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Download 2026


Andre91

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Yeah there are plenty of bands with enough demand to play their own shows as well as a festival. Since when did exclusivity become a thing anyway? I remember up until a certain point, loads of bands would do tours and a festival in the same year. This feels like something which has emerged in the last decade or so.

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1 hour ago, kitatus said:

Can I just say the amount of unfounded GnR copium in this thread is borderline insane. The amount of times it gets less and less likely, people push the idea harder and harder. There is a no basis in any fact whatsoever GnR are even thinking of doing it, it comes from wishful thinking to the point now it just sounds deluded.

 

Let it go, it won't become true just because you wish for it harder and harder

Brother not a single person here wants GnR

 

Even the ITK people we trust from the last couple of years have resigned themselves to the fact it’s probably GnR

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4 minutes ago, Larosterna said:

Are there any bands which are sort of "known" for doing the whole TBC thing with festivals.

 

I believe it would be a contract arrangement either to be announced at another festival first or as part of a tour announcement, so it's not that anyone is "known" for it.

 

With that said, TBC (To Be Confirmed) suggests that the band hasn't actually been formally  confirmed yet rather than waiting announcement, but that might be a language thing.

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5 minutes ago, firehazard said:

 

I believe it would be a contract arrangement either to be announced at another festival first or as part of a tour announcement, so it's not that anyone is "known" for it.

 

With that said, TBC (To Be Confirmed) suggests that the band hasn't actually been formally  confirmed yet rather than waiting announcement, but that might be a language thing.

I know Metallica in 23 had that - Download were the first to announce them.

 

So they could have something similar with Ghost or GnR

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22 minutes ago, losing43 said:

They should 100% drop the exclusivity rule for bands that shouldn’t be affected by the sales of their own shows. For example, if MCR played DL 2026, the festival would still sell very well. When I got tickets for one of their shows next year, there was still 60,000+ people trying to get tickets behind me, after it had sold out

Well let's be real though - People can only choose one or the other.

 

Would you rather see them on a £145 Download day ticket with a full bill of bands or would you spend up to £200 on their own show with 1 support?

 

People always blame Download for this but not the bands? Why would Linkin Park play Download in 25 when they can do Wembley instead and cut out the middle man?

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39 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Well let's be real though - People can only choose one or the other.

 

Would you rather see them on a £145 Download day ticket with a full bill of bands or would you spend up to £200 on their own show with 1 support?

 

People always blame Download for this but not the bands? Why would Linkin Park play Download in 25 when they can do Wembley instead and cut out the middle man?

Depends who the bands were. No one is blaming Download for not getting LP, SOAD or MCR in their first years back. I'd have taken LP for example at Wembley over Rock Werchter for the other songs they played I think. It was only Iggy Pop and Amyl and the Sniffers that I was bothered about that day there and to watch all of Iggy would sacrifice a spot for LP who I'm a much bigger fan of and I had a blinding spot at Wembley. I'd also see Iggy for probably two songs.

Edited by northernangel
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1 hour ago, craigcharles420 said:

Yeah there are plenty of bands with enough demand to play their own shows as well as a festival. Since when did exclusivity become a thing anyway? I remember up until a certain point, loads of bands would do tours and a festival in the same year. This feels like something which has emerged in the last decade or so.

Probably as ticket prices got out of hand. Before you'd happily go to a show and a festival and if the same band was on happy days. 

 

People are a bit more picky now that a ticket can be 100+ and a festival 300+.

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I mean Is be buzzing if it were SOAD but that could very easily be a Photoshop and just cause they are playing there doesnt mean they'd play Download either. 

 

I'm not too sure what these headline announcements would be waiting on SOAD for as they've already announced and sold the bulk of their tickets so no need. 

 

I'm pretty much think that the mystery headliner across Europe is a shoot out between Ghost and GNR and it'll probably be the former. 

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16 minutes ago, chatty said:

I mean Is be buzzing if it were SOAD but that could very easily be a Photoshop and just cause they are playing there doesnt mean they'd play Download either. 

 

I'm not too sure what these headline announcements would be waiting on SOAD for as they've already announced and sold the bulk of their tickets so no need. 

 

I'm pretty much think that the mystery headliner across Europe is a shoot out between Ghost and GNR and it'll probably be the former. 

If it is SOAD it's possible Download paid extra to get to be the first EU festival to announce them. That or System wants them all to announce at once and it could just be Download, Graspop and Hellfest that has them. 

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1 hour ago, chatty said:

I mean Is be buzzing if it were SOAD but that could very easily be a Photoshop and just cause they are playing there doesnt mean they'd play Download either. 

 

I'm not too sure what these headline announcements would be waiting on SOAD for as they've already announced and sold the bulk of their tickets so no need. 

 

I'm pretty much think that the mystery headliner across Europe is a shoot out between Ghost and GNR and it'll probably be the former. 

Don't rule out Muse or Foo Fighters. Not sayings its either just dont rule out. 

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22 minutes ago, Audiorocker said:

Still have an inkling for Foos on the Friday. Strange they are not announcing anything Europe/uk based yet

We assume it's incoming given the link announcing their US tour said that UK/Europe was coming soon but yes. A curious choice to leave us hanging for now.

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28 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

It's wishful thinking but there is a chance that the new booking team could relax the exclusivity rules 

Why would they? If Kam/Live Nation are promoting both then they wouldn’t want to exhaust all the demand in one go. They know they can bring MCR back over next summer and they will do huge business for Download still.

 

You also put a cap on how much you can charge for tickets to the stadium dates as you can’t get away with £250 tickets when the same band plus others is £125 on a festival day ticket.

 

Download is maybe 1% of Live Nation’s revenue, they’re not risking killing off the stadium tour business for a stronger looking Download poster.

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36 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

Sabaton would also be considered a major contender for the TBC as doing their own shows later this year and new album out means probably doing fests in the summer. 

IDK why they would be TBC when they have already been announced for some festivals

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26 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Does Biffys tour rule them out?

 

Doesn't rule them out but it won't be them. It wouldn't be a shock to see them be Foos special guest this year instead. A bold move would be to get both to headline but I'm not sure Biffy get given it especially with the idea seemingly focused on big day ticket sales. Who's paying £130 - £200 for Biffy Clyro?

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41 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

Doesn't rule them out but it won't be them. It wouldn't be a shock to see them be Foos special guest this year instead. A bold move would be to get both to headline but I'm not sure Biffy get given it especially with the idea seemingly focused on big day ticket sales. Who's paying £130 - £200 for Biffy Clyro?

Because I heard that the DL exclusive rule is "6 months before and after" which basically means the full year.

 

Biffy being in Feb should rule them out then

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