Download 2026

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

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

Download will get Ghost, Blink 182 and Maiden. 

I also think R&L will get LP but I think Deftones will headline DL. I could see Architects or A Day To Remember subbing LP at R&L. 
 

I really like the idea of Blink headlining and after FOB and Green Day, it would make all the sense. 
 

I’ve stuck this together to accommodate Blink. 

[Spiral_Low]

Ghost / Slipknot / Linkin Park

 

Subs: Bad Omens / Gojira / Architects

 

 

 

 

[Andre91]

13 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

Ghost / Slipknot / Linkin Park

 

Subs: Bad Omens / Gojira / Architects

 

 

 

 

Slipknot aren’t coming back that soon.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

I also think R&L will get LP but I think Deftones will headline DL. I could see Architects or A Day To Remember subbing LP at R&L. 
 

I really like the idea of Blink headlining and after FOB and Green Day, it would make all the sense. 
 

I’ve stuck this together to accommodate Blink. 

Nice, I’d go to that.
This is the one I made for the Download forums. Admittedly I think Maiden are more likely than Pearl Jam.

Edited April 20, 2025 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[northernangel]

7 hours ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

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

Download will get Ghost, Blink 182 and Maiden. 

 

I don't get why Linkin Park at Reading makes more sense. The only way I see it happening it if Download can't justify putting a strong enough bill together by booking them.

 

5 hours ago, Andre91 said:

I also think R&L will get LP but I think Deftones will headline DL. I could see Architects or A Day To Remember subbing LP at R&L. 
 

I really like the idea of Blink headlining and after FOB and Green Day, it would make all the sense. 
 

I’ve stuck this together to accommodate Blink. 

 

I think this looks really weak and nowhere near the cost of what they charge for a weekend ticket.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

 

I don't get why Linkin Park at Reading makes more sense. The only way I see it happening it if Download can't justify putting a strong enough bill together by booking them.

 

Because I think both Linkin Park & Deftones will do the later European summer festivals next year. 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Because I think both Linkin Park & Deftones will do the later European summer festivals next year. 

 

That's fair, I 100% think RAR will have booked them though and there is plenty of options they didn't do. Greenfield, Graspop, Download, Hurricane, Sweden Rock, Northside, Firenze Rock, Copenhell, Rock in Roma, Pinkpop, Resurrection, Provinssi, Rock Fest, Tinderbox, Roskilde and the list goes on for early to mid summer. Wacken, maybe Highfield and Reading aside, is there enough options for them there?

 

I do think Deftones are more likely to get as sub spot than headline generally, but I wouldn't take LB for example subbing Reading this year as an option that sees Deftones there after. LB are definitely on a different spectrum of known mainstream songs on a broader level. 

Edited April 20, 2025 by northernangel

[Andre91]

4 hours ago, northernangel said:

 

I don't get why Linkin Park at Reading makes more sense. The only way I see it happening it if Download can't justify putting a strong enough bill together by booking them.

 

 

I think this looks really weak and nowhere near the cost of what they charge for a weekend ticket.

It’s no weaker than the last couple of years. Thank god we’ve got some newer logo bands coming through (potentially) like Ice Nine Kills, Knocked Loose, Turnstile, Malevolence, Motionless In White, even Bad Omens (who I think stay away until they headline). They’re all no different than having Spiritbox, Lorna Shore, I Prevail. Electric Callboy etc getting bigger slots. 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

It’s no weaker than the last couple of years. Thank god we’ve got some newer logo bands coming through (potentially) like Ice Nine Kills, Knocked Loose, Turnstile, Malevolence, Motionless In White, even Bad Omens (who I think stay away until they headline). They’re all no different than having Spiritbox, Lorna Shore, I Prevail. Electric Callboy etc getting bigger slots. 

Well its weaker than 23 by a mile, it's not weaker than 24 but that was generally a crap lineup but it's weaker than this year. Not weaker than also doesn't make it a good thing. You've got a headliner this year that blows all 3 of those out and another headliner this year that outsells two of the the 3 you have. Gojira, Volbeat and Pierce The Veil as subs and we're questioning the weakness?, one of them if that should be subbing level.

[Andre91]

35 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Well its weaker than 23 by a mile, it's not weaker than 24 but that was generally a crap lineup but it's weaker than this year. Not weaker than also doesn't make it a good thing. You've got a headliner this year that blows all 3 of those out and another headliner this year that outsells two of the the 3 you have. Gojira, Volbeat and Pierce The Veil as subs and we're questioning the weakness?, one of them if that should be subbing level.

Have you look at all of those sub bands tours?

[Spiral_Low]

13 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Slipknot aren’t coming back that soon.

09, 13, 15, 19, 23....not a stretch to think they will do 26, especially as they are skipping the UK in this year's European tour. Though if not 26 then 27. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

16 hours ago, northernangel said:

 

Wacken, maybe Highfield and Reading aside, is there enough options for them there?

 

Plenty of options… Reading & Leeds, Rock En Seine, Lowlands, Way Out West, Oya, Pukkelpop, Zurich Open Air, Electric Picnic - a few of those, with a couple of stadium/arena dates thrown in across the rest of Europe. 
 

Deftones have made a conscious effort the last two years to play broader spectrum festivals (Primavera, Glastonbury, Roskilde, Rock Wertcher, Best Kept Secret etc.) rather than rock/metal festivals. I think they’ll do that again next year. 

Edited April 21, 2025 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[northernangel]

12 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Have you look at all of those sub bands tours?

 

How you looked at the lower ticket prices almost inline with academy tours compared to LB charging for example an extra £30-40 a date and how easy standing tickets alone are easy to get? The Offspring doing arenas that flew out at higher pricing leading to Download and another arena tour that's flew out. I wouldn't compare anything else to the shambles generally of Download 2024. Friday is one of the worst main stages I've ever seen for Download with the top 3 for Avalanche that day better better on its own and two of them are novelty bands.

 

It would be Download faltering it's 'standards' and booking weaker without a doubt.

 

18 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Plenty of options… Reading & Leeds, Rock En Seine, Lowlands, Way Out West, Oya, Pukkelpop, Zurich Open Air, Electric Picnic - a few of those, with a couple of stadium/arena dates thrown in across the rest of Europe. 
 

Deftones have made a conscious effort the last two years to play broader spectrum festivals (Primavera, Glastonbury, Roskilde, Rock Wertcher, Best Kept Secret etc.) rather than rock/metal festivals. I think they’ll do that again next year. 

 

I doubt most of Rock en Seine based on this year can afford them. And the rest of what you mentioned is unlikely given many of those festivals are struggling for the bigger acts. Electric Picnic maybe but nothing they've booked to headline this year is the level of what LP have sold here currently with Fender being the closest.

 

Look at Oya, their top name is a co- headliner at Reading and every name below is a sub, same for Puckelpop and you can count they for Lowlands and WOW who are basically sharing a combination of the same names. Zurich Openair has Post Malone.

 

It's also worth pointing out thag LP in their touring history haven't played late August in the UK since 2003. The last they played early August here was Sonisphere in 2009. That doesn't mean they can't obviously but I look at those early summer festivals and what they could do and who they book and its a no brainer. 

 

You are right on Deftones, they have played Werchter before though and Roskilde  more recently albeit 10 years ago but then they've only played Download here twice in 15 years. If Deftones do bring out their new album yes, if they don't then I'm not sure I see them back next year as they've toured quite a bit the last few years.

[Andre91]

Deftones will have a new album in tow. 

[northernangel]

I reckon Three Days Grace being back next year is nearly a given. There is definitely scope to add another Brixton date as well. One of the most exciting fresh and newer rock bands around currently.

[Andre91]

5 hours ago, northernangel said:

I reckon Three Days Grace being back next year is nearly a given. There is definitely scope to add another Brixton date as well. One of the most exciting fresh and newer rock bands around currently.

Their first album came out 22 years ago 😂 they would be a fresh booking, mind. Reckon they’d go down well subbing the second stage. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

6 hours ago, northernangel said:

I reckon Three Days Grace being back next year is nearly a given. There is definitely scope to add another Brixton date as well. One of the most exciting fresh and newer rock bands around currently.

Is this sarcasm? I can’t tell 🤔

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Their first album came out 22 years ago 😂 they would be a fresh booking, mind. Reckon they’d go down well subbing the second stage. 

 

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Is this sarcasm? I can’t tell 🤔

 

Haha nope, it's a case of me not realising how long they have been around for or even that they were originally called soemthing different. I really like them as a band though. They were getting loads of singalongs in the crowds between friends in 2023 just randomly while they weren't one and they were pretty awesome there too.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

10 hours ago, northernangel said:

 

 

Haha nope, it's a case of me not realising how long they have been around for or even that they were originally called soemthing different. I really like them as a band though. They were getting loads of singalongs in the crowds between friends in 2023 just randomly while they weren't one and they were pretty awesome there too.

Fair enough. I’m not sure you could call them a ‘fresh’ booking though when they played in 19 & 23.
 

The ‘reunion’ with Adam would probably bump them up one slot to sub the second stage rather than playing third down again. 

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Fair enough. I’m not sure you could call them a ‘fresh’ booking though when they played in 19 & 23.
 

The ‘reunion’ with Adam would probably bump them up one slot to sub the second stage rather than playing third down again. 

They played 19 and 23? Who am I think of then who is one of those US butt rock bands who never comes over here? 

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Fair enough. I’m not sure you could call them a ‘fresh’ booking though when they played in 19 & 23.
 

The ‘reunion’ with Adam would probably bump them up one slot to sub the second stage rather than playing third down again. 

I didn't know of them before 2023 to be honest. I think they play 4th main but wouldn't be surprised especially if they move onto a second Brixton if they were billed 3rd down main as the weaker option, it's happened to Skindred who play pretty small venues apart from recently hitting Wembley Arena the first time.

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

I didn't know of them before 2023 to be honest. I think they play 4th main but wouldn't be surprised especially if they move onto a second Brixton if they were billed 3rd down main as the weaker option, it's happened to Skindred who play pretty small venues apart from recently hitting Wembley Arena the first time.

How have you thought they’re a new band because you only discovered them 2 years ago? Didn’t you search their music and realise they’ve been around for ages? 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

How have you thought they’re a new band because you only discovered them 2 years ago? Didn’t you search their music and realise they’ve been around for ages? 

They’re doing a ‘reunion’ tour with their lead singer being back in the band after 11 years, you’d think that would be a bit of a give away that they’re not a ‘new’ band. Not withstanding they’re hardly ‘current’ ‘fresh’ or cutting edge in terms of sound either. 

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, Andre91 said:

How have you thought they’re a new band because you only discovered them 2 years ago? Didn’t you search their music and realise they’ve been around for ages? 

 

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

They’re doing a ‘reunion’ tour with their lead singer being back in the band after 11 years, you’d think that would be a bit of a give away that they’re not a ‘new’ band. Not withstanding they’re hardly ‘current’ ‘fresh’ or cutting edge in terms of sound either. 

 

It's a no to all of that. I literally heard of them from 2023 and went with that. Haven't taken notice of how early songs were about.

 

Frankly, you might if it was something you realised or aware of, the fact I thought they were a never band should tell you that it wouldn't be a give away whether you thought it should be or not. I'm not the first person to not realize a band isn't new and hasn't actually existed for a while, I won't be the last, its not that deep. Their sound is subjective to what people like, I like them.  If you don't then that's fine.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

6 minutes ago, northernangel said:

 

 

It's a no to all of that. I literally heard of them from 2023 and went with that. Haven't taken notice of how early songs were about.

 

Frankly, you might if it was something you realised or aware of, the fact I thought they were a never band should tell you that it wouldn't be a give away whether you thought it should be or not. I'm not the first person to not realize a band isn't new and hasn't actually existed for a while, I won't be the last, its not that deep. Their sound is subjective to what people like, I like them.  If you don't then that's fine.

Sorry if my post came across as condescending, it was meant in a light hearted way. I agree it isn’t deep, I just found it amusing.