Download 2026

[DomDom1984]

Alter Bridge to take their usual slot, as well as A Day to Remember and Volbeat in there.

[northernangel]

6 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

 

Second stage headliners didn't clash with main stage subs this year I don't think (I could be wrong) 

 

Friday and Sunday did a bit, Friday more so. Sex Pistols were the only clash free. But none of those second stage options interest anyway which kinda still isn't great lol.

[Martinsebs41]

Something like this to push the festival to new vibes since reading and Leeds is dying

[foolee]

3 hours ago, Martinsebs41 said:

Something like this to push the festival to new vibes since reading and Leeds is dying

Good go however MGK, The Prodigy, Bad Omens, Avril, Electric Callboy, Good Charlotte and maybe even Amyl are probably too low. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

10 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Main stage headliners get too much attention; who do we think will take up some of the other logo slots? I think the following: 

 

Main subs: Volbeat, A Day To Remember, Architcts 

 

Main third downs: Killswitch Engage, Motionless In White, Electric Callboy 

 

Second Stage headliners: Ice Nine Kills, Alice In Chains, Lamb of God

Main subs: Evanescence, Pierce the Veil, Architects 

 

Third down: Motionless in White, Ice Nine Kills, Killswitch Engage 

 

second stage headliners: Lamb of God, Good Charlotte, Trivium

[northernangel]

11 hours ago, foolee said:

Good go however MGK, The Prodigy, Bad Omens, Avril, Electric Callboy, Good Charlotte and maybe even Amyl are probably too low. 

MGK and The Prodigy aren't too low, they wouldn't headline. 

[Andre91]

The Prodigy could headline. 

[northernangel]

6 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

The Prodigy could headline. 

I don't think they could or would get asked. They headlined Y Not and Kendal Calling that are nowhere near the size. Fatboy Slim didn't huge arena tour for exmaple and few years back now who also headlined Kendall and he's not getting headline slots at the major sized festivals. The Prodigy also announced a huge support act from the off for those tour dates as well. The difference between Carl Cox who puts his own shows on with the likes of Brighton on the Beach etc and Jaguar Skills is a different entity altogether.

[foolee]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

MGK and The Prodigy aren't too low, they wouldn't headline. 

Neither would accept sub in my opinion therefore are too low. Mgk new style doesn’t really suit it anyway. Prodigy can headline wherever they go

[DomDom1984]

The Prodigy are at the very least right on the cusp of being headliners. They're definitely too big to sub. They sell FAR more tickets than any sub I can remember. 

 

Personally, I think they're easily big enough at the moment to top the bill.

 

EDIT: Oh and I've already seen the usual shite reasons why they can't. Im not interested. 

Edited July 28, 2025 by DomDom1984

[FrogLobster]

Top 3 on Friday of Prodigy / Pendulum / Enter Shikari

[northernangel]

34 minutes ago, DomDom1984 said:

The Prodigy are at the very least right on the cusp of being headliners. They're definitely too big to sub. They sell FAR more tickets than any sub I can remember. 

 

Personally, I think they're easily big enough at the moment to top the bill.

 

EDIT: Oh and I've already seen the usual shite reasons why they can't. Im not interested. 

They also have a much bigger support on their tour than any other sub you can think of usually does as well. Absolutely massive support, they aren't selling that arena tour that quick without Carl in place and Carl wouldn't be booked to play Download anyway. Bearing in mind I really like The Prodigy but watch them do it with a standard sized support.....and if you thought you could, you would.

[Andre91]

Prodigy sell more than enough tickets to headline and we all know they have the songs and show to back it up. Nobody would complain if they were booked to headline. 

[JimMacVeigh]

The Prodigy have headlined before right? 2012?

 

The only way they sub nowadays is under a giant band like linkin park. 
 

otherwise, they can headline. 

[northernangel]

12 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Prodigy sell more than enough tickets to headline and we all know they have the songs and show to back it up. Nobody would complain if they were booked to headline. 

They had the the same songs and show when they were playing Brixton Academy and Mayfield Depot/Apollo whichever one it was in Manchester. 

[TWY2911]

17 minutes ago, JimMacVeigh said:

The Prodigy have headlined before right? 2012?

 

The only way they sub nowadays is under a giant band like linkin park. 
 

otherwise, they can headline. 

 

Didn't they headline as a fill in? (Again I could be wrong) They headlined the second stage in 2009 and I agree that they wouldn't accept a main stage sub spot they'd at the very least headline second 

 

This is another reason for download to go 4 days imo (I know it's not a popular opinion and I totally understand the reasons why it's not a good idea) basically all the other big European festivals are four days and Download could follow the resurrection fest strategy with 1 or 2 "smaller" more risky headliners (Prodigy, Parkway Drive, BFMV etc.) and the rest be the normal crop 

[northernangel]

3 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

 

Didn't they headline as a fill in? (Again I could be wrong) They headlined the second stage in 2009 and I agree that they wouldn't accept a main stage sub spot they'd at the very least headline second 

 

This is another reason for download to go 4 days imo (I know it's not a popular opinion and I totally understand the reasons why it's not a good idea) basically all the other big European festivals are four days and Download could follow the resurrection fest strategy with 1 or 2 "smaller" more risky headliners (Prodigy, Parkway Drive, BFMV etc.) and the rest be the normal crop 

 

Headlining second stage is even lower equivalent level than subbing main. For any act that would chose to do it over subbing main to get more of their stage show, it's certainly not a spot bigger than subbing main. It used to have acts headline that could play as low down as 4th main. 

 

Going 4 days isn't the problem, not letting people in on Thursday on a standard weekend ticket like everything other festival out on on a standard ticket is.

[TWY2911]

8 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

Headlining second stage is even lower equivalent level than subbing main. For any act that would chose to do it over subbing main to get more of their stage show, it's certainly not a spot bigger than subbing main. It used to have acts headline that could play as low down as 4th main. 

 

Going 4 days isn't the problem, not letting people in on Thursday on a standard weekend ticket like everything other festival out on on a standard ticket is.

 

It obviously isn't going to be 4 days next year (although I have reason to believe that was the original plan) I just think that it would solve their headliner pool problem, they'd obviously have to extend camping to Tuesday to avoid what happened in 2023 which could be an issue logistically 

 

Maybe have the Thursday be a download pilot type day with all British bands as a warm up 

Edited July 28, 2025 by TWY2911

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

They had the the same songs and show when they were playing Brixton Academy and Mayfield Depot/Apollo whichever one it was in Manchester. 

Yeah but they’re playing arenas again. 

[Siddey1994]

Prodigy were borderline following Keith’s passing, since Glasto and adding dates to their arena tour they are 100% headliners.

[Andre91]

Just seen an interview with John Dolmayan and he confirmed that System Of A Down are coming to Europe. They’re playing Sweden and they’re playing in ‘very large venues that sports teams play in.’ He also said that they have 2026 and 2027 fully booked out for touring and they are now onto making plans for 2028. 
 

Stadium tour next summer with Download in 2027, I reckon. 

[northernangel]

6 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Just seen an interview with John Dolmayan and he confirmed that System Of A Down are coming to Europe. They’re playing Sweden and they’re playing in ‘very large venues that sports teams play in.’ He also said that they have 2026 and 2027 fully booked out for touring and they are now onto making plans for 2028. 
 

Stadium tour next summer with Download in 2027, I reckon. 

I don't think they'll come to Europe two years running but I do think it sounds like stadium venues next year. I think Werchter will be one of the festivals that gets them. Belgium isn't known the most for big outdoor separate gigs, even Lady Gaga is only playing the Sports Paleis however its spelt which is 18.5k approx. I don't think the run will probably be too dissimilar to what LP did.

[northernangel]

Unsure where this should go but as its been talked about. Hayley Williams releasing 17 new solo songs would suggest that Paramore aren't right round the corner. Shame as Hayley solo is not good solo.

[Andre91]

12 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I don't think they'll come to Europe two years running but I do think it sounds like stadium venues next year. I think Werchter will be one of the festivals that gets them. Belgium isn't known the most for big outdoor separate gigs, even Lady Gaga is only playing the Sports Paleis however its spelt which is 18.5k approx. I don't think the run will probably be too dissimilar to what LP did.

They’ll do Wembley Stadium here. Mark my words. 

[northernangel]

10 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Yeah but they’re playing arenas again. 

So do loads of bands that don't headline and that's for events generally. Every band now then that plays arenas can headline if that's the case. A couple of friends of mine whether people think it matters or not were happy to leave The Prodigy at Brixton, they even saw them at Glastonbury but Carl Cox being the support on their tour has pulled them back in because it's a massive support. 2 hrs set that would cost the best part of £40-45 on its own at a guess. The Prodigy highest cost of £67.50 is pretty reasonable especially for this tour.