Download 2026

[alexs7]

21 minutes ago, paulcou80d said:

Another reason why Breaking Benjamin won't be playing Download is that the singer Ben is terrified of flying so they would have to play the 3 European festivals Thursday, Friday, Saturday then he would have to travel by bus across Europe to the UK probably overnight after the Saturday gig to play Download for something like 45 minutes on the Sunday afternoon. It just won't be worth the hassle for Ben. He already has to take a ship across from the States to get to Europe so I doubt he will be keen to play 4 days in a row including all that fuss getting to Download. I would imagine they announce some of their own shows in the UK for late June or early July so they can do things at their own pace before heading back to the States. I also expect them to be announced for Rock am Ring and Rock im Park to kick off their European run the week before the RFP, Nova, Greenfield run.

I heard he's flying now? Unless that's false

[Marka23]

2 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

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

That only applies to headliners 

[OllieJ77]

2 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

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

Yeah or they won’t be announced until the second wave to try and maximise their own ticket sales. 

[OllieJ77]

[andyrhodes24]

1 hour ago, OllieJ77 said:

Yeah or they won’t be announced until the second wave to try and maximise their own ticket sales. 

Their Feb run this year was sold out but I do wonder if they can step up from Manchester Victoria Warehouse to Manchester Arena etc. It was a good gig mind.

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, foolee said:

What are you hoping for/expecting? 

Im hoping they fluff it making it easy to middle altogether, although if the Sunday is alright I may end up at LP twice

[OllieJ77]

48 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Their Feb run this year was sold out but I do wonder if they can step up from Manchester Victoria Warehouse to Manchester Arena etc. It was a good gig mind.

Oh yeah I went to Birmingham gig which was sold out and going to Notts. I’d love for them to be a later announcement. Nottingham standing is sold out I believe 

Edited October 7, 2025 by OllieJ77

[OllieJ77]

Just a point, are we so sure Bad Omens will accept a main sub slot if they’re headlining other European festivals. That is what concerns me now. I’m still of the view they will be main sub to Linkin Park purely because they still owe a non-headline performance and I can’t think of other main sub bands 🤣

[TWY2911]

I have a feeling there is going to be a surprise sub size band that get announced in the second wave for the European festivals

[TWY2911]

I have a feeling there is going to be a surprise sub size band that get announced in the second wave for the European festivals

 

Possibly Slayer

Edited October 7, 2025 by TWY2911

[OllieJ77]

1 hour ago, TWY2911 said:

I have a feeling there is going to be a surprise sub size band that get announced in the second wave for the European festivals

 

Possibly Slayer

Yeah I agree. Not sure on who though. 

[foolee]

2 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Just a point, are we so sure Bad Omens will accept a main sub slot if they’re headlining other European festivals. That is what concerns me now. I’m still of the view they will be main sub to Linkin Park purely because they still owe a non-headline performance and I can’t think of other main sub bands 🤣

Worth noting that they aren’t headlining any of the bigger ones - Nova/RAR/RIP. Greenfield capacity is only 25-30k therefore I wouldn’t expect them to expect to be headlining Download. They aren’t doing Ghost or Sleep Token numbers in arenas yet either. 

 

2 hours ago, TWY2911 said:

I have a feeling there is going to be a surprise sub size band that get announced in the second wave for the European festivals

Probably Halestorm 😂

[alexs7]

2 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Just a point, are we so sure Bad Omens will accept a main sub slot if they’re headlining other European festivals. That is what concerns me now. I’m still of the view they will be main sub to Linkin Park purely because they still owe a non-headline performance and I can’t think of other main sub bands 🤣

They are also subbing many festivals too like Rock Am/In and Nova Rock. 

 

Especially since so far their tour isn't selling as good as people expected (sold out Ally Pally but still have loads of seats left at the arenas) I can't see them arguing to headline

[OllieJ77]

17 minutes ago, foolee said:

Worth noting that they aren’t headlining any of the bigger ones - Nova/RAR/RIP. Greenfield capacity is only 25-30k therefore I wouldn’t expect them to expect to be headlining Download. They aren’t doing Ghost or Sleep Token numbers in arenas yet either. 

 

Probably Halestorm 😂

Good point! I will stay hopeful then haha

[northernangel]

So either Jera on air either have 4 top bands again and the 4th are playing Download or randomly they aren't having one of Jeras top bands which would be odd. Offspring, Papa Roach out and Architects looking like the act for the heavier lot to be announced and they seem unlikely now?

[Audiorocker]

Starting to think Muse are going to play the Saturday. Which available bands would slot in well on the main stage before them? 

[alexs7]

1 hour ago, Audiorocker said:

Starting to think Muse are going to play the Saturday. Which available bands would slot in well on the main stage before them? 

We don't know if they are doing the EU fests yet but I could see Halestorm or Pierce The Veil slot in there. Trivium and Volbeat look likely to be subs too.

[OllieJ77]

2 hours ago, northernangel said:

So either Jera on air either have 4 top bands again and the 4th are playing Download or randomly they aren't having one of Jeras top bands which would be odd. Offspring, Papa Roach out and Architects looking like the act for the heavier lot to be announced and they seem unlikely now?

Think architects are firmly ruled out for Download

[ThatMuseKid]

I don’t think Muse will be doing any Euro festivals. If I am to guess - I could be utterly wrong. But I think they will do a one of UK festival as the last one they did was 2022 - Isle Of Wight. Ethier be Download or Reading.

[OllieJ77]

6 hours ago, ThatMuseKid said:

I don’t think Muse will be doing any Euro festivals. If I am to guess - I could be utterly wrong. But I think they will do a one of UK festival as the last one they did was 2022 - Isle Of Wight. Ethier be Download or Reading.

Talks of a new album coming out so think they’ll do their own set of shows rather than a festival. 

[charlierc]

33 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Talks of a new album coming out so think they’ll do their own set of shows rather than a festival. 

Tbf they did the festival run in the years when Drones and Will of the People came out. I guess it depends on timing - if the next Muse album is a spring or summer release, I would guess festivals. If autumn, own shows. 

[northernangel]

50 minutes ago, OllieJ77 said:

Talks of a new album coming out so think they’ll do their own set of shows rather than a festival. 

 

I think it's more likely album later on with these other projects mentioned touring late 2026, festivals 2027. I dont think Download will grab them on any exclusive, they aren't a band that sticks out for Download that would be really good getting them over anyone else.

[northernangel]

7 hours ago, OllieJ77 said:

Think architects are firmly ruled out for Download

Right okay, haven't managed to catch everything. So Architects, The Offspring, Papa Roach and I think there were others.

 

I mentioned that back in 2022, the only top line band of Nova Rock we shared was Volbeat, we didn't actually have a like for like top and it looks possible again. Marilyn Manson, Volbeat and Bad Omens is my current subs guess. Megadeth, Trivium and Electric Callboy are my second stage headliner predictions.

[andyrhodes24]

Didn’t greenfield leak pretty much rule out Bad Omens or are they still in contention?

[northernangel]

I think All Time Low will be 4th down main stage or subbing second. Scrap the Electric Callboy headlining second, I thought they had done a bigger tour. Put them 3rd down main and Baby Metal headlining second.