Download 2026

The 23rd edition of the UK’s biggest rock and metal festival featured headline performances from Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park at the top of a stellar undercard. More than 100 acts featured over four stages in a hectic celebration of heavy music. The site has a friendly atmosphere, and is one of few places where people feel they can truly be themselves - judgement free. There’s an eclectic mix of people about the festival but they’re all there for one reason: to rock.

Friday opened with Native James’ fusion of UK rap and metal. With incredible energy, he played as if it was a headline set rather than the start of the day. Guest appearances from Professor Green and Boy Better Know’s Frisco ensured the opening set of the festival was memorable. Over on the Apex stage, nu-metal group P.O.D. delivered old-school hip-hop alongside rock guitars. Frontman Sonny Sandoval was as much a hypeman for the crowd as he was a vocalist. Elsewhere, Vianova’s electronic pop influenced metal garnered a cult audience that knew all the words to tracks that moved between heavy segments and whimsical autotune-filled pop.

Back on Apex, Pendulum’s live band drum-n-bass wasn’t Download’s usual fare, but it worked perfectly with the crowd. Lead singer Rob Swire wielded a synth keyboard disguised in the shape of a guitar whilst moshers met ravers, dancing to feel-good hits like ‘Propane Nightmares’ and drum and bass anthem ‘Tarantula’. In a welcome surprise, Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds appeared onstage to perform a remix of ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ to the thunderous sound of thousands of hands clapping along. The electronic fun continued into Electric Callboy’s set. This wacky show featured almost as many outfit changes as songs. The German group mixes techno and EDM with metal amongst ridiculous lyrics, demonstrated by opener ‘TANZNEID’. They also showed off hardstyle remixes of popular metal and emo songs such as Drowning Pool’s ‘Bodies’ and blink-182’s ‘All The Small Things’. The band’s antics also included a drum-off against a robot onscreen, lively dances, and plenty of pyrotechnics.

Classic LA hip-hop group Cypress Hill slowed things down with a more chilled out vibe compared to the rest of the day. Slow, bassy beats were provided by a DJ alongside live drums with extensive percussion, while rapper B-Real’s nasal vocals contrasted with the lower tones of Sen Dog. As well as their own hits including ‘Insane in the Brain’ and ‘Hits From the Bong’, Cypress Hill performed a cover of House of Pain’s legendary ‘Jump Around’. Though very different to the bands preceding them, their music set the stage for a headliner rooted in hip-hop.

The sea of red caps and white shirts that seemed to appear everywhere across the site all came together for Limp Bizkit’s first headline set at Download. Having played the festival a few times, their return in 2026 marked a monumental moment for the band - their first Download headline set. What better way to mark the occasion than launching into ‘Break Stuff’? From the get-go the pit was wild and furious, only broken up by silly interludes featuring memes and snippets of pop songs. This silly energy was reflected by Fred Durst’s granny wig and the appearance of backing dancers during ‘Rollin’’. Even in silly moments, there was no taking away from the band’s performance from strong instrumentals to Durst’s outgoing vocal delivery. Special guest Lauren Sanderson as well as four young fans took to the stage during the performance, which ended as it started with ‘Break Stuff’ once more.

The next day’s music was kicked off by Thornhill, a band who meld heavy and melodic segments through deep, growling guitar lines in a style similar to Loathe. Meanwhile on Opus, nu-metal rockers Snot continued their return to the scene, entertaining an energetic and rowdy crowd excited to hear the classic tracks. The day now properly under way, French metalcore group LANDMVRKS graced Apex under the lead of Florent Salfati, who alternated between beautiful melodies, loud yells and smooth raps. Singalong moments like ‘Lost In A Wave’ were underpinned by punchy guitars in a set that was one of the best of the entire weekend. Leicestershire locals Mouth Culture took the Avalanche tent by storm: their sound leant more grungey, and the crowd were frantic. For such newcomers, they’re already making a hell of a noise.

It should be clear by now that Download aren’t afraid to book the most genre-bending heavy artists. Japanese “kawaii metal” band Babymetal fused fast, grinding metal instrumentals with happy, upbeat J-pop vocals. The trio performed choreographed dances as they sang in a bizarre but thrilling set. This was followed by Trivium, whose relentless energy went beyond their more traditional modern metal sounds. For those who wanted something a bit darker, though, Princes of darkness Behemoth – clad in corpse paint and black clothes – brought black/death metal to Opus. There was something spiritually evil about this band - an endless whirlwind of a circle pit ensued for the duration of their set, whilst the stage was being licked by flames, mic stands embellished with satanic symbols. There’s no other place on Earth you’d encounter two revellers dressed as Jesus brawling in the centre of a rotating mosh pit!

Opus was perhaps the busiest it’s ever been for Architects. Though Sam Carter’s vocals had clearly taken their toll from relentless touring, there’s no doubt that this set will be remembered for a long time to come. The audience’s echo of lyrics was almost deafening, and the band remains at the musical peak they’ve been on for some years now. Sadly, the set was stopped after a few songs due to the chaos caused by the sheer mass of the crowd. Given the stage is at the foot of a hill, it was dangerous to continue at times as bodies surged forwards and backwards. Architects are big enough to play the main stage, but unfortunately had to yield to an extra-long headline performance.

Guns N’ Roses ended Saturday with a 3-hour performance. Though greatly anticipated by many, this length drew out the set so that exciting moments seemed too few and far between. Axl Rose’s vocals aren’t what they used to be, and sadly the band are clearly past their prime. However, there’s no denying that the feel-good singalong hits like ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ and ‘Paradise City’ went down a treat. Instrumentally they were on point, and Slash’s guitar solos shone throughout. Maybe the set was a little long for some, but if anyone deserved such a slot it was these legends.

The start of the final day had something for everyone. From the brutal hardcore-leaning Kublai Khan TX to shoegaze-infused indie pop singer ivri, no matter your preference there’s music for you. Low-key grunge group Dogstar saw an enormous audience, most of whom gathered to see actor Keanu Reeves on bass. It is a rock festival after all though, so there’s plenty of the heavy stuff. Swedish band Thrown fused metalcore with electronic parts in a beautiful cacophony of squeaky guitars. Focus was on the band for the entirety of their time onstage, except for during a brief Red Arrows flyover. A gap in Dogtooth’s schedule marked this year’s secret set. The overflowing crowd that poured out far beyond the tent cheered as Skindred walked out to a hip-hop remix of ‘The Imperial March’. Their short but hit-filled set had the whole crowd bouncing. The group’s energy was immense, rallying fans to follow suit and move.

Ice Nike Kills are as much theatre as they are live music. Proceedings kicked off with an actor being wheeled onstage in a gurney like Hannibal Lecter, ripping into the necks of the police officers who accompanied him with his teeth. Death scene after death scene occurred in what was a constant deluge of bloody murder. Frontman Spencer Charnas sang lyrics with grisly themes, often related to horror films. He dressed as the Joker and Patrick Bateman to perpetrate elaborate stage deaths. Their set ended with ‘A Work of Art’, in which the clown from the Terrifier series caused chaos around the stage, attacking the festival’s dog mascot and swinging a baby in their air by its umbilical cord. He moved between each instrument to play for a moment in a manic end to a manic set.

The penultimate act of the festival straddled the line between pop and metalcore. Bad Omens have crafted an incredibly accessible sound which was broken up by lots of long, moody spoken-word interludes. Singer Noah Sebastian’s voice was incredibly on tune. Though a surprisingly high portion of the set was dedicated to pop-leaning singalong hits like ‘Specter’, it had its fair share of heavier parts. Show closer ‘Dethrone’ was the most raucous example of this, in which the group demonstrated their prowess in metal.

The most anticipated set of Download 2026 was, of course, Sunday headliner Linkin Park. A single Tron-esque shaft of laser beamed down from the top of the stage, marking the band’s entry as they launched straight into ‘The Emptiness Machine’. Songs from 2024’s From Zero featuring new singer Emily Armstrong were performed alongside the classic hits in a world-class performance, Armstrong’s incredible live vocals proving the old guard and doubters wrong. The catwalk that protruded from the stage saw a fair amount of use, especially when the entire band played ‘Bleed It Out’ from the secondary stage in the centre of the audience, and confetti cannons periodically turned the crowd into a blizzard of tissue paper. Huge tracks like ‘In The End’ and ‘Faint’ were inaudible at times due to the bellowing voices of fans singing their hearts out. The whole set was non-stop hit after hit, banger after banger - the perfect way to close Download. Linkin Park are, without a shadow of a doubt, still at the top of their game.

Not only is the music great, Download’s ambience is unforgettable. Over the weekend there’s an array of attractions on offer, including thrilling funfair rides, silent discos, gameshows, and even a quaint cinema tent. District X is the hub for such festivities, and what’s even better is that it’s open from Wednesday! It’s impossible to get bored with so much on and around so many lovely people. There’s family, quiet and VIP camping on offer - and for those who like to give themselves that extra sparkle there are hair braiding, piercing and tattoo stalls across the site. The festival is inclusive and certain to bring about so many lovely memories.

Download’s latest edition was one for the annals. A superb lineup featuring some of the very best rock music in the world was on offer, and what better place to celebrate this music than in the wide community Download has become over the years? The countdown is on until Download XXIV - tickets are on sale now.