Download 2026

[Marka23]

1 minute ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

If it’s BMTH & Linkin Park and if the clue is correct, then the pre 1991 band has to be a new headliner… 

There aren't many pre 1991 bands still yet to headline that are able to. Ones I can think of that are possible are

 

Megadeth - 1983

Slayer - 1981

Pantera - 1981

Twisted Sister - 1972

Alice Cooper - 1964

Rolling Stones - 1962

 

Of course it's possible the band from before '91 is either Guns n Roses or Tool as a returning headliner 

 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Just now, Marka23 said:

There aren't many pre 1991 bands still yet to headline that are able to. Ones I can think of that are possible are

 

Megadeth - 1983

Slayer - 1981

Pantera - 1981

Twisted Sister - 1972

Alice Cooper - 1964

Rolling Stones - 1962

 

Of course it's possible the band from before '91 is either Guns n Roses or Tool as a returning headliner 

 

None of those are headliners apart from the Stones (not happening) and Slayer at a push. 
 

The two obvious ones would be NIN & Pearl Jam. 

[thenewliamS]

10 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

If it’s BMTH & Linkin Park and if the clue is correct, then the pre 1991 band has to be a new headliner… 

If the new headliner is pre 91 then that only lands a handful of bands. Pearl jam/NIN/ RHCP/ Bon jovi (controversial I know) / slayer 

[Siddey1994]

1 minute ago, Marka23 said:

There aren't many pre 1991 bands still yet to headline that are able to. Ones I can think of that are possible are

 

Megadeth - 1983

Slayer - 1981

Pantera - 1981

Twisted Sister - 1972

Alice Cooper - 1964

Rolling Stones - 1962

 

Of course it's possible the band from before '91 is either Guns n Roses or Tool as a returning headliner 

 

Good point, we’re all hanging on the fact that Jenny said one of the headliners is new, whereas things could have changed drastically behind the scenes since then and we’d be none the wiser. BMTH - GnR - LP?

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Just now, thenewliamS said:

If the new headliner is pre 91 then that only lands a handful of bands. Pearl jam/NIN/ RHCP/ Bon jovi (controversial I know) / slayer 

Good point, I completely forgot about RHCP. Hopefully it’s not them. 

[Marka23]

Just now, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

None of those are headliners apart from the Stones (not happening) and Slayer at a push. 
 

The two obvious ones would be NIN & Pearl Jam. 

Pearl Jam I don't ever see happening after what happened in '13 and Copping did verbally confirm he had made NIN an offer for '25 and they declined so can't see them suddenly wanting to do '26.

[Marka23]

1 minute ago, thenewliamS said:

If the new headliner is pre 91 then that only lands a handful of bands. Pearl jam/NIN/ RHCP/ Bon jovi (controversial I know) / slayer 

RHCP formed in 2002 

[thenewliamS]

1 minute ago, Marka23 said:

RHCP formed in 2002 

RHCP formed in the 80s just blew up in the 90s with blood sugar sex magic which was 91

Edited September 18, 2025 by thenewliamS

[foolee]

Going with the new potential info even though it could be rubbish I’m gonna say

 

Limp Bizkit (New headliner, R&L in the last few years, new album & less risky than Sleep Token)

 

Nine Inch Nails / Pearl Jam / Tool (1991 & not GNR)

 

Linkin Park (Obviously going to be them) 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Just now, Marka23 said:

Pearl Jam I don't ever see happening after what happened in '13 

Why? All that happened was Vodaphone accidentally leaked some old info from when Pearl Jam were originally set to headline. They’d pulled out before that leak happened and Slipknot were already booked. I haven’t seen anything to suggest there is any bad blood. 

 

2 minutes ago, Marka23 said:

RHCP formed in 2002 

What? 

[foolee]

Limp Bizkit & NIN would be a game changer for me over Ghost and Iron Maiden. Very interesting that Maiden have basically officially been ruled out. 

[Marka23]

Just now, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Why? All that happened was Vodaphone accidentally leaked some old info from when Pearl Jam were originally set to headline. They’d pulled out before that leak happened and Slipknot were already booked. I haven’t seen anything to suggest there is any bad blood. 

 

What? 

They pulled out because of the leak. When I googled Red Hot Chilli peppers Google corrected peppers to pipers which I didn't notice at first which came up with a band from 2002

[Marka23]

3 minutes ago, foolee said:

Going with the new potential info even though it could be rubbish I’m gonna say

 

Limp Bizkit (New headliner, R&L in the last few years, new album & less risky than Sleep Token)

 

Nine Inch Nails / Pearl Jam / Tool (1991 & not GNR)

 

Linkin Park (Obviously going to be them) 

Definitely a stronger lineup. Only issue is having two of the same genre as headliners 

[foolee]

Pearl Jam would actually make loads of sense though. Like they struggled to sell their last run of arena shows but would want the money of a festival headliner,  Download is much less of a risk than playing their own show & Download would want them. 

[foolee]

Just now, Marka23 said:

Definitely a stronger lineup. Only issue is having two of the same genre as headliners 

LP & LB? Having a big older act like Tool/PJ/NIN would counteract those two though I feel. And good options on 2nd like Trivium one of the days would be a good shout. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

5 minutes ago, Marka23 said:

They pulled out because of the leak. 

The leak happened on the 26th Sep, Slipknot were announced on the 27th Sep. 
 

If you genuinely think in the space of less than 24 hours Pearl Jam pulled out and Download managed to book and announce Slipknot as their replacement then good on you. 
 

Pearl Jam pulled out before then because they scrapped their European festival tour in 2013, nothing to do with Download specifically or a leak from Vodaphone. Vodaphone just leaked an old out of date press release. 

Edited September 18, 2025 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[foolee]

I’ve convinced myself that it’s now Limp Bizkit - Nine Inch Nails - Linkin Park 😂

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 minute ago, foolee said:

I’ve convinced myself that it’s now Limp Bizkit - Nine Inch Nails - Linkin Park 😂

I’ve gone Blink, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park - based on the clue. 
 

Until Ghost are ruled out with something concrete though I still think they make the most sense. 

[liamglastocrowhurst1]

Its crazy to think like 2 weeks ago maybe a bit longer that we were all sure it would be ghost, maiden and LP

 

Now ghost who looked like a lock might not even be there and pearl jam or nin have a better chance

[Marka23]

5 minutes ago, foolee said:

I’ve convinced myself that it’s now Limp Bizkit - Nine Inch Nails - Linkin Park 😂

Bring Me The Horizon - Nine Inch Nails - Linkin Park seems more likely to me. You get three different genres then and 3 bands from different eras and also fits the previously mentioned clues. 

[foolee]

4 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

I’ve gone Blink, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park - based on the clue. 
 

Until Ghost are ruled out with something concrete though I still think they make the most sense. 

Those 3 would cost too much/be too big I think. 
 

I suppose the most sense would probably be Ghost - Limp Bizkit - Linkin Park but that doesn’t fit the clue (if the clue is even legit) good topic of convo though

[Gingerfish79]

28 minutes ago, foolee said:

Limp Bizkit & NIN would be a game changer for me over Ghost and Iron Maiden. Very interesting that Maiden have basically officially been ruled out. 

NIN, LP and LB would be incredible.

[Jrose]

1 hour ago, OllieJ77 said:

Only clue they’ve been given is it’s Linkin Park, a band who has played Reading and Leeds in last 4 years, and finally a band who has been around since before 1991.

linkin park, limp bizkit, GnR then 🤣

[Gejonimo]

f**k it I'm going rogue.

 

Linkin Park - Yungblud - Red Hot Chili Peppers

[Gejonimo]

MGK UK arena tour in March