Download 2026

[Heyzoos]

I mean there's always the option that you don't have to go if you don't want to?

[Headswim]

Rush is not available, currently only touring US and Canada, they may come to Europe in the future, but to say they are available is wrong

[northernangel]

20 minutes ago, alexs7 said:

Maiden gig has a worse lineup 

 

It does indeed, I'll agree but its not by a lot.

11 minutes ago, partypirate said:

I don’t mind that GnR are headlining tbh. I know his voice is crap these days and they play forever but after a day on the ale it will be fun to out-sing him. No interest in LB so will go find someone else to watch. Looking forward to LP as the new album is great.

 

Looking like plenty more in the line-up which will be of interest too.

 

The only thing clashing with LB will be a Dogtooth set, that's on of the biggest problems.

4 minutes ago, Jrose said:

if this is the line up, it's 2 of the strongest headliners available and a cheap one to compensate for it. a few 12 year olds dont know gnr, that's fine. but gnr are the biggest draw in the rock world, not named acdc or metalica, even if axl cant sing. it's a mainstream festival for the masses. gnr day sells 100k tickets no problem, and the festival survives another year because of it

I dont think it'll sell 100k, I also think LP are the biggest curren pull on there all day long. They would shift another Wembley date quicker than GNR would.

[ThatMuseKid]

5 minutes ago, rock_on said:

 

GNR couldn't sell out Wembley, they aren't shifting 100k tickets in 2026. It's not 2018 anymore fella, there reputation for being awful live is catching up with them. Rush are available, AC/DC are available, Ghost are available and Download is booking Limp Bizkit and GNR, it's unforgivably bad bookings. 

Are we really believing these are the headliners or is there a chance we are getting baited 

[andyrhodes24]

Just now, ThatMuseKid said:

Are we really believing these are the headliners or is there a chance we are getting baited 

Think we’ve all come to terms with it now considering the image assets were uploaded to the website.

[losing43]

4 minutes ago, Heyzoos said:

I mean there's always the option that you don't have to go if you don't want to?

Well, the whole point of these forums are to discuss opinions, both positive and negative. If people aren’t happy, they know they don’t have to go, but still well within their right to express their views

[rock_on]

 

7 minutes ago, Heyzoos said:

I mean there's always the option that you don't have to go if you don't want to?

 

Probably the option I'll be exercising barring some surprises on the undercard, I'm still allowed to criticise the line up.

Edited November 3, 2025 by rock_on

[Joe87]

So a band that hasn't played the festival in (what will be) 12 years after selling out Wembley Stadium.

 

A new headliner.

 

And one of the biggest Rock acts of all time that won't have played the festival in 8 years.

 

Anyone could pick 3 bands theyd rather see but taste aside it is objectively decent booking and will sell just fine.

 

Roll on June.

[northernangel]

15 minutes ago, Heyzoos said:

I mean there's always the option that you don't have to go if you don't want to?

 

9 minutes ago, losing43 said:

Well, the whole point of these forums are to discuss opinions, both positive and negative. If people aren’t happy, they know they don’t have to go, but still well within their right to express their views

 

Kinda agree here. There is an option that you could just not go to anywhere but it is a place to discuss positive, negative and indifferent. If it's literally always a case of you can't not like it because we do or whatever etc etc then what's the point. Why do we have forum threads for different festivals if we are all supposed to like the same thing. The only thing i will agree on is if there is a case of making too heavy points with what you think is poor which I'll agree I have done in the past. I think it happens with Reading as it was my first festival and there is a sentimental thing there I feel.

[partypirate]

31 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

It does indeed, I'll agree but its not by a lot.

 

The only thing clashing with LB will be a Dogtooth set, that's on of the biggest problems.

I dont think it'll sell 100k, I also think LP are the biggest curren pull on there all day long. They would shift another Wembley date quicker than GNR would.

Chances are the Dogtooth headliner will be someone I like anyway 👍

[craigcharles420]

I thought we had already accepted this was the lineup weeks ago

[losing43]

21 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

 

Kinda agree here. There is an option that you could just not go to anywhere but it is a place to discuss positive, negative and indifferent. If it's literally always a case of you can't not like it because we do or whatever etc etc then what's the point. Why do we have forum threads for different festivals if we are all supposed to like the same thing. The only thing i will agree on is if there is a case of making too heavy points with what you think is poor which I'll agree I have done in the past. I think it happens with Reading as it was my first festival and there is a sentimental thing there I feel.

Exactly that. I think it’s a healthy place and as long as it’s all fair discussion so be it. For example, Sleep Token aren’t for me, but I completely get them being booked for 2025. Pushes the festival and promotes new talent. I just am a bit of a loss with the GNR booking for 2026

[cragzy]

Could it be GnR, could it be ac/dc could it be ghost could it be muse could it be limp bizkit, this is why I love this time of the year with announcement day

[Huggybecky]

2 hours ago, rock_on said:

If it is LP/LB/GNR that's the weakest Download line-up in years. Absolutely nothing exciting. 

 

Linkin Park are a glorified tribute band these days and Emily doesn't work as a singer.

 

LB are a decades old novelty band. Don't get how they'd headline your mum's back garden let alone Download.

 

GNR were a draw in 2018 (I bought my ticket to see them that year) but the set wasn't great and anybody who wants to see them could have gone to their own tour in recent years. Awful booking.

 

 

You're forgetting Sleep Token last year. I may not be that impressed with it being GnR but its not ST. 

[Gejonimo]

The problem with what some people say is that it's very binary, and they get that binary from their own opinion. 

 

"The line-up does not suit my own very specific tastes, therefore it is bad" is not correct. You have to take into account the context and others, because a festival line-up is not devoted to one person, it has to appeal to 100,000. If I went I'd watch LP and LB but maybe not GnR - but I understand that the context behind GnR is a stadium-act, that is arguably the biggest rock band of all time. Therefore I can not, and will not, sit here and say that GnR is a bad booking. It is a solid booking that will suit tens of thousands of people very well, just not me, and I accept that it is therefore not for me and I can not label it as bad.

 

Bookings are good or bad in two different categories at the same time, for the singular and for the collective, and it is the collective that determines whether it is good or bad overall, but that can only be measured after the fact by review.

 

 

[Siddey1994]

It’s fine to state your negative view of the headliners but what does my head in is the constant cycle of negativity that follows - we see the same posts year in, year out using a lot of the same verbiage: “objectively bad”, “worst lineup in years”, “weak headliners” etc and none of it seemingly affects the ultimate turnout at the festival one bit.

 

If you have nothing more constructive to add than “I think this lineup is sh*t”, and you’ve already said that, then why are you still here?

[Siddey1994]

To add this is my least favourite set of headliners in years; however it will still sell well. Many in my group think the opposite to what I do. I’ll still be there because imo Download is a great festival, not to mention the weaker years are where I’ve discovered some of my favourite bands in the lower stages.

[northernangel]

24 minutes ago, losing43 said:

Exactly that. I think it’s a healthy place and as long as it’s all fair discussion so be it. For example, Sleep Token aren’t for me, but I completely get them being booked for 2025. Pushes the festival and promotes new talent. I just am a bit of a loss with the GNR booking for 2026

 

Yeah I didn't get that booking and a lot of people saying it was suited to arenas more than a festival after kinda suggests that too. While I'll agree there was an alright amount of people watching it there, there was a LOT of people walking out, more so than you would expect for a festival booking a headliner to appeal to at least 75k people amd I say that given the alternative is a tent for a couple of thousand

8 minutes ago, Gejonimo said:

The problem with what some people say is that it's very binary, and they get that binary from their own opinion. 

 

"The line-up does not suit my own very specific tastes, therefore it is bad" is not correct. You have to take into account the context and others, because a festival line-up is not devoted to one person, it has to appeal to 100,000. If I went I'd watch LP and LB but maybe not GnR - but I understand that the context behind GnR is a stadium-act, that is arguably the biggest rock band of all time. Therefore I can not, and will not, sit here and say that GnR is a bad booking. It is a solid booking that will suit tens of thousands of people very well, just not me, and I accept that it is therefore not for me and I can not label it as bad.

 

Bookings are good or bad in two different categories at the same time, for the singular and for the collective, and it is the collective that determines whether it is good or bad overall, but that can only be measured after the fact by review.

 

 

But there is a different in someone saying it's a bad booking, its a poor booking etc and then someone else shouldn't like it, or coming across as why dont you like what others do or laughing at it. Saying its bad, poor or whatever is not saying someone else can't like it, their opinion is wrong or etc etc. Its not about feeling like its devoted to one person. And i think the whole saying just because you dont like it is a very poor take. I've got bands i like that if they were subbing or 3rd down for example and I thought they shouldn't be I would feel that was poor and weak. LB are a weak headliner and a poor choice given their previous touring commitments to headline, that doesn't mean people can't like it. It's pretty acknowledged by a few that they've done it because of the packet the others cost. But now we can't just say a band down the line that done a similar solo tour they did can't headline just because they didn't get two as big headline options next time. They are fronted by Live Nation who are the biggest promoters out there, they can afford it but they also have to feel it's going to sell. Its hadn't appealed to 100k by the way for a while apart from 2023 the anniversary, 24 and 25 were nowhere near it and I'd bet 22 wasn't either.

[chatty]

From the leaks, at best there was three bands I would be bothered about seeing and one of them I've seen and thought they were OK. 

 

But there'll be plenty more announced and I'll spend the next few months scraping a list together going through each one and maybes expanding my music taste a bit. 

 

If I don't get anymore, which would seem unlikely, well I guess I'll just have a blast anyway. Plenty bands I've listened to and didn't really like but enjoyed live as well, it's a different thing with the crowds and atmosphere, adrenaline, location etc. 

[northernangel]

9 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

It’s fine to state your negative view of the headliners but what does my head in is the constant cycle of negativity that follows - we see the same posts year in, year out using a lot of the same verbiage: “objectively bad”, “worst lineup in years”, “weak headliners” etc and none of it seemingly affects the ultimate turnout at the festival one bit.

 

If you have nothing more constructive to add than “I think this lineup is sh*t”, and you’ve already said that, then why are you still here?

 

Well the festival was used to bring in 85-90k people and it's been capped at 75k the last two years which is even a statement by Paul on here so that's not exactly correct. And it hasn't told out at 75k either. You don't cap something at a capacity because you feel it can do a lot more.

 

But I actually think the 75k capacity makes the festival arena at least a lot nicer, more comfortable as well. One of the biggest things I find is when they book someone i really fancy on a day i have no interest in a lot of others but that's just festival life and of course they want to encourage you to attend more days.

 

As a festival itself, the positive thing I'd point out the the East Mids Parkway shuttle in and out of the festival, definitely a game changer. Yes it means you don't have the luxury of returning to your tent for a few cans but given the time it takes anyway you need a space of a couple of bands at least if you're not literally returning, picking up and leaving again.

Edited November 3, 2025 by northernangel

[Siddey1994]

It definitely felt “sold out” in 2024 but I see how it feels like they were pulling a fast one with that. Timing on announcing the sellout was too conspicuous. But the last two years have been “comfortably busy” as opposed to the chaos of 2023. Either way it’s safe to say it still sells well enough or there wouldn’t be a bottom line to justify Download still existing.

[DomDom1984]

That trio is okay to sell tickets, but feel like someone newer along with LP and LB would have been a better option. But I wouldn't mind seeing this incarnation of GNR despite what people say.

 

The undercard has to be really good here though, and one day has to look outstanding on the main stage too. 

[Heyzoos]

1 hour ago, losing43 said:

Well, the whole point of these forums are to discuss opinions, both positive and negative. If people aren’t happy, they know they don’t have to go, but still well within their right to express their views

Was more replying to the ranting of the fella before you, who seemed to be getting a bit irate about the whole thing. Agree with your point here.
 

 

28 minutes ago, Gejonimo said:

The problem with what some people say is that it's very binary, and they get that binary from their own opinion. 

I'm out of reactions, but amen to this! Also Siddey's point.

[Jrose]

16 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

It’s fine to state your negative view of the headliners but what does my head in is the constant cycle of negativity that follows - we see the same posts year in, year out using a lot of the same verbiage: “objectively bad”, “worst lineup in years”, “weak headliners” etc and none of it seemingly affects the ultimate turnout at the festival one bit.

 

If you have nothing more constructive to add than “I think this lineup is sh*t”, and you’ve already said that, then why are you still here?

these 3 as headliners are objectively the strongest headline trio since 2018. in terms of popularity, sales, size, mainstream success etc. i dont think download will worry about a few kids on a forum. The GnR day in 2018, with acdc in 2010 was the most packed ive ever since download and the day tickets for gnr were 20% more expensive than the other days. Linkin park will also sell very well. and limp bizkit have gone from one of the most derided and mocked acts in history to respected elder statesman. i also dont think they'll be that expensive - all 3. gnr in 2018 were £5m and the most expensive download headliner of all time. but 8 years later i don't think they ask for that same fee.

[SirPsychoSexy]

So Linkin Park / GNR / Limp Bizkit if rumours are to be believed.  

Not sure what i think about that.  

Limp Bizkit only played the other year, and in the sub slot, plus they have toured over here this year, and i was amazed to see they were only playing 13 songs!?   Surely they'll have to do more than that to headline Download!?

 

Caught Guns N Roses Glasto set the other year on Iplayer, & the were absolutely atrocious......well Axl Rose was, his voice has long gone, & he looks like he's having heart attack the way he struggles with the high notes.  Its just the Slash show at this point.

 

Linkin Park is great booking though!  Still in their prime, & Emily Armstrong is brilliant in my opinion!   A chance to experience an amazing back catalogue once again thanks to her stepping into Chester's shoes, as sad as it is.

 

The undercard needs to be stacked to make up for what i think are two weak headliners.