Download 2026

[Andre91]

35 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Still think Linkin Park will be at Reading and Leeds - partially because I think they'll balk at the Download exclusivity clause. 

Me too. 

[NorthernSoul52]

There's more money in R+L, plus their own show, than a one-and-done at Download. 

[CanWeRest]

Download doesn't have enough thwack to call those sorts of shots imo.

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Still think Linkin Park will be at Reading and Leeds - partially because I think they'll balk at the Download exclusivity clause. 

I think if Download can afford Green Day, they can grab LP. I also don't see why LP would be doing other shows anyway in the year after their stadium show.

 

None of the headliners at Reading are doing other headliner shows on England elsewhere this year I don't believe.

[northernangel]

I also can't see unless they announnce a second 02 show and possibly a second Manchester show how Architects shouldn't just be returning as a sub. With the level these past two years though I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

[northernangel]

Saw Limp Bizkit tonight, they included Dad Vibes. Honest opinion was it was a good but slightly odd way of doing a show. I don't think they should be going above sub though and feel they would be quite a poor headliner. I've glad I grabbed a ticket for this rather that ended up going up to Leeds for a day for them subbing.

[NorthernSoul52]

On 10/03/2025 at 14:38, northernangel said:

I think if Download can afford Green Day, they can grab LP. I also don't see why LP would be doing other shows anyway in the year after their stadium show.

 

None of the headliners at Reading are doing other headliner shows on England elsewhere this year I don't believe.

Heard there were plans afoot at one point for BMTH to do something in London, but seems to have gone quiet.

[northernangel]

5 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Heard there were plans afoot at one point for BMTH to do something in London, but seems to have gone quiet.

 

Most likely when the call for Reading came. It's mot London but transport links are well within boundaries.

[NorthernSoul52]

Might be jumping two and two for five here, but given Foo Fighters were reportedly well into discussions, I wonder if BMTH were called up to step in there.

 

Would negate the need for a big London show and likely something on home county patch turf too.

[northernangel]

4 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Might be jumping two and two for five here, but given Foo Fighters were reportedly well into discussions, I wonder if BMTH were called up to step in there.

 

Would negate the need for a big London show and likely something on home county patch turf too.

Well Reading haven't replaced Foos with Hozier and Chappell and definitely not with Travis who no one else wanted to book. I wouldn't have linked BMTH to Foos at all really but it makes the most sense and I could have seen Shikari and Limp Bizkit playing under them. 

[northernangel]

KISS just got back together so they can be added in

[Spiral_Low]

3 hours ago, northernangel said:

KISS just got back together so they can be added in

No chance. Download are done with them, an unmasked KISS reunion headliner would be commercial suicide.

Edited March 24, 2025 by Spiral_Low

[northernangel]

4 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

No chance. Download are done with them, an unmasked KISS reunion headliner would be commercial suicide.

That's a fair point.

[NorthernSoul52]

Aye, unmasked Kiss isn't going anywhere but one-offs.

 

It poses an interesting discussion for Ghost. Forge was mulling in interviews how much longer the lore will run. There are things he clearly wants to achieve in the corpse paint and costumes, but think he's also getting to a point where he'd be happy to just play Ghost shows as himself without the theatricality.

 

Think the songs are strong enough to stand on their own, but would the fans stay en-masse? That is the question.

[northernangel]

Marilyn Manson announced Nottingham as his first UK arena gig back but it's all I've seen announced. I'd rather not go to Nottingham Arena if I can avoid it. I'd put money on him subbing next year though.

 

Ghost, Linkin Park, Architects and MM taking up 4 of the top slots. I wouldn't be surprised to see ADTR return to sub either.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

I'd put money on him subbing next year though.

I think he’ll be there, but I think he’s more likely to headline the second stage. That way, the crowd that wants to see him will make the effort and those that don’t won’t. If he subs the main stage it risks more backlash. 
 

Same reason why I think Pantera headlined second as well. 

[Andre91]

4 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

I think he’ll be there, but I think he’s more likely to headline the second stage. That way, the crowd that wants to see him will make the effort and those that don’t won’t. If he subs the main stage it risks more backlash. 
 

Same reason why I think Pantera headlined second as well. 

I agree. I think he’ll headline second for those reasons (a fuller production, too). 

[northernangel]

13 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

I think he’ll be there, but I think he’s more likely to headline the second stage. That way, the crowd that wants to see him will make the effort and those that don’t won’t. If he subs the main stage it risks more backlash. 
 

Same reason why I think Pantera headlined second as well. 

 

8 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I agree. I think he’ll headline second for those reasons (a fuller production, too). 

I agree but for the reasons of it bring a bit later/ slightly darker for the zippo headline. Download sub is the worst positioned sub slot possible really. Too early in the day just because they can't put both stages opposite ends of the field further down to make more sense. Or at least move zippo to where Avalanche is to avoid sound bleed. Even Reading called their similar idea of alternating last bands off pretty quickly and they don't have the sound bleed issue lol.

 

If they booked for example

 

Ghost, LP, Maiden and put MM against Ghost there is only one choice to make there. If they booked him against Deftones which I don't believe will happen but there is only one choice there too. I would even currently I think choose him over LP.

Edited April 1, 2025 by northernangel

[northernangel]

Not completely unexpected but Wembley Arena has some tickets at least around the £83/84 price range

[Andre91]

Ice Nine Kills are going to headline second or play third down main, aren’t they. Yuck. 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

Ice Nine Kills are going to headline second or play third down main, aren’t they. Yuck. 

 

At least. Considering Spiritbox are doing it from playing solely Ally Pally and playing some academy dates in 2023, and INK are doing Wembley Arena, Apollo Manchester and Nottingham Arena. BMTH subbed off of Wembley Arena as their biggest date alone. I don't think they will sub though.

[northernangel]

I'm going to put Blink 182 in the mix for this. They are touring again, starting in America and they only did Reading last year so Download would be my guess.

 

Current gues is Ghost, Blink 182, LP with Iron Maiden in 2027.

[Andre91]

41 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I'm going to put Blink 182 in the mix for this. They are touring again, starting in America and they only did Reading last year so Download would be my guess.

 

Current gues is Ghost, Blink 182, LP with Iron Maiden in 2027.

Blink makes all the sense in the world. They would get a hero’s welcome at DL these days. 
 

Deftones, Blink-182, Ghost

 

 

 

 

[northernangel]

9 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Blink makes all the sense in the world. They would get a hero’s welcome at DL these days. 
 

Deftones, Blink-182, Ghost

 

 

 

 

All opinions aside, you're not getting Deftones and Ghost in the same year as Blink 182. If I'm proved wrong there then fair enough but I'd be pretty sure unless two bigger options fall through or they make it a 50k capacity festival max it won't happen. Even one of the other bands aside from Green Day sell more tickets than both Ghost, Korn and Deftones do comfortably. And Green Day are a different animal themselves to Blink.

 

You can buy Green Day day tickets still with ease and even as many as 40k of them up for grabs they are near sold out, if not sold out anywhere else. A LOT of people love that day and without question have said it is the strongest as well. 

Edited April 9, 2025 by northernangel

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I think R&L will get Linkin Park with Deftones subbing next year. 
 

Download will get Ghost, Blink 182 and Maiden.