Download 2026

[OllieJ77]

So seems like we need to all pray for no Def Leppard this year 

[3Dimensions]

Worst: Avenged Sevenfold, Def Leppard, Metallica

Best: Muse (BHaR 20th anniversary set including b sides), Biffy Clyro, Ghost

[northernangel]

3 hours ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

You’ve changed your tune, before you were saying they couldn’t do stadiums. 

I said here to be fair and not the size of LP. I also said, if they do I'll hold my hands up.

[Judas Yeast]

I'd prefer Def Leppard to Slayer at least but I accept I'm in the minority there 😂 can't stand Slayer or their fans who scream "SLAYYYEEEERR" in people's faces! Also their immediate comeback sold about 45 tickets total

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Judas Yeast said:

I'd prefer Def Leppard to Slayer at least but I accept I'm in the minority there 😂 can't stand Slayer or their fans who scream "SLAYYYEEEERR" in people's faces! Also their immediate comeback sold about 45 tickets total

 

To be honest, any of Tool, Deftones, Def Leppard, Slayer, and A7X can stay away from headlining.

 

I'd take Muse with a decent set so forget anything from the last 12 years or so. I'd accept Biffy but it would be a bad booking and it never comes across at Download at it does on more suited ground. But if they were put with Maiden and LP it's unlikely I would evade Friday as as both times they have headlined last, 3 of the 4 top main stage acts have been of interest.

[TWY2911]

On the flip side my dream three would be Slipknot, Rage against the machine and System of a down 

[northernangel]

8 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

On the flip side my dream three would be Slipknot, Rage against the machine and System of a down 

I'd have Blink, Maiden and SOAD.

[Siddey1994]

47 minutes ago, TWY2911 said:

On the flip side my dream three would be Slipknot, Rage against the machine and System of a down 

Ghost | MCR | SOAD

[craigcharles420]

Def Leppard would be bloody awful.

 

I do think Ghost and SOAD seem very likely headliners. Not sure who the third would be, but LP seems a safe bet to me.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Dream: Tool, System of a Down, RATM

Worst: Slayer, Def Leppard, Queen 

Edited August 30, 2025 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[foolee]

Realistic (kind of) wish/dream: Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine & System of a Down

 

3 bands I’ve never seen dream: Nickelback, KISS, AC/DC

Edited August 30, 2025 by foolee

[northernangel]

Yungblud, Avril, Evanescence as dream subs.

[craigcharles420]

1 hour ago, foolee said:

Realistic (kind of) wish/dream: Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine & System of a Down

 

3 bands I’ve never seen dream: Nickelback, KISS, AC/DC

NIN, RATM and SOAD would be incredible. Obviously RATM won't happen but I think we are def looking at SOAD being there. NIN isn't one I would expect since I'm not sure if they'll be doing the rounds again next year but let's hope.

[SweetJesus]

The problem for Nova Rock and Download is that SOAD have a concert in Berlin on July 2 and it's hard to expect that they will stay in Europe longer than 3 weeks. But if their tour starts on Nova Rock and finish in Berlin, then it's okay 🙂

[northernangel]

27 minutes ago, SweetJesus said:

The problem for Nova Rock and Download is that SOAD have a concert in Berlin on July 2 and it's hard to expect that they will stay in Europe longer than 3 weeks. But if their tour starts on Nova Rock and finish in Berlin, then it's okay 🙂

I'm expecting then to do Nova Rock, that doesn't mean they will Download...aka LP, as said some countries don't have the venues big enough that stop festival shows. I don't think RAR is out of the question either, they might be doing Berlin bit its a huge country. LP also went back and forth to Germany a few times for dates. If the money is there I dont see why 5 weeks would be unlikely, Werchter/Opener could round it up.

[foolee]

3 hours ago, northernangel said:

I'm expecting then to do Nova Rock, that doesn't mean they will Download...aka LP, as said some countries don't have the venues big enough that stop festival shows. I don't think RAR is out of the question either, they might be doing Berlin bit its a huge country. LP also went back and forth to Germany a few times for dates. If the money is there I dont see why 5 weeks would be unlikely, Werchter/Opener could round it up.

I reckon they could do the similar round of shows that LP do, so Rock For People, Nova Rock, Rock Werchter, Open’er then. 

[OllieJ77]

Dream would be Blink MCR SOAD but aware that is never going to happen haha 

[NorthernSoul52]

On 28/08/2025 at 18:52, Rusty Spoon said:

They played Top 10 Statues on their EU festival run last summer. I caught it at Rock for People and if I recall, it did indeed go down great live.

Lucky you!

[NorthernSoul52]

Honestly, get Nickelback in as a sub and it would be a hoot.

 

But imagine they're headline or nothing as an artist.

[DomDom1984]

I feel like NIN are an outside shot for this. If it was them, Maiden and Ghost, I'd be starting to look at future updates VERY closely. 

[Andre91]

42 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Honestly, get Nickelback in as a sub and it would be a hoot.

 

But imagine they're headline or nothing as an artist.

They would headline for sure. They absolutely should be going for them, too. So many bangers. It would be a great headline set. The forced Nickelback hate seems to have been left in the last decade, too, so they’d go down a storm if they were to play, I’m certain. 

[northernangel]

I think Nickelback would headline definitely but they aren't at dream booking or one that I'd miss vs others not being in there. Add them to a 4 day sure, but not a 3 day with a much better option not there.

 

If Maiden don't get booked and SOAD are doing a stadium show then Blink for me is the best route they can go and it follows on from Green Day perfectly. I for one where Download is certainly a festival not on my must attend yearly pattern would look harder into a Saturday for example for options if Blink played Friday to make it worthwhile staying up there rather than spending more to go Friday and then Sunday.

 

If however, Blink were Saturday and Ghost Friday there would need to be a monumental undercard to grab me in.

Edited August 31, 2025 by northernangel

[Audiorocker]

Am I alone in thinking Blink would be a softer downgrade on Green day?? 

Feel the festival needs a bit more bite at the top of the bill.

[northernangel]

22 minutes ago, Audiorocker said:

Am I alone in thinking Blink would be a softer downgrade on Green day?? 

Feel the festival needs a bit more bite at the top of the bill.

I get that view too be honest but I'm not sure who else is as strong as them in tbe same field?, Green Day are there top of the punk rock/punk pop bands around so it's more a case I feel of a band with hits/enjoyable than hitting the same height. Blink are bigger and would sell more tickets than FOB who are a different band but along the same kind of lines, but they headlined. It's not a booking that is going to return Download to it's highest capacity numbers but I think the capacity point of 75k like the last year years is better anyway and certainly works better with the space they have. I dont know who or where they came up with the idea that they had a comfortable space for 110k people on site but they don't and the difference of 2023 to 2025 priced that.

[Audiorocker]

3 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I get that view too be honest but I'm not sure who else is as strong as them in tbe same field?, Green Day are there top of the punk rock/punk pop bands around so it's more a case I feel of a band with hits/enjoyable than hitting the same height. Blink are bigger and would sell more tickets than FOB who are a different band but along the same kind of lines, but they headlined. It's not a booking that is going to return Download to it's highest capacity numbers but I think the capacity point of 75k like the last year years is better anyway and certainly works better with the space they have. I dont know who or where they came up with the idea that they had a comfortable space for 110k people on site but they don't and the difference of 2023 to 2025 priced that.

Agree about the capacity and enjoyment sweet spot being the 75k mark. This summer was great in that sense. Also agree Blink would be a better booking than FOB from 2024 👍

I know many roll their eyes at the idea but Maiden, ACDC, Guns n Roses and Pearl Jam are on what appears to be their final stints. I have seen none of them so would like one of them to feature this year.