Download Festival 2026 to announce line-up next month
We now have a date
Last updated 3rd Oct 2025
Download Festival 2026 has now confirmed it will be announcing the first wave of bands exactly one month today, on Monday 3rd November 2025.
The announcement date was revealed to subscribers of the Download Family’s newsletter this morning, along with the caption: ‘Your DLXXIII line-up will be served on Monday 3rd November. The countdown is officially on! See you soon…’
Over the past four years, Download Festival has revealed the three Apex Stage headliners during its autumn line-up announce alongside dozens of other acts.
The 23rd Download Festival takes place at Donington Park from Wednesday 10th to Sunday 14th June 2026.
Immediately after this year’s Download, booker Kamran Haq, who has taken over from Andy Copping after two decades, confirmed they have “incredible” headliners locked in for next year.
“Download this year was a big deal for me as it was my first year being at the helm and heading up the festival,” Haq wrote on Instagram.
“Loads of exciting things planned for 2026, we’ve already got some incredible headliners locked in! #downloadfestival”
The greatest Donington headliners of all time, as voted by Planet Rock listeners:
20 – ZZ Top
ZZ Top headlined Monsters of Rock in 1985
19 – System of a Down
System of a Down headlined Download Festival in 2005, 2011 and 2017
18 – Def Leppard
Def Leppard headlined Download Festival in 2009, 2011 and 2019
17 – Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne headlined Monsters of Rock in 1986 and co-headlined with KISS in 1996
He also topped the bill at Download Festival in 2018
16 – The Prodigy
The Prodigy headlined Download Festival in 2012
15 – Muse
Muse headlined Download Festival in 2015
14 – Status Quo
Status Quo headlined Monsters of Rock in 1982
13 – Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi headlined Monsters of Rock in 1987
12 – Guns N’ Roses
Guns N' Roses headlined Download Festival in 2006 and 2018
11 – Linkin Park
Linkin Park headlined Download Festival in 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014
10 – KISS
KISS co-headlined Monsters of Rock with Ozzy Osbourne in 1996
They went on to headline Download Festival in 2008, 2015 and 2022
9 – Rainbow
Rainbow headlined Monsters of Rock in 1980
8 – Aerosmith
Aerosmith headlined Monsters of Rock in 1994
7 – Whitesnake
Whitesnake headlined Monsters of Rock in 1983 and 1990
6 – Slipknot
Slipknot headlined Download Festival in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2023
5 – Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath headlined Download Festival in 2005, 2012 and 2016
4 – Rammstein
Rammstein headlined Download Festival in 2013 and 2016
3 – Metallica
Metallica headlined Monsters of Rock in 1995
They also headlined Download Festival in 2004, 2006, 2012 and 2023 (twice)
2 – AC/DC
AC/DC headlined Monsters of Rock in 1981, 1984, 1991
They headlined Download Festival in 2010
1 – Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden headlined Monsters of Rock in 1988, 1992
They also headlined Download Festival in 2003, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2022