Download 2026

[RandomEnglishPerson]

For myself I can understand why people get annoyed with the lineup, people want to have the best time for their moneys worth and I get that. Sure next year will most likely not be as good as we were expecting but I’m still going to go whatever the lineup as I’ll find something to watch at any point, tbf if I’ve been to multiple Reading festivals in a row you start to become more accepting of just going to see smaller acts when there’s nothing of your taste on main stage. Will most likely get a ticket for cheap again like this year off twickets and just commute from Nottingham also but I’ll have a good time either way.

 

but I’d just watch anything else or just leave early if GNR headline, can’t stand them. Hope England play at the same time so I can watch them instead of the Micky Mouse clubhouse 😂

Edited October 6, 2025 by RandomEnglishPerson

[OllieJ77]

1 minute ago, RandomEnglishPerson said:

For myself I can understand why people get annoyed with the lineup, people want to have the best time for their moneys worth and I get that. Sure next year will most likely not be as good as we were expecting but I’m still going to go whatever the lineup as I’ll find something to watch at any point, tbf if I’ve been to multiple Reading festivals in a row you start to become more accepting of just going to see smaller acts when there’s nothing of your taste on main stage. Will most likely get a ticket for cheap again like this year off twickets and just commute from Nottingham also but I’ll have a good time either way.

 

but I’d just watch anything else or just leave early if GNR headline, can’t stand them. Hope England play at the same time so I can watch them instead of the Micky Mouse clubhouse 😂

I think there will still be enough bands to make it a good festival. Just have to wait for the lineup now 

[OllieJ77]

Whilst I put them in my prediction poster I wasn’t sure Architects would sub again next year after doing it in 2023. Not getting Papa Roach is disappointing. I think Volbeat on the Saturday and Bad Omens on the Sunday seem pretty likely. Zero clue on the Friday. People mentioning Halestorm but haven’t seen anything to suggest they’re around next summer unless I’ve missed something I also wouldn’t really be bothered by them ngl. If it’s between them Manson and Trivium I’ll take Trivium all day long. 

[RandomEnglishPerson]

11 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

I think there will still be enough bands to make it a good festival. Just have to wait for the lineup now 

It’ll be good, just have to make the most of it whilst having a positive mindset when seeing new bands, that’s my view on download, if I didn’t have that mindset I wouldn’t of found many of my favourite bands 🙂

Edited October 6, 2025 by RandomEnglishPerson

[alexs7]

Why are we going all doom and gloom because a festival may have ruled out President and Papa Roach???

[astrotwatter]

Blink-182/Volbeat/Manson

 

Linkin Park/Bad Omens/Halestorm

 

Limp Bizkit/Architects/Electric Callboy

[OllieJ77]

4 hours ago, astrotwatter said:

Blink-182/Volbeat/Manson

 

Linkin Park/Bad Omens/Halestorm

 

Limp Bizkit/Architects/Electric Callboy

Architects ruled out if rumour true of them playing Friday and Sunday 

[northernangel]

8 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Yeah think next time I’ll be waiting until week of to get the ticket haha it’s a shame because this year for me was really good loads of bands I wanted to see.

 

But with the headliners being who they probably are and the same with subs that Saturday Andre has suggested is up there with the worst days I could imagine (nothing against the prediction he’s probably right) 

 

Be interesting to see the reaction online if the lineup is dead. Thing is though until there’s a realistic UK competitor for alternative music on the grand stage they won’t change they know they can churn out dross lineups and people will still go. 

If Andre is close ro right, it'll be up there with one of the worst in times. I get thag I'm excited by RIP who have Volbeat headlining but they also have the best bunch of everything else currently and still second line names to come to make up for it and Volbeat are massive in Germany. I'd rather them over Die Totem Hosen or Die Arte for example.

 

8 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

I didn’t see many bargains this year, although I wasn’t looking too hard. My mate dropped out so I took his at full whack!

 

Leeds is always a bargain, £195 last year and £205 this year for me.

 

You're not always going to get that cheap but you'll get a weekend ticket for £250 for sure. Yeah Leeds will be but I'm not 21 anymore.

7 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Whilst I put them in my prediction poster I wasn’t sure Architects would sub again next year after doing it in 2023. Not getting Papa Roach is disappointing. I think Volbeat on the Saturday and Bad Omens on the Sunday seem pretty likely. Zero clue on the Friday. People mentioning Halestorm but haven’t seen anything to suggest they’re around next summer unless I’ve missed something I also wouldn’t really be bothered by them ngl. If it’s between them Manson and Trivium I’ll take Trivium all day long. 

 

Right now it looks like bands have chosen to play where they would prefer and play Download as their last option/didnt get asked elsewhere.

4 hours ago, astrotwatter said:

Blink-182/Volbeat/Manson

 

Linkin Park/Bad Omens/Halestorm

 

Limp Bizkit/Architects/Electric Callboy

Never going to happen.

[foolee]

10 hours ago, Audiorocker said:

I keep reading references to Muse

 

Would people take:

 

Ghost/Bizkit   - Muse   - Linkin Park?

I don’t think Muse with a new album will do Download, I think they’ll have their own shows/hyde park or something. 

 

10 hours ago, chatty said:

What's the best case scenario out of those rumoured? 

 

Ghost/Volbeat/Marilyn Manson

 

GNR/Halestorm/Megadeth

 

Linkin Park/Limp Bizkit/Bad Omens

LB ain’t subbing. Switch with GNR and add Trivium. The lineups next year aren’t doing anything for me I have to say. 

 

9 hours ago, Audiorocker said:

Sod it - get away from the usual expectations and thrown in 3 for fun...

 

Foo fighters - ACDC - Nickleback

 

This would be fun. 

[foolee]

I think this is what I’m leaning towards at the minute, until another festival announces and it all changes again. 
 

Main: Limp Bizkit, Trivium, Electric Callboy, Baby Metal

2nd: Volbeat, Hollywood Undead

3rd: The Rasmus

 

Main: Ghost, Halestorm, Ice Nine Kills, The Pretty Reckless

2nd: Marilyn Manson, Three Days Grace

3rd: Simple Plan

 

Main: Linkin Park, Bad Omens, Motionless In White

2nd: Megadeth, A Perfect Circle

3rd: Soft Play, Bilmuri

[kitatus]

1 hour ago, foolee said:

I think this is what I’m leaning towards at the minute, until another festival announces and it all changes again. 
 

Main: Limp Bizkit, Trivium, Electric Callboy, Baby Metal

2nd: Volbeat, Hollywood Undead

3rd: The Rasmus

 

Main: Ghost, Halestorm, Ice Nine Kills, The Pretty Reckless

2nd: Marilyn Manson, Three Days Grace

3rd: Simple Plan

 

Main: Linkin Park, Bad Omens, Motionless In White

2nd: Megadeth, A Perfect Circle

3rd: Soft Play, Bilmuri

Weren't Soft Play on second last time they played, why would they go down to third?

[foolee]

36 minutes ago, kitatus said:

Weren't Soft Play on second last time they played, why would they go down to third?

I don’t think there’s much difference between headlining 3rd and being 4th down on 2nd tbh. 

[alexs7]

Bands last year did play 3 festivals in 3 days (albeit very rare) so Architects and such could still be in it.

 

We don't know how bands like to do things, while probably ruled out Breaking Benjamin could do 4 fests over the same week if they wanted to, we just don't know that yet. 

 

Many bands did 3/4 last year so many are still in.

 

I feel like people complain no matter what the outcomes are, Architects sub again we get "well Download are lazy booking someone who only subbed two years ago" but if they don't get them it's "they really dropped the ball." Not to blindly defend Download but no matter what they do or who they book they can't win.

 

We have no idea how these negotiations work behind the scenes.

[OllieJ77]

45 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Bands last year did play 3 festivals in 3 days (albeit very rare) so Architects and such could still be in it.

 

We don't know how bands like to do things, while probably ruled out Breaking Benjamin could do 4 fests over the same week if they wanted to, we just don't know that yet. 

 

Many bands did 3/4 last year so many are still in.

 

I feel like people complain no matter what the outcomes are, Architects sub again we get "well Download are lazy booking someone who only subbed two years ago" but if they don't get them it's "they really dropped the ball." Not to blindly defend Download but no matter what they do or who they book they can't win.

 

We have no idea how these negotiations work behind the scenes.

Yeah good point 

[OllieJ77]

2 hours ago, foolee said:

I think this is what I’m leaning towards at the minute, until another festival announces and it all changes again. 
 

Main: Limp Bizkit, Trivium, Electric Callboy, Baby Metal

2nd: Volbeat, Hollywood Undead

3rd: The Rasmus

 

Main: Ghost, Halestorm, Ice Nine Kills, The Pretty Reckless

2nd: Marilyn Manson, Three Days Grace

3rd: Simple Plan

 

Main: Linkin Park, Bad Omens, Motionless In White

2nd: Megadeth, A Perfect Circle

3rd: Soft Play, Bilmuri

Haven’t seen Halestorm or Motionless be booked for any festival so at the minute don’t see them.

[andyrhodes24]

21 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Haven’t seen Halestorm or Motionless be booked for any festival so at the minute don’t see them.

MIW could be ruled out by their arena tour in Feb?

[Jos92]

Might hear from halestorm a little later they're on tour in November maybe they wanted to push it to allow for more tickets sales

[Jos92]

Bloodstock announcement 

[partypirate]

Bloodstock has a brilliant line up. Cant wait for it.

[Spiral_Low]

2 minutes ago, partypirate said:

Bloodstock has a brilliant line up. Cant wait for it.

I'd be tempted if it wasn't so close to ATG. But ATG is just such a better festival. Shame about the Bloodatock headliner on the Saturday though. 

Edited October 7, 2025 by Spiral_Low

[foolee]

2 hours ago, alexs7 said:

Bands last year did play 3 festivals in 3 days (albeit very rare) so Architects and such could still be in it.

 

We don't know how bands like to do things, while probably ruled out Breaking Benjamin could do 4 fests over the same week if they wanted to, we just don't know that yet. 

 

Many bands did 3/4 last year so many are still in.

 

I feel like people complain no matter what the outcomes are, Architects sub again we get "well Download are lazy booking someone who only subbed two years ago" but if they don't get them it's "they really dropped the ball." Not to blindly defend Download but no matter what they do or who they book they can't win.

 

We have no idea how these negotiations work behind the scenes.

The thing is with Architects is that they’re booked for Greenfield in Switzerland on the Friday and Nova Rock in Austria on the Sunday, whilst doesn’t rule them out officially it doesn’t make logistical sense to fly their equipment over from Switzerland to the UK and then to Austria when they could just drive the equipment straight to Austria. Depends on which bands tend to play 2-4 days in a row too.
 

With Breaking Benjamin it would mean playing all of RFP, Nova Rock, Greenfield & Download in the same year which I think someone said has never been done before. But I’ve not actually checked this so not sure how true this is. 

 

2 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Haven’t seen Halestorm or Motionless be booked for any festival so at the minute don’t see them.

I’d imagine there’s a few names yet to be announced that we’ll still see so that’s why I’ve put them in. Still got tours too so might be waiting until they’ve done them. 

 

 

 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, partypirate said:

Bloodstock has a brilliant line up. Cant wait for it.

For its crowd it does yet but nah lol.

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, foolee said:

I think this is what I’m leaning towards at the minute, until another festival announces and it all changes again. 
 

Main: Limp Bizkit, Trivium, Electric Callboy, Baby Metal

2nd: Volbeat, Hollywood Undead

3rd: The Rasmus

 

Main: Ghost, Halestorm, Ice Nine Kills, The Pretty Reckless

2nd: Marilyn Manson, Three Days Grace

3rd: Simple Plan

 

Main: Linkin Park, Bad Omens, Motionless In White

2nd: Megadeth, A Perfect Circle

3rd: Soft Play, Bilmuri

That Friday and Saturday main stage is so dead! 

[foolee]

6 minutes ago, northernangel said:

That Friday and Saturday main stage is so dead! 

What are you hoping for/expecting? 

[Andre91]

Not feeling Bloodstock this year. The LoG day is alright and the Saturday SOPHIE lineup is wicked but the Saturday Main Stage run is one of the worst runs I’ve ever seen at a festival.