Download 2026

[craigcharles420]

I seriously cannot comprehend Rush headlining DL, let alone Glasto. I can see them doing one Wembley show and that's it for UK & Ire. No other shows at all for UK and Ire besides that. On that logic that it would basically be the same number of people an arena tour would bring in.

[OllieJ77]

9 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

 

I'm pretty sure this is the same guy who was rage baiting saying Whitesnake and Motley crue should headline download so I wouldn't take anything he says seriously 

Ah is he, that makes sense defo rage baiting.

[northernangel]

22 minutes ago, SweetJesus said:

Any good festival for you in this world? 
 

Bit of a crap comment really isn't it. Someone else didn't like it but there's a problem because I don't not being a hardcore fan lol. Or do we forget that I have RIP tickets because it helps you comment.

[craigcharles420]

LP/Ghost/NIN

 

My final prediction

[rock_on]

2 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Ah is he, that makes sense defo rage baiting.

 

I'm not rage-baiting on this. Rush are more than big enough to headline Download and Glastonbury. They'd be one of the best legacy bookings the festival could make if they were willing to a) come to Europe and b) do festivals. Neither of which they are at the minute so it's a hypothetical discussion. A couple of nights at Wembley Stadium is well within their reach. 

[Audiorocker]

Foo Fighters - Ghost - Linkin Park

[Gejonimo]

As a huge Rush fan, I am very confident that if they were to play Download, they'd headline. Same with Glastonbury. Yes, they are that pooular and that important.

 

However, they're not the kind of band either would book, although maaaaaaaybe they'd do G in 2028, so we'll likely never see them at those festivals. Isle of Wight? Yep. Some European festivals? Yep. 

 

In reality for the UK, they'd either do a couple of stadium shows, a full arena tour with 2/3 nights each at o2 and Co-Op, or a few outdoor ones. That's who they are. The most important band in their genre, but in a genre that does not suit UK festivals. 

[TWY2911]

5 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Bit of a crap comment really isn't it. Someone else didn't like it but there's a problem because I don't not being a hardcore fan lol. Or do we forget that I have RIP tickets because it helps you comment.

 

I'm a hardcore fan and to me Alexisonfire don't strike me as an outbreak band whatsoever 

 

There's some good bands on there but it's pretty underwhelming compared to amazing lineups they've had for the past two years 

[craigcharles420]

1 minute ago, Gejonimo said:

As a huge Rush fan, I am very confident that if they were to play Download, they'd headline. Same with Glastonbury. Yes, they are that pooular and that important.

 

However, they're not the kind of band either would book, although maaaaaaaybe they'd do G in 2028, so we'll likely never see them at those festivals. Isle of Wight? Yep. Some European festivals? Yep. 

 

In reality for the UK, they'd either do a couple of stadium shows, a full arena tour with 2/3 nights each at o2 and Co-Op, or a few outdoor ones. That's who they are. The most important band in their genre, but in a genre that does not suit UK festivals. 

I am going to nitpick here but surely Pink Floyd is the most important band in the prog rock genre. Would also argue King Crimson are more "important" than Rush but they're not at all a commercial band.

 

I think 2 or 3 nights at the O2 and Co-Op sounds right.

[charlierc]

3 minutes ago, Gejonimo said:

As a huge Rush fan, I am very confident that if they were to play Download, they'd headline. Same with Glastonbury. Yes, they are that pooular and that important.

 

However, they're not the kind of band either would book, although maaaaaaaybe they'd do G in 2028, so we'll likely never see them at those festivals. Isle of Wight? Yep. Some European festivals? Yep. 

 

In reality for the UK, they'd either do a couple of stadium shows, a full arena tour with 2/3 nights each at o2 and Co-Op, or a few outdoor ones. That's who they are. The most important band in their genre, but in a genre that does not suit UK festivals. 

I can't say I'm the biggest Rush fan but know 2/3 songs. However, I assumed they would be doing a big own-show production rather than being necessarily the right fit for festivals. Which is no slight - some acts just prefer doing it that way innit.

[craigcharles420]

Rush will do a Euro tour after the NA shows are done anyway if it were to happen

[Siddey1994]

41 minutes ago, SweetJesus said:

Any good festival for you in this world? 
 

Man is perpetually unhappy. Not that he ever mentions it though

[Andre91]

Rush will either do an arena tour when they come over here or do something like BST. They aren’t packing out multiple stadiums over here. They won’t play Download and they won’t play Glasto, that’s for sure. 

[OllieJ77]

18 minutes ago, Gejonimo said:

As a huge Rush fan, I am very confident that if they were to play Download, they'd headline. Same with Glastonbury. Yes, they are that pooular and that important.

 

However, they're not the kind of band either would book, although maaaaaaaybe they'd do G in 2028, so we'll likely never see them at those festivals. Isle of Wight? Yep. Some European festivals? Yep. 

 

In reality for the UK, they'd either do a couple of stadium shows, a full arena tour with 2/3 nights each at o2 and Co-Op, or a few outdoor ones. That's who they are. The most important band in their genre, but in a genre that does not suit UK festivals. 

If they so big why do they only have 4 million listeners on Spotify? 

[Siddey1994]

1 minute ago, Andre91 said:

Rush will either do an arena tour when they come over here or do something like BST. They aren’t packing out multiple stadiums over here. They won’t play Download and they won’t play Glasto, that’s for sure. 

Agreed, single day fest or a few arenas, all seating of course as older prog bands tend to do (Genesis in 2021 springs to mind)

[partypirate]

17 minutes ago, Gejonimo said:

As a huge Rush fan, I am very confident that if they were to play Download, they'd headline. Same with Glastonbury. Yes, they are that pooular and that important.

 

However, they're not the kind of band either would book, although maaaaaaaybe they'd do G in 2028, so we'll likely never see them at those festivals. Isle of Wight? Yep. Some European festivals? Yep. 

 

In reality for the UK, they'd either do a couple of stadium shows, a full arena tour with 2/3 nights each at o2 and Co-Op, or a few outdoor ones. That's who they are. The most important band in their genre, but in a genre that does not suit UK festivals. 

This. Rush will easily sell out multiple dates in arenas in the UK. If they were booked for Download day tickets would fly out. We are talking an iconic rock band here.

[partypirate]

1 minute ago, OllieJ77 said:

If they so big why do they only have 4 million listeners on Spotify? 

It’s really not all about the number of Spotify listeners.

[OllieJ77]

5 minutes ago, partypirate said:

It’s really not all about the number of Spotify listeners.

No it isnt fully agree but I do think everyone seems to be overhyping their popularity. 

[Siddey1994]

4 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

No it isnt fully agree but I do think everyone seems to be overhyping their popularity. 

They aren’t. Rush were one of the biggest classic rock bands of all time, after some time away the demand is going to be massive.

[rock_on]

11 minutes ago, partypirate said:

This. Rush will easily sell out multiple dates in arenas in the UK. If they were booked for Download day tickets would fly out. We are talking an iconic rock band here.

 

But they don't hit with the "youth demographic" so aren't going to shift day tickets over someone like Bad Omens according to some in here 🤣 

 

It's scary one of the pioneers of hard rock is being treated like this by supposed rock music fans. 

[partypirate]

I do see where you are coming from and I imagine much of the modern Download audience would struggle to name more than two or three songs (if that!). They’ve always had a huge dedicated following though who will turn up at any gig. I don’t for one minute think they would ever headline Download (and don’t think they should either), but if it was announced as their sole UK date they would undoubtedly sell the day out.

[Siddey1994]

This is basically the flip side of the “older” crowd with Twenty One Pilots/Fall Out Boy/Sleep Token; it’s hard for people not in that generation to grasp how big the band were/are.

Edited November 2, 2025 by Siddey1994

[TWY2911]

23 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

This is basically the flip side of the “older” crowd with Twenty One Pilots/Fall Out Boy/Sleep Token; it’s hard for people not in that generation to grasp how big the band were/are.

 

This 

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, TWY2911 said:

 

This 

Meet in the middle and book both to headline in the same year 

[alexs7]

1 hour ago, craigcharles420 said:

I seriously cannot comprehend Rush headlining DL, let alone Glasto. I can see them doing one Wembley show and that's it for UK & Ire. No other shows at all for UK and Ire besides that. On that logic that it would basically be the same number of people an arena tour would bring in.

I can't even see a Wembley show tbh.

I see an arena tour with the o2 possibly having two nights.

 

Tottenham stadium at a push