Download 2026

[NorthernSoul52]

A few have had impressively low starting spots, but aye, doing an arena for less than sixty quid seems to be fast a thing of the past bar a few notable holdouts.

 

Iron Maiden were a shade over £50 on the continent though. Headed for Copenhagen for this show.

[Hart Attack]

Ghost
Deftones
Turnstile
Knocked Loose

The Story So Far

 

Bad Omens

I Prevail

 

-----

 

Linkin Park
Evanescence
Papa Roach
Motionless In White
Breaking Benjamin

 

Gojira
Lamb Of God

 

-----

 

Iron Maiden
Trivium
Alice In Chains
Killswitch Engage
Flyleaf

 

Good Charlotte

Neck Deep

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Hart Attack said:

Ghost
Deftones
Turnstile
Knocked Loose

The Story So Far

 

Bad Omens

I Prevail

 

-----

 

Linkin Park
Evanescence
Papa Roach
Motionless In White
Breaking Benjamin

 

Gojira
Lamb Of God

 

-----

 

Iron Maiden
Trivium
Alice In Chains
Killswitch Engage
Flyleaf

 

Good Charlotte

Neck Deep

 

Bad Omens won't be second stage headliner and I Prevail won't sub it.

 

Papa Roach and Download doesn't happen now and they would have to sub to return for download currently.

 

LOG headline second.

 

If Trivium can sub then so can many bands only on strong academy tours.

 

Pretty sure KSE would be higher too.

 

It's way too strong a bit everywhere but main headliners could be spot on easy. If they are the headliners then the undercard will suffer and that's just how it is. I can only think they've saver money this year due to needing it for LP at least.

 

 

[Andre91]

Deftones will headline 2026. 

[NorthernSoul52]

Is this because we're following the Korn trajectory of London-Piece Hall or...?

[northernangel]

If Ghost and Deftones both headline Download in 2026, you're looking at one of the lowest attendance/sales period I think. 

[Andre91]

53 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Is this because we're following the Korn trajectory of London-Piece Hall or...?

Yes. They’re doing the same thing. They’re also headlining big US fests. It’s the same cycle KoRn followed. Big US festival headline slots, big outdoor shows here and then European festival headline slots the year after. Because it won’t be just Download that have them headlining next year, it’ll be multiple Euro fests, just like KoRn this year. 

Edited February 27, 2025 by Andre91

[foolee]

2 hours ago, Hart Attack said:

Ghost
Deftones
Turnstile
Knocked Loose

The Story So Far

 

Bad Omens

I Prevail

 

-----

 

Linkin Park
Evanescence
Papa Roach
Motionless In White
Breaking Benjamin

 

Gojira
Lamb Of God

 

-----

 

Iron Maiden
Trivium
Alice In Chains
Killswitch Engage
Flyleaf

 

Good Charlotte

Neck Deep

Ghost/Deftones top two and billed as a co headline would make a lot of sense as both will be about and make it much stronger alongside IM & LP. It’s just whether they’d accept it. Bad Omens to headline in 27 after an arena run in 26 is my thinking. Could also see Gojira stepping up to sub. 

[northernangel]

3 hours ago, foolee said:

Ghost/Deftones top two and billed as a co headline would make a lot of sense as both will be about and make it much stronger alongside IM & LP. It’s just whether they’d accept it. Bad Omens to headline in 27 after an arena run in 26 is my thinking. Could also see Gojira stepping up to sub. 

Co-headline I think would be better bit I'm not sure Ghost need it. Download would get away with so many co-headline options too.

[northernangel]

I disagree with the whole Deftones doing the same thing, it's similar. Weezer is a massive special guest for the Deftones gig compared to anything Korn had at Gunnersbury and Scarborough Open Air is bigger than Eden Fest too. Deftones will have RAR, Graspop, Hell Fest for example to go at as they are doing European Festivals this summer but some of those are 4 full day festivals so you also expect on that a case of mot every year having every dame with the same strength.

 

Korn are also headlining after being asked when someone else said no/pulled out so they weren't a first choice. A sub at the size of Download should be able to sell 35k tickets, if you are then relying on your headliners to only need to sell 35k tickets then you've got a problem. It won't be sustainable anywhere near the scale that it is.

 

I think you can only have one of Ghost or Deftones or you end up with 2025 issues.

[NorthernSoul52]

5 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Yes. They’re doing the same thing. They’re also headlining big US fests. It’s the same cycle KoRn followed. Big US festival headline slots, big outdoor shows here and then European festival headline slots the year after. Because it won’t be just Download that have them headlining next year, it’ll be multiple Euro fests, just like KoRn this year. 

Interesting. I see the logic but would have assumed Limp Bizkit got the nod first.

[Spiral_Low]

Ghost / Deftones / Blink 182

 

Subs: Bad Omens/ I Prevail / Architects

 

Support bill: mainly modern metalcore, pop punk and mainstream rock bands. Couple of token metal bands thrown in. 

 

 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I don’t think Bad Omens will sub or headline second, when they next play they’ll headline. 
 

Ghost don’t need to ‘co-headline’ with anyone, they’re ready to headline. (And should have headlined 23 instead of Slipknot).

 

Deftones could do it at a push, but I don’t think they’d be the bookers first choice. 

[NorthernSoul52]

I genuinely still can't tell if Bad Omens are that much of a lock in terms of size. People here have explained it to me, let me stress, but I look and see a group who haven't charted a single or album here on the Official Charts' main singles and albums countdowns proper.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

23 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

I genuinely still can't tell if Bad Omens are that much of a lock in terms of size. People here have explained it to me, let me stress, but I look and see a group who haven't charted a single or album here on the Official Charts' main singles and albums countdowns proper.

It’s all guess work and time will tell.
 

But I’d put good money on it that if they announced a UK arena tour tomorrow, they’d do similar numbers to Sleep Token. 

[WhoOdyssey]

32 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

I genuinely still can't tell if Bad Omens are that much of a lock in terms of size. People here have explained it to me, let me stress, but I look and see a group who haven't charted a single or album here on the Official Charts' main singles and albums countdowns proper.

They haven’t released an album (aside from last year’s remix thing) since they blew up - I’m sure their next album will chart high. 

[Andre91]

KoRn clearly weren’t their first choice but if they sell well, that’ll give them the confidence to book similar acts (Deftones) as a first choice. 

[northernangel]

11 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Interesting. I see the logic but would have assumed Limp Bizkit got the nod first.

 

100% LB should have got the nod first. Easily the most broadly crossed over of them all.

10 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

Ghost / Deftones / Blink 182

 

Subs: Bad Omens/ I Prevail / Architects

 

Support bill: mainly modern metalcore, pop punk and mainstream rock bands. Couple of token metal bands thrown in. 

 

 

 

I agree with below that Bad Omens likely won't return until headline or they get stuck in the same rut as many other subs.

 

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

I don’t think Bad Omens will sub or headline second, when they next play they’ll headline. 
 

Ghost don’t need to ‘co-headline’ with anyone, they’re ready to headline. (And should have headlined 23 instead of Slipknot).

 

Deftones could do it at a push, but I don’t think they’d be the bookers first choice. 

 

I agree on Deftones. They have London support subbing Download in this same year. Korn has Spiritbox as main support last year who can only reach 3rd down this year. It's a much different game.

[NorthernSoul52]

Limp Bizkit getting the sub spot at R+L this year makes me think they enter the conversation next year, but only of course if they go around Europe in the summer again.

[LazyDavid]

My Chemical Romance

Deftones

Ghost

 

or

 

My Chemical Romance

Ghost / Deftones (co-headline)

Iron Maiden

 

 

I feel Reading will push for Linkin Park next year otherwise I would have said them

 

2027:

Linkin Park

Bad Omens (Spiritbox to sub)

Limp Bizkit

Edited February 28, 2025 by LazyDavid

[Andre91]

Linkin Park at R&L next year wouldn’t shock me at all. 

[NorthernSoul52]

MCR, Ghost and Iron Maiden feels a very obvious trio to me.

[northernangel]

6 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Limp Bizkit getting the sub spot at R+L this year makes me think they enter the conversation next year, but only of course if they go around Europe in the summer again.

 

I don't see them doing Download 24, arena tour, Reading 25 and Download 26, it would overkill.

 

6 hours ago, LazyDavid said:

My Chemical Romance

Deftones

Ghost

 

or

 

My Chemical Romance

Ghost / Deftones (co-headline)

Iron Maiden

 

 

I feel Reading will push for Linkin Park next year otherwise I would have said them

 

2027:

Linkin Park

Bad Omens (Spiritbox to sub)

Limp Bizkit

 

I think 2027 for LB is much more likely.

 

I actually think looking at this years Reading lineup, LP are further away from being booked by Reading.

[NorthernSoul52]

That's the thing. LB have been around plenty.

 

Ghost, with the UK dates coming in the spring, have a full year-plus to build for a UK audience again towards that. Tag on Maiden in what could be one of their last go-arounds, and manage to finally sweep MCR back into the mix, and hey presto!

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

That's the thing. LB have been around plenty.

 

Ghost, with the UK dates coming in the spring, have a full year-plus to build for a UK audience again towards that. Tag on Maiden in what could be one of their last go-arounds, and manage to finally sweep MCR back into the mix, and hey presto!

I would be fine with Maiden and MCR in the mix. What it might do though with the underpar bookings is mean they start overlapping main and second again and giving more choice. This is one of the major Download drawbacks that if you aren't into the Download main headliner you're screwed unlike you like the Dogtooth headliner.