Download 2026

[rock_on]

5 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I feel if Parkway Drive get it that bands don't need to have done anything major playing wise on their own tours to grab it. I could see them getting it if they had Maiden and LP and Ghost for some reason didn't make it but I feel they will.

 

Parkway Drive's record at Download is probably the reason I'd bump them up to headliner. They always go down well there and get rave reviews. There 2018 set was something special. I haven't been to more recent Downloads for various reasons but from what I've read they went down just as well in more recent appearances.

[northernangel]

5 minutes ago, rock_on said:

 

Parkway Drive's record at Download is probably the reason I'd bump them up to headliner. They always go down well there and get rave reviews. There 2018 set was something special. I haven't been to more recent Downloads for various reasons but from what I've read they went down just as well in more recent appearances.

I think Download has obviously seen due to dedicated fans for certain fans that don't necessarily do the tours other bands maybe would need to headline, some just fit the scene and bring in the number for who they are and what they bring if that makes sense. Korn are an example of that but they obviously take the numbers with them to Download, whereas they wouldn't get that opportunity anywhere else and many bands doing the tour they did before hand wouldn't but if it works it works. I think a big factor is may they finally got what big fans feel they should have years ago. It wouldn't be much different though to headline again and I don't think they'll be offered it again anytime soon.

[cravenbang]

It could possibly be that they do an add on day for the Thursday.

When you look at lounge area passes it says 4 days access from Thursday-Sunday so they possibly made a mistake there 😅

[Steve G]

On 15/06/2025 at 19:23, northernangel said:

 

To be honest that's a pretty big list to not include all 3/4. You won't have AC/DC, Architects, FFDP, Slayer, Enter Shikari no chance, Biffy Clyro I'd be astounded, A7X, Alter Bridge, ADTR or GNR as headliners next year. You might get a couple of them as below headline acts.

FFDP would be a perfect Download Headliner who would attract the weekend crowd and sell alot of day tickets. I reckon only reason they haven't headlined as of yet is because of Ivan moody. They'll easily pull a crowd as big if not bigger than Korns this year. 

[Spiral_Low]

2 minutes ago, Steve G said:

FFDP would be a perfect Download Headliner who would attract the weekend crowd and sell alot of day tickets. I reckon only reason they haven't headlined as of yet is because of Ivan moody. They'll easily pull a crowd as big if not bigger than Korns this year. 

FFDP bigger than Korn? No mate just no.

[rock_on]

3 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

FFDP bigger than Korn? No mate just no.

 

It'd be different people but it would be a similar crowd size. 

[northernangel]

6 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

FFDP bigger than Korn? No mate just no.

Obviously one thing that needs considering is that Download are going to ha e bands now that should sub but are bumped up to headline where it's thought they can bring in numbers that a bigger headliner would or just smaller. Not many festivals in their own fields are able to do that but that's the only way you keep Download going forward fresh because a lot of them haven't headlined for a reason and have also subbed multiple times for the same reason. But that will have an undercard knock on effect with a solid 3rd down wanting to sub and so forth.

[TheGoodOldDays]

Reckon there's any chance of NIN?

[SweetJesus]

Is it 3 or 5 days?

 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

6 hours ago, SweetJesus said:

Is it 3 or 5 days?

 

5 days camping, 3 days music. The way it’s been almost every year. 

[Spiral_Low]

11 hours ago, rock_on said:

 

It'd be different people but it would be a similar crowd size. 

They were due to headline the 2nd stage in 2023 and have arguably shrunk in size since then.  Korn are legends of the scene and appeal to alot of causals as a band to check out, everyone knows a bunch of their songs. FFDP don't appeal behond their existing fan base.

11 hours ago, northernangel said:

Obviously one thing that needs considering is that Download are going to ha e bands now that should sub but are bumped up to headline where it's thought they can bring in numbers that a bigger headliner would or just smaller. Not many festivals in their own fields are able to do that but that's the only way you keep Download going forward fresh because a lot of them haven't headlined for a reason and have also subbed multiple times for the same reason. But that will have an undercard knock on effect with a solid 3rd down wanting to sub and so forth.

Even though I think Deftones are sporadic live, them and Ghost would be far better options than FFDP.

Edited June 17, 2025 by Spiral_Low

[BrutalLegend]

Lounge upgrade for next year says access from Thursday - Sunday? Surely an error on TM.

[Spiral_Low]

6 minutes ago, BrutalLegend said:

Lounge upgrade for next year says access from Thursday - Sunday? Surely an error on TM.

Not if it's 4 days as rumoured!

[Sparticus]

1 hour ago, BrutalLegend said:

Lounge upgrade for next year says access from Thursday - Sunday? Surely an error on TM.

Brilliant spot, looks like someone has dropped a clanger and given away it's four days. 

[King101]

2 hours ago, BrutalLegend said:

Lounge upgrade for next year says access from Thursday - Sunday? Surely an error on TM.

Funny that the description says Thursday-Sunday and the dates at the top says Friday-Monday.

[DomDom1984]

I'm just not seeing Parkway Drive at the top of the bill here. If their tour was sold out then maybe, but it's a three date tour, and they haven't even opened the upper tier in Manchester yet.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 hour ago, Sparticus said:

Brilliant spot, looks like someone has dropped a clanger and given away it's four days. 

If that’s the case though, why are the weekend arena only tickets Fri-Sun. 
 

Also I’m pretty sure in 2023 they announced it was 4 days in advance, they didn’t spring it on people after the ticket sales had started. 

Edited June 17, 2025 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[Judas Yeast]

Why have they not announced the 4 days if it is true though? Seems odd to be selling the tickets without even giving a basic detail like that! For 2023 we knew instantly

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Sparticus said:

Brilliant spot, looks like someone has dropped a clanger and given away it's four days. 

I'm not sure it really needs to be given away so to speak. If it was it was.

[King101]

17 minutes ago, Judas Yeast said:

Why have they not announced the 4 days if it is true though? Seems odd to be selling the tickets without even giving a basic detail like that! For 2023 we knew instantly

Could just be a logistics/contractual thing.

Maybe the council are making them jump through loads of extra hoops this time or maybe the 4th headliner are dragging their feet on the deal.

Might just be hedging their bets so they can go either way.

[Sparticus]

Ultimately, if Ticketmaster are selling the pass as 4 days and that doesn't happen, there's an argument for misselling and a pro rata refund, as theyre clearly saying it's £173 for lounge access, Thurs to Sun.

[andyrhodes24]

People will be buying three night camping tickets already and if there’s a fourth night added it would cause some complaints. Surely they’d have said if it was four days arena from the get go.

Edited June 17, 2025 by andyrhodes24

[BrutalLegend]

Linkin Park only free to play the Saturday next year.

[northernangel]

24 minutes ago, BrutalLegend said:

Linkin Park only free to play the Saturday next year.

No they aren't, they've got both 13th and 14th free with a France gig on the 16th. The fact that France gig is the 16th and not the 15th as good as confirms them. They could still have technically had the 13th off and played 14th and 15th. It looks more a case of when they annoucne them than if currently.

[Spiral_Low]

2 hours ago, Judas Yeast said:

Why have they not announced the 4 days if it is true though? Seems odd to be selling the tickets without even giving a basic detail like that! For 2023 we knew instantly

What are your source(s) saying though? :D