Download 2026

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, Siddey1994 said:

I think download might be pressed to announce earlier if they had more competition (on the level of “major” fests discounting BOA, Trees etc) in this country.

 

For as much as we hear that European fests have stronger lineups, better organisation etc (and they very often do), the fact is the vast majority of people will favour convenience every time. Only when a new major rock/metal festival enters the scene will DL potentially be forced to up its game.

Does the UK have the space for another rock/metal fest, though?

 

When you see so many bands that would be subs/second stafe headliners opting to go to bloodstock/trees/outbreak/slam dunk another festical going after the same crowd as Download would be tricky.

[rock_on]

Just now, alexs7 said:

You're saying you're not ragebating, but the fact that SOAD have sold out stadiums and you're here saying they are "not a draw" proves you are

 

Everyone who wants to see them will see them at their stadium show, they aren't going to buy Download tickets just to see them. It baffles me that they sold out a stadium tour (although on further reading it's two nights at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, hardly a 10 day run at Wembley) without releasing music for 20 years though - that's a sad state of affairs. 

[chatty]

3 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

SOAD sold out their UK stadium show in minutes. Are you okay?

SOAD are a good draw tbf but I'm not sure they sell as well if they play every/other year like Maiden, GNR etc have been. 

 

They haven't played here for nearly a decade and this that has certainly helped them. If they did it every year for five years they would drop off. 

 

I'd probably say most of these bands are the same level of draw but mainly depends on how much they dip into the same market. 

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, Siddey1994 said:

Paramore should get the bump at the next available opportunity - watching FOB smash it last year shows to me that they (and probably Panic!) could and would get an awesome reception at Download.

Both would need to rely heavily on their older material though - well at least Panic would.

 

If Brendan came out to do a Viva Las Vengence segment like on their last UK tour it would go down like a lead balloon.

[TWY2911]

2 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Does the UK have the space for another rock/metal fest, though?

 

When you see so many bands that would be subs/second stafe headliners opting to go to bloodstock/trees/outbreak/slam dunk another festical going after the same crowd as Download would be tricky.

 

Sonisphere was good and had the balls to book some different headliners like Queen + Adam Lambert 

[rock_on]

Just now, TWY2911 said:

 

Sonisphere was good and had the balls to book some different headliners like Queen + Adam Lambert 

And they went bust... just a minor detail. 

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, rock_on said:

 

Everyone who wants to see them will see them at their stadium show, they aren't going to buy Download tickets just to see them. It baffles me that they sold out a stadium tour (although on further reading it's two nights at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, hardly a 10 day run at Wembley) without releasing music for 20 years though - that's a sad state of affairs. 

Not really... we are in a cost of living crisis not eveyone who likes System will be able to head to London and pay for (overpriced) tickets, hotels and transport.

 

Fair enough they can't play Download this year/wouldn't want to even if there was no exclusivity contract, but if they play in the next year or two it would come close to selling out. 

 

I agree most people can only choose between a festical date or their own show but to say it won't sell well is stupid

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, rock_on said:

And they went bust... just a minor detail. 

TBF this is something I kinda agree on.

 

I never got to go myself but despite how great it sounds, there is kind of a reason it came and went so quickly.

 

I personally don't think the UK has a massive market for two major rock and alternative festivals. It's already looked down on and not in the mainstream.

[Siddey1994]

4 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Both would need to rely heavily on their older material though - well at least Panic would.

 

If Brendan came out to do a Viva Las Vengence segment like on their last UK tour it would go down like a lead balloon.

I agree but it is worth noting FOB played a fair amount of their “pop” material at DL and it still went down well. I agree they should lean more heavily on the classics though.

[Siddey1994]

Yeah, SOAD only sold out two stadium dates. As opposed to Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Crue who are constantly doing 10-night runs in stadiums and releasing new music that everybody loves.

[rock_on]

 

Just now, Siddey1994 said:

Yeah, SOAD only sold out two stadium dates. As opposed to Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Crue who are constantly doing 10-night runs in stadiums and releasing new music that everybody loves.

 

Either you don't get it or you're taking the absolute piss. 

[alexs7]

Just now, Siddey1994 said:

I agree but it is worth noting FOB played a fair amount of their “pop” material at DL and it still went down well. I agree they should lean more heavily on the classics though.

Did they? I remember them playing the one song from Mania they like and that's about it?

 

Unless you count Centuries and the likes, but they are the biggest songs 

[TWY2911]

1 minute ago, alexs7 said:

TBF this is something I kinda agree on.

 

I never got to go myself but despite how great it sounds, there is kind of a reason it came and went so quickly.

 

I personally don't think the UK has a massive market for two major rock and alternative festivals. It's already looked down on and not in the mainstream.

 

Other European countries have a download and a bloodstock equivalent (although I'd say that Wacken in Germany is a bit bigger than bloodstock and gets bigger headliners)

[Andre91]

Some people in here need to give their heads a wobble. System Of A Down sold out two extortionately priced stadium shows in a matter of hours. Yet people wouldn’t buy tickets to see them at Download? Delulu or what. 

[alexs7]

Just now, rock_on said:

 

 

Either you don't get it or you're taking the absolute piss. 

Well, call me the piss burglar because i keep taking it I guess

[chatty]

1 minute ago, alexs7 said:

TBF this is something I kinda agree on.

 

I never got to go myself but despite how great it sounds, there is kind of a reason it came and went so quickly.

 

I personally don't think the UK has a massive market for two major rock and alternative festivals. It's already looked down on and not in the mainstream.

Depends how they are done. 

 

Think there is a gap for a proper indie/alternative market that's been abandoned a lot recently. Basically what Leeds/Reading used to be. 

 

 

Then a festival more catered to metal/emo/pop punk etc.

 

A lot of smaller festivals have went bust so think there's probably room for another bigger one if it gets it's market right. 

 

 

[Andre91]

The first hour of that FOB set is one of the best hours of live music I’ve ever experienced. It was so good. 

[Siddey1994]

1 minute ago, rock_on said:

 

 

Either you don't get it or you're taking the absolute piss. 

To clarify, I am taking the piss.

[TWY2911]

1 minute ago, rock_on said:

 

 

Either you don't get it or you're taking the absolute piss. 

 

Please explain what we don't get as SOAD have sold out two stadium shows while Leppard and Motley Crue didn't sell theirs very well last year 

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, chatty said:

Depends how they are done. 

 

Think there is a gap for a proper indie/alternative market that's been abandoned a lot recently. Basically what Leeds/Reading used to be. 

 

 

Then a festival more catered to metal/emo/pop punk etc.

 

A lot of smaller festivals have went bust so think there's probably room for another bigger one if it gets it's market right. 

 

 

Yeah true - I guess if Download could survive while R+L were booking more rock bands they could do it again.

 

Although I would be worried we will keep getting Download 2008 situations if that happens

[Andre91]

Def Lep x Crue’s Wembley crowd was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. That was until that dude posted about REO Speedwagon headlining Download. 

[DomDom1984]

2 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Def Lep x Crue’s Wembley crowd was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. That was until that dude posted about REO Speedwagon headlining Download. 

They got moved to Glasgow Green from Hampden to avoid the embarrassing visual of thousands of empty seats 

[OllieJ77]

20 minutes ago, rock_on said:

 

I'm not trolling. I'm not denying modern bands of a certain calibre might outsell a classic rock headliner line-up but Blink 182 and SOAD are odd choices to make that point. Blink's recent albums have been panned and SOAD haven't released any new music for 20 years. They're not big draws. 

This is 1000% rage bait 🤣🤣🤣 I’m blocking you now mate it’s boring. 

[Siddey1994]

2 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Def Lep x Crue’s Wembley crowd was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. That was until that dude posted about REO Speedwagon headlining Download. 

Cannot wait for REO to reform and headline Wembley 10 full nights in a row. Every single person I know is buzzing for it.

[alexs7]

1 minute ago, DomDom1984 said:

They got moved to Glasgow Green from Hampden to avoid the embarrassing visual of thousands of empty seats 

I always feel bad yet also laugh when bands get venues downgraded.

 

Like recently One Ok Rock had to downgrade from AO Arena to the O2 Apollo...