Download 2026

[northernangel]

13 minutes ago, charlierc said:

They definitely have had a renaissance after Glastonbury 2019. The previous year was Swansea, Bolton and Latitude, and I'm not 100% certain they sold out the first two, even if they were still selling well in arenas. But then that show and what I recall was a positive reception for Imploding the Mirage and then they're selling out their biggest ever stadium tour. 

Indeed, they had a small dip. But they were a band that if they got announced to headline a major festival you also wouldn't question it like some others. They were in my top 3 stadium gigs I feel.

Edited October 24, 2025 by northernangel

[andyrhodes24]

15 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

Yeah didn’t they headline R+L like 2 years ago? And were the biggest band on that lineup 

ETA: Billie Eilish was also there and (probably currently) bigger. But still, they’re an established headline band

Mad to think it was only two years ago, felt like a very strong lineup compared to the garbage Melvin served us this year.

 

Fwiw Billie Eilish was infinitely better than Radio 2 presents The Killers that weekend. So much so I was halfway home before they got to Mr Brightside.

[korokband]

10 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Mad to think it was only two years ago, felt like a very strong lineup compared to the garbage Melvin served us this year.

 

Fwiw Billie Eilish was infinitely better than Radio 2 presents The Killers that weekend. So much so I was halfway home before they got to Mr Brightside.

 

A line up with genuine variety and a good bit of depth in comparison to this year, something that Download have been getting better at too in my opinion.

[Siddey1994]

49 minutes ago, korokband said:

 

A line up with genuine variety and a good bit of depth in comparison to this year, something that Download have been getting better at too in my opinion.

imo DL 2024 was the most varied and interesting lineup they’ve ever booked, and I will die on this hill

[OllieJ77]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

 

Its funny that everyone wants to know about GNR to be able to rule them out rather than in lol.

This tour sold better than their last arena tour. But this also comes down to ticket sales and fanbase do not just mean they would do well at festivals, Biffy Download crowds tell you that all over. They were by all accounts as well going to take a least than headliner spot level again at Reading this year when Foos were still in

Yeah it’s joke how 95% of fans don’t want GnR and you know GnR the bookers will be thinking theyve pulled off a massive win in booking them

[alexs7]

37 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

imo DL 2024 was the most varied and interesting lineup they’ve ever booked, and I will die on this hill

Download is filling the gap that Reading and Leeds left when they started moving away from rock? 2024 and 2025 proved that and it's a welcome change! 

 

Don't like it then at least you got Bloodstock 

[Spiral_Low]

It's funny talk about gatekeeping in metal yet go somewhere like Download and all the gatekeeping comes from rock fans who don't want metal bands booked.

[Siddey1994]

10 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

It's funny talk about gatekeeping in metal yet go somewhere like Download and all the gatekeeping comes from rock fans who don't want metal bands booked.

I’m not denying this happens but I literally only ever see moaning from people saying “Download used to be a metal festival” and “they don’t book metal anymore” despite the last few years being loaded with metal bands

[partypirate]

I’m going to both next year. Best of both worlds! 

[TWY2911]

3 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

It's funny talk about gatekeeping in metal yet go somewhere like Download and all the gatekeeping comes from rock fans who don't want metal bands booked.

 

Literally never seen that 

[OllieJ77]

3 hours ago, Siddey1994 said:

I’m not denying this happens but I literally only ever see moaning from people saying “Download used to be a metal festival” and “they don’t book metal anymore” despite the last few years being loaded with metal bands

Yeah I mean there’s always plenty of metal bands just not so much as headliners. But then if they carried on booking the 6 metal bands big enough to headline people would complain they don’t introduce new headliners. People will always find a way to moan about something.

[Spiral_Low]

18 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Yeah I mean there’s always plenty of metal bands just not so much as headliners. But then if they carried on booking the 6 metal bands big enough to headline people would complain they don’t introduce new headliners. People will always find a way to moan about something.

There's a lot more than 6. My comment was made partly in jest but also because of these kind of dismissive comments being made on this thread.

[OllieJ77]

36 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

There's a lot more than 6. My comment was made partly in jest but also because of these kind of dismissive comments being made on this thread.

Yeah I know there is … 8 🤣 I was saying it tongue and cheek but it’s true if they didn’t try new bands people would moan

[OllieJ77]

38 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

There's a lot more than 6. My comment was made partly in jest but also because of these kind of dismissive comments being made on this thread.

Also none of what I said was dismissive 🤣 I agreed there was plenty of metal booked just not the headliners and taking the mic out at people who would complain about not booking new headliners. 

[Siddey1994]

Tbh I’m not sure what point is being made here. The crowd demanding more metal at Download are far more disparaging, annoying and numerous than the hypothetical inverse

[partypirate]

Guess it depends on how you define “metal”. I personally think Gojira will be the next metal band to headline but there’s also Lorna Shore who seem to be on a hell of a trajectory. I’d also put Orbit Culture up there as future potentials if the cards fell right. 

[Spiral_Low]

9 hours ago, partypirate said:

Guess it depends on how you define “metal”. I personally think Gojira will be the next metal band to headline but there’s also Lorna Shore who seem to be on a hell of a trajectory. I’d also put Orbit Culture up there as future potentials if the cards fell right. 

All 3 of those bands are metal. 

9 hours ago, Siddey1994 said:

Tbh I’m not sure what point is being made here. The crowd demanding more metal at Download are far more disparaging, annoying and numerous than the hypothetical inverse

Was just a dig at those celebrating Download 'becoming more like Reading and Leeds'. And also those that call for more headliners but then say no when any metal band is mentioned. 

 

10 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Also none of what I said was dismissive 🤣 I agreed there was plenty of metal booked just not the headliners and taking the mic out at people who would complain about not booking new headliners. 

Fair enough. I did a quick count and got about 14 'metal' bands and another 3 or 4 metal adjacent bands, all of whom would be capable of headlining.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2025 by Spiral_Low

[chatty]

35 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

All 3 of those bands are metal. 

Was just a dig at those celebrating Download 'becoming more like Reading and Leeds'. And also those that call for more headliners but then say no when any metal band is mentioned. 

 

Fair enough. I did a quick count and got about 14 'metal' bands and another 3 or 4 metal adjacent bands, all of whom would be capable of headlining.

 

 

Obviously a lot depends on what the market is at the time. Music, like all things has it's cycles and whilst metal has always been big enough to host a festival since the 70s I guess the changing of music does play a factor in the booking. 

 

You say there's 14 metal headliners but obviously they won't be playing every year so you can feasibly get years where maybes none of those are achievable to headline. 

 

And if that's the case the bookers then have a choice to make, try and create more headliners or look at other genres. 

 

Considering metals peak was 40-50 years ago, it definitely can't just rely on the same bands selling the festival time and again. It can't also rely on an aging crowd to constantly keep it going either. 

 

There is of course a middle ground where the festival can use different genres, create new headline acts and push new bands as well as putting enough classic bands on there and catering to a rock/metal audience that encompasses several decades of music. 

[Spiral_Low]

13 minutes ago, chatty said:

Obviously a lot depends on what the market is at the time. Music, like all things has it's cycles and whilst metal has always been big enough to host a festival since the 70s I guess the changing of music does play a factor in the booking. 

 

You say there's 14 metal headliners but obviously they won't be playing every year so you can feasibly get years where maybes none of those are achievable to headline. 

 

And if that's the case the bookers then have a choice to make, try and create more headliners or look at other genres. 

 

Considering metals peak was 40-50 years ago, it definitely can't just rely on the same bands selling the festival time and again. It can't also rely on an aging crowd to constantly keep it going either. 

 

There is of course a middle ground where the festival can use different genres, create new headline acts and push new bands as well as putting enough classic bands on there and catering to a rock/metal audience that encompasses several decades of music. 

Classic Metals peak was in the 80s, but I'd argue actually the nu-metal era was metals biggest peak, and that was like 20 years ago and now its having a revival. 

[alexs7]

59 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

All 3 of those bands are metal. 

Was just a dig at those celebrating Download 'becoming more like Reading and Leeds'.

 

 

I know this is about me lol

 

When I said that I absolutely didn't mean "stop booking metal" - you put words in my mouth.

 

I literally just meant how the lineups are becoming more diverse but still feels like download. Busted, McFly, QOTSA, FOB, Green Day, Weezer ect. Download is booking more alternative artists who still fit the download bill but aren't just "metal"

 

Reading and Leeds in the late 2000s and early 10s were booking Green Day, NIN, Blink-182 while download were stuck with Def Leppard and Kiss so forgive me for being happy about some changes.

 

I love metal and yes Download needs to continue booking it, but so many more bands can play who probably wouldn't have been booked 5-10 years ago and I love to see it

 

I'm not exactly saying Download should book Oasis or Arctic Monkeys now am I?

 

And my bloodstock comment literally meant if you are really unhappy that Download isn't just metal then there is a festival to satisfy you.

Edited October 25, 2025 by alexs7

[Spiral_Low]

7 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

I know this is about me lol

 

When I said that I absolutely didn't mean "stop booking metal" - you put words in my mouth.

 

I literally just meant how the lineups are becoming more diverse but still feels like download. Busted, McFly, QOTSA, FOB, Green Day, Weezer ect. Download is booking more alternative artists who still fit the download bill but aren't just "metal"

 

Reading and Leeds in the late 2000s and early 10s were booking Green Day, NIN, Blink-182 while download were stuck with Def Leppard and Kiss so forgive me for being happy about some changes.

 

I love metal and yes Download needs to continue booking it, but so many more bands can play who probably wouldn't have been booked 5-10 years ago and I love to see it

 

I'm not exactly saying Download should book Oasis or Arctic Monkeys now am I?

Wasn't specifically about you, seen a lot of people on here and elsewhere say it.

 

Download 2009 when Def Leppard played also had Faith No More and Slipknot versus R+L which had Artic Monkeys, Radiohead and King's Of Leon.

 

Downlaod 2015 as well as Kiss had Muse and Slipknot versus R+L which had Metallica, Mudford and Sons and the Libertertines.

 

Maybe you are misremembering some of the years? 

[Jrose]

22 hours ago, alexs7 said:

Apparently Slash said in an interview GnR are touring North America next year but made no mention of EU and UK 

as i said a couple weeks back - gnr will be playing NA in 2026 with a possible EP release. they will not be in a europe or download.

[northernangel]

52 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

Wasn't specifically about you, seen a lot of people on here and elsewhere say it.

 

Download 2009 when Def Leppard played also had Faith No More and Slipknot versus R+L which had Artic Monkeys, Radiohead and King's Of Leon.

 

Downlaod 2015 as well as Kiss had Muse and Slipknot versus R+L which had Metallica, Mudford and Sons and the Libertertines.

 

Maybe you are misremembering some of the years? 

I'd say Metallica are one of the most accessible crossover metal bands.

[chatty]

1 hour ago, Spiral_Low said:

Classic Metals peak was in the 80s, but I'd argue actually the nu-metal era was metals biggest peak, and that was like 20 years ago and now its having a revival. 

I hate to break it to you but the 80s was 40-50 years ago 🤣🤣🤣

[Marka23]

1 hour ago, Jrose said:

as i said a couple weeks back - gnr will be playing NA in 2026 with a possible EP release. they will not be in a europe or download.

Figured given Slash only mentioned North America implying they're not doing Europe/UK. 

 

Odd there has been so many with apparent insider info saying they're playing Download then 

Edited October 25, 2025 by Marka23