Judas Priest to headline Bloodstock 2026

Bloodstock has announced the first 25 bands for the festival’s 25th anniversary next year, including all three headliners.

Metal gods Judas Priest will close the festival on the Sunday.

Bloodstock said the booking “salutes one of our most iconic metal bands on Sunday, who are celebrating more than fifty years of making heavy metal history”.

“The pioneering group have so many classic tracks, you should start debating what the set list will look like now,” it added.

The other two headliners will be Lamb Of God on Friday and Slaughter To Prevail on Saturday.

Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe said: “We are thrilled to return to headline Bloodstock in 2026. The UK is one of our favourite countries in the world to play, and Bloodstock is one of our favourite festivals. And to Bloodstock security, I will make sure I have my pass on me at all times. See you next August!”

A viral video had previously circulated of a security guard named Rachel who had blocked the frontman from heading to the stage in 2022, because he didn’t have his credentials.

Elsewhere, highlights include Sepultura, thrashers Death Angel and Municipal Waste, metalcore heavyweights Northlane and Bleed From Within, and nu-metal upstarts Vended.

Orbit Culture, The Scratch, Imperial Age, Life Of Agony, Of Mice & Men and Biohazard are also on the main stage bill.

Watch: Judas Priest's 3-song encore at Bloodstock 2021

Acts confirmed for the Sophie Lancaster stage include Wednesday 13, Carpenter Brut, Leprous, Shining, Cryptopsy and Black Spiders.

2026 will also see charity cyclists the Heavy Metal Truants switch lanes from their usual London to Download rout and instead pedal to Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Hall, Derbyshire.

Co-founded in 2013 by then Metal Hammer Editor In Chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, the Heavy Metal Truants have so far raised over £1.5 million for four children’s charities.

Milas said: “Heavy Metal Truants is more than a cause - it’s a family, and our success and longevity is testament to the power of this metal community which we are so proud to be a part of.

“The help and generosity we’ve had from our friends at Download Festival has been nothing less than legendary, but after 13 years, the timing felt right to carry the torch to new, hallowed ground. The response from Bloodstock when we floated the idea was nothing short of phenomenal.”

Early bird tickets are already sold out but standard weekend tickets are now available from the Bloodstock ticket store.

Bloodstock 2026 will take place on 6th-9th August 2026 at Catton Park, Derbyshire.

Gallery: Bloodstock 2024

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• Judas Priest
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