Earlier this week, the Download Festival announced another batch of bands who will be hitting the stages this June. As always, the festival posted their handy A–Z list on the website, which I immediately dove into to pick out the acts I want to catch. Some are long‑time favourites, some I’ve seen before and want to revisit, and others simply have descriptions that catch my eye. The A–Z guide is particularly useful because it lists each band’s genre — ideal for steering clear of styles I’m not overly fond of.
From the original announcement, I ended up with twenty‑three bands firmly on my “must‑see” list, plus thirty in the “maybe” category. Then, on Monday, Download dropped fourteen new names. From those, Band‑Maid, Creeper, Daughtry, Decassus, and The Primals went straight onto my “must-see”list. The rest landed in the maybe pile.
There might be another announcement still to come, but right now it looks like I’ve got twenty‑eight definite picks and thirty‑nine maybes. Obviously, short of owning a TARDIS — or several clones of myself — there’s no chance I’ll manage to see them all. But half the fun is trying.
February is already winding down, March is on the horizon, and June will be here before we know it. So, while we wait for Download 2026 to arrive, here are some photos from last year’s festival to help set the mood…
