bands sell out arenas and wouldn't play Download. Selling arenas doesn't make you automatically a fit to headline anywhere around, it just means you can do what is thought to be suitable. 

For Bizkits tour this year when they played the AO Arena it's the biggest venue they've played here 

Edited September 13, 2025 by Marka23

[Marka23]

3 hours ago, SmackRat said:

If TOP and Yungblud are on or anywhere near Mainstage I'm selling my ticket. If I wanted a pop festival I'd go to R+L

You can always just watch someone else 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Marka23 said:

For Bizkits tour this year when they played the AO Arena it's the biggest venue they've played here 

I'm not sure that makes the claim any greater, they also as said played Wembley Arena with 12.5k people. 

[andyrhodes24]

Limp Bizkit at Leeds this year was a headline set in all but name, production wasn’t the greatest but they honestly didn’t need it, crowd was unreal.

[OllieJ77]

6 hours ago, northernangel said:

I'm not sure that makes the claim any greater, they also as said played Wembley Arena with 12.5k people. 

Just don’t think they’d be a good choice from a booking perspective as a headliner if you want to draw a crowd. They’d put on a show but they aren’t getting people to spend £100+ on a day ticket imo.

[Marka23]

21 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Just don’t think they’d be a good choice from a booking perspective as a headliner if you want to draw a crowd. They’d put on a show but they aren’t getting people to spend £100+ on a day ticket imo.

They were originally booked as a headliner for the first Download in 2003.

[DomDom1984]

The idea that Bizkit can't draw a crowd, especially in this age, is hilarious. 

[northernangel]

15 hours ago, Marka23 said:

You can always just watch someone else 

 

Yes but you can't just do that can you because they don't clash the headliner with anyone apart from a 40 minute dogtooth headliner. The argument for Download of just being able to watch s different headliner is the most stupid and flawed point of debate for Download there is. It is also one of Downloads least selling points.

11 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Limp Bizkit at Leeds this year was a headline set in all but name, production wasn’t the greatest but they honestly didn’t need it, crowd was unreal.

 

But it wasn't was it because they played for an hour before BMTH. Are we saying we are alright with 1 hour long headline sets now with poor production for £100+. It doesn't matter if the crowd were just great and up for it, they would have been great if they were doing an hour 4th down as a special guest. The fact is to get an extra 15 minutes out of them so it would be the size of a set as if they were co-headlining, that extra is just tape recordings because it was on their tour. 

8 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Just don’t think they’d be a good choice from a booking perspective as a headliner if you want to draw a crowd. They’d put on a show but they aren’t getting people to spend £100+ on a day ticket imo.

 

Not a chance spending £100, even £125 on them. I last saw them before recently in 2010 at Leeds. Now I've seen them again now there is no sudden need for it again anytime soon, let alone headline. They are a fun 60 minutes.

7 hours ago, Marka23 said:

They were originally booked as a headliner for the first Download in 2003.

Thats was 23 years ago dude.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I think Limp Bizkit could headline, in the same way Korn did. But, they’ve oversaturated themselves in the UK over the last couple of years. They’d be better holding off and doing it in 27 or 28. 
 

Whilst I do think they’re big enough, there is a difference between pulling a big crowd on the day in a non headline slot and pulling people in to buy tickets. Skindred for example always have a huge crowd, but they’re not headlining. 

[Judas Yeast]

It's hard to know how a Limp Bizkit day would sell. I don't think any day tickets sold out this year which would be the only way we could really see how a Korn day sold. It seemed busy so maybe with a good undercard it could work, it would just be underwhelming for me even though I love Limp Bizkit and they were insane at Reading. Just think there are better headliner options

 

But yeah, them being booked to headline 2003 is so entirely irrelevant!

[Andre91]

Bizkit is a bit of a catch 22 in my mind. 
 

Yes, they’ve been here a lot the last few years but do they strike whilst the nostalgia iron for them is hot and when they have new material coming out or do they wait 2-3 years and book them to headline when the resurgent hype around them could have died down a bit? 
 

Let’s just say they have got both GNR and LP headlining. That’s two stadium sized bands who are going to command massive fees, they’ll probably need a cheaper headliner to balance things out a bit and, taking the hype around them into consideration, Limp Bizkit doesn’t seem like a terrible choice. 

Edited September 14, 2025 by Andre91

[andyrhodes24]

2 hours ago, northernangel said:

But it wasn't was it because they played for an hour before BMTH. Are we saying we are alright with 1 hour long headline sets now with poor production for £100+. It doesn't matter if the crowd were just great and up for it, they would have been great if they were doing an hour 4th down as a special guest. The fact is to get an extra 15 minutes out of them so it would be the size of a set as if they were co-headlining, that extra is just tape recordings because it was on their tour. 

What I’m saying was it had the feel of a headline set. Big name pushing headliner status, had the crowd in the palm of their hand, unbelievable atmosphere. If they did get them to play an extra 15 mins and call it a Co-headline they could have done with the hour’s gap before BMTH but it was as good a sub-set as I’ve ever seen in 10 years of going to Leeds.

[Audiorocker]

I'm happy with Bizkit as the headliner or under a massive headliner. However I haven't managed to see them over the past couple of years. If they release a few more bangers like their latest release, maybe people will take to the idea. 

 

Who would be the ideal subs on the main stage? 

Bad Omens - Evanescence - Bizkit would be quite a set. 

[northernangel]

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Bizkit is a bit of a catch 22 in my mind. 
 

Yes, they’ve been here a lot the last few years but do they strike whilst the nostalgia iron for them is hot and when they have new material coming out or do they wait 2-3 years and book them to headline when the resurgent hype around them could have died down a bit? 
 

Let’s just say they have got both GNR and LP headlining. That’s two stadium sized bands who are going to command massive fees, they’ll probably need a cheaper headliner to balance things out a bit and, taking the hype around them into consideration, Limp Bizkit doesn’t seem like a terrible choice. 

 

LB is a terrible choice for 2026 whichever way it's looked at. If you compare it to Ghost fresh of an arena tour coming back especially. Just for the record, I dont even like Ghost but I do Bizkit. I recognise what would be good and not though for the festival and the look. They are way too late to that part after the songs. They should have skipped Reading and the arena tour and did what Korn did and used that arena tour and any Reading hype but it didn't happen. The same with Deftones who will now need to wait for another new album for it to be relevant.

3 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

What I’m saying was it had the feel of a headline set. Big name pushing headliner status, had the crowd in the palm of their hand, unbelievable atmosphere. If they did get them to play an extra 15 mins and call it a Co-headline they could have done with the hour’s gap before BMTH but it was as good a sub-set as I’ve ever seen in 10 years of going to Leeds.

To be honest, Reading and Leeda has been dead for most of the past 10 years. And as said, when Bizkit do the extra 15 it's just tape recordings anyway so it makes no sense at all. The extra stuff no one gives a shite about lol.

[Andre91]

I’ll say it again… they played a 90 minute, 21 song setlist on their UK tour in 2023. It wasn’t full of tape recordings, it was full of songs.
 

Songs they have played in the last couple of years didn’t at Leeds include: 

 

Eat You Alive 

I’m Broke

Counterfeit

Pollution 

Boiler 

9 Teen 90 Nine 

Behind Blue Eyes 

Gold Cobra 

Dad Vibes 

Out of Style 

Re-Arranged 

N 2 Gether Now 

 

They could easily fill out ‘another 15 minutes’ with songs. They could fill out another half an hour on top of their standard hour long set to pad out a headline set with songs people will all know. They’ve played ‘full’ headline sets time and time again over the last few years, just not at festivals. Which is why, if they headlined, they would clearly be capable of putting on a headline length set full of actual songs that people would ‘give a shite’ about. 
 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2025 by Andre91

[northernangel]

55 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I’ll say it again… they played a 90 minute, 21 song setlist on their UK tour in 2023. It wasn’t full of tape recordings, it was full of songs.
 

Songs they have played in the last couple of years didn’t at Leeds include: 

 

Eat You Alive 

I’m Broke

Counterfeit

Pollution 

Boiler 

9 Teen 90 Nine 

Behind Blue Eyes 

Gold Cobra 

Dad Vibes 

Out of Style 

Re-Arranged 

N 2 Gether Now 

 

They could easily fill out ‘another 15 minutes’ with songs. They could fill out another half an hour on top of their standard hour long set to pad out a headline set with songs people will all know. They’ve played ‘full’ headline sets time and time again over the last few years, just not at festivals. Which is why, if they headlined, they would clearly be capable of putting on a headline length set full of actual songs that people would ‘give a shite’ about. 
 

 

 

 

 

They clearly aren't bothered about 90 minute sets though either. Also, at least 3 of those extra songs in 2023 were just covers of other bands. They could have easily replaced at least 3 tape recordings woth proper songs on this tour but chose not to.