Download Festival

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Download Festival
Download2014.jpg
Download Festival 2014
GenreHeavy metal, rock, punk rock, alternative rock
DatesMay / June (2003), June (2004–)
Location(s)Donington Park, Derbyshire, England
Years active2003–present
Capacity111,000
Websitedownloadfestival.co.uk

Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2019); and at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne (since 2018).

Download at Donington is the most popular British summer rock and heavy metal festival and has hosted some of the genre's biggest names, including Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Metallica, Linkin Park, Iron Maiden, Korn, Soundgarden, Motörhead, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Kiss, Judas Priest, Rammstein, Status Quo, Mötley Crüe, Journey, ZZ Top, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Saxon, Faith No More and Guns N' Roses.

History[]

The Download Festival was conceived as a follow up to the Monsters of Rock festivals which had been held at the Donington Park circuit between 1980 and 1996. The first Download Festival was created by Stuart Galbraith and co-booked by Andy Copping in 2003 in the same location.[1][2][3] Download was initially a two-day event, expanding to three days in 2005.

The name Download was chosen for the festival for two reasons. Downloading was a dirty word in the music industry at the time, due to file sharing, and rock is seen as a rebellious genre of music. Also Download was to be a Monsters of Rock for the 21st century and the internet would provide connectivity with its audience.

The 2003 festival tickets had a code on them, which would allow festival goers to download tracks from bands which had played. Although this idea has been dropped in subsequent years, the festival organisers have nurtured an online community through the Download Festival Forums. Initially a sounding board for the fans (and critics) of the festival, the boards have become an integral part of the festival organisation with regular contributions from Festival Director John Probyn and Promoter Andy Copping. The forums also provide face to face feedback through the Fan Forum meetings (started in 2006) and organise the Boardie BBQ (2006 on) and the Boardie Takeover night (2009), football tournaments and a pub quiz for the R.I.P. campers who arrive on a Wednesday night.

When Download began, it took place on the Donington Park circuit infield as had Monsters of Rock. However, in 2008 developments for Formula One meant that the infield was no longer suitable as a festival site. The festival moved to the "Sunday Markets" site to the west of the circuit. Although adequate, numbers were limited and the location of the campsite meant that getting from tents to the arena was quite a hike. 2009 saw the arena move to a much more suitable location to the south of the circuit and has remained there every year since. In 2019 the capacity was 111,000.[4] Security for the festival has constantly been undertaken by professional crowd management specialists Specialized Security, although the campsite area has had various contractors throughout.

From 2009 to 2019 and returning in 2021, there has been on-site radio broadcasting from Rock Radio on 87.7FM. This RSL broadcast has aired music from festival bands, interviews and news to the festival site and the surrounding area, with the signal reaching as far as Nottingham.

The Download Dog[]

The Download Dog is the official mascot of the Download Festival[5] and appears on a wide range of material related to the festival, such as tickets, stage banners, merchandise, marketing, and the official Download website.

Overview[]

Overview of Download Festival U.K
Event Year Date Headliners TV Broadcast Notes
1 2003 31st May - 1st June Iron Maiden & Audioslave
2 2004 5th - 6th June Linkin Park & Metallica
3 2005 10th – 12th June Feeder, Black Sabbath & System of a Down
4 2006 9th – 11th June Tool, Metallica & Guns N' Roses
5 2007 8th – 10th June My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park & Iron Maiden
6 2008 13th – 15th June Kiss, The Offspring & Lostprophets
7 2009 12th – 14th June Faith No More, Slipknot & Def Leppard
8 2010 11th – 13th June AC/DC, Them Crooked Vultures, Rage Against the Machine & Aerosmith
9 2011 10th - 12th June Def Leppard, System of a Down & Linkin Park Sky Arts
10 2012 8th – 10th June The Prodigy, Metallica & Black Sabbath
11 2013 14th – 16th June Slipknot, Iron Maiden & Rammstein
12 2014 13th – 15th June Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park & Aerosmith
13 2015 12th – 14th June Slipknot, Muse & Kiss
14 2016 10th – 12th June Rammstein, Black Sabbath & Iron Maiden
15 2017 9th – 11th June System of a Down, Biffy Clyro & Aerosmith
16 2018 8th - 10th June Avenged Sevenfold, Guns N' Roses & Ozzy Osbourne
17 2019 14th – 16th June Def Leppard, Slipknot & Tool
CANCELLED 2020 12th – 14th June Kiss, Iron Maiden & System of a Down N/A Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
DLTV Youtube Online event in replacement of the cancelled 2020 event
CANCELLED 2021 4th - 6th June Kiss, Biffy Clyro & System of a Down N/A Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
DLTV 4th - 5th June Slipknot, Linkin Park, Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Biffy Clyro and Muse Sky Arts TV special celebrating the best headliners from the past 10 years, replacement of the cancelled 2021 event.
18 18th - 20th June Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet For My Valentine N/A Pilot event part of the UK COVID-19 Government events research programme
19 2022 10th - 12th June Kiss, Iron Maiden & Biffy Clyro TBC

Notes:

  • DLTV (Download TV) was an online virtual festival that took place on the same days the 2020 Download Festival was due to take place, the event show clips of live performances and interviews from past years and was shown on the Download Festival Youtube and Facebook pages.
  • Download TV returned in 2021 renamed Download Reloaded celebrating the best headliners from the past 10 years, the event was filmed at the Download site in Donington and will be shown on Sky Arts over two nights during 4–5 June.[6]
  • The original 2021 event was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however it was announced on 26 May 2021 that Download would take place in 2021 as part in the UK government events research programme to trail large events. The three-day pilot event will have 10,000 fans attending.[7]

2003[]

The first Download was held on 31 May – 1 June 2003. The original headliners were Iron Maiden and Limp Bizkit, although the latter pulled out and were replaced by Audioslave. Metallica attempted to step in as headliners, but were unable to do so, owing to headlining that year's Reading and Leeds Festivals. Instead, having performed an exclusive club show in London the night before, they played an unannounced "secret slot" in the afternoon on the second stage, with no soundcheck. "Sunday belonged to Metallica," wrote Mick Middles in Classic Rock. "At 3.15 the band were fired into the heart of the festival. Before me, a nonplussed, earplugged infant was held aloft. Somehow it seemed historical. Debuting selections from St. Anger, Metallica swept into a 90-minute frenzy so irresistible that even the Hells Angels were seen clapping in wholehearted appreciation at the end. The coup was complete."[8]

Chevelle were scheduled to play the Scuzz stage on Sunday but pulled out at the last minute. Instruction, playing their second set of the festival, stepped in as the replacements.

Saturday 31 May
Main Stage Scuzz Stage

Iron Maiden
Marilyn Manson
Deftones
Ministry
InMe
Murderdolls
Amen
Funeral for a Friend
Stampin' Ground
Shadows Fall
Murder One

A
Reel Big Fish
Taproot
Sepultura
Reef
HIM
SOiL
The Hellacopters
SikTh
3 Colours Red
From Autumn to Ashes
QueenAdreena
Violent Delight
Arch Enemy
Chimaira

Sunday 1 June
Main Stage Scuzz Stage

Audioslave
Zwan
Flint
Apocalyptica
Less Than Jake
Disturbed
Stone Sour
Evanescence
Mudvayne
Spineshank
The Darkness
One Minute Silence
Raging Speedhorn
Instruction

NOFX
Boysetsfire
The Bouncing Souls
Strung Out
Thrice
Spunge
T.S.O.L.
The Real McKenzies
Metallica
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
Brand New
Instruction
Beatsteaks
Randy
Fabulous Disaster (band)

2004[]

Donington[]

The 2004 edition of the festival was held on 5–6 June. Another stage was added to the festival, bringing the total to three. Seventy-two bands played over the two days. The 2004 event was also notable for several last minute hitches. First, SOiL got lost on the way to Donington and missed their main stage appearance on Saturday (they later joined Drowning Pool on stage to perform Drowning Pool's "Bodies" and their own song "Halo"). Static-X missed their slot due to a bus breakdown. On Sunday, Slayer arrived on time, but their equipment did not, leading to a slot change from the middle of the afternoon on the main stage to a later slot (and longer set) on the second stage. Slayer were replaced on the main stage by Damageplan, who were scheduled to play the second stage. Their setlist ended with a rendition of Damageplan founders Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell's most recognisable song from Pantera, "Walk."

The biggest news came from the headliners Metallica, when Lars Ulrich was rushed to hospital.[9] Taking to the stage an hour and a half late, James Hetfield explained the situation with Ulrich and the show then began with Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo playing on "Battery" and "The Four Horsemen." Slipknot's Joey Jordison played the rest of the set apart from Fade to Black which was played by Metallica's drum technician, Flemming Larsen.

The full line-up included:

Saturday 5 June
Main Stage Snickers "Game On" Stage Barfly Stage

Linkin Park
Sum 41
Iggy and the Stooges
The Hives
The Distillers
Cradle of Filth
Monster Magnet
Opeth
The Dillinger Escape Plan

Pennywise
Electric Six
Wildboyz
Arch Enemy
Biffy Clyro
Idiot Pilot
Million Dead
Instruction
36 Crazyfists
Akercocke
Viking Skull
Powder
D-Void
The Bled

Peaches
International Noise Conspiracy
Ikara Colt
thisGirl
Roxy Saint
The Glitterati
Surferosa
Burst
Lowfive
Yourcodenameis:Milo
Bullet for My Valentine
The Holiday Plan
Hiding Place
Fireapple Red

Sunday 6 June
Main Stage Snickers "Game On" Stage Barfly Stage

Metallica
Korn
Slipknot
Machine Head
Damageplan
Soulfly
Ill Niño
Turbonegro
Breed 77

HIM
Bowling for Soup
Taking Back Sunday
Slayer
Life of Agony
Brides of Destruction
Drowning Pool
Hatebreed
Hoobastank
Trapt
Silvertide
Ricky Warwick
Terra Diablo

Suicide Girls
Young Heart Attack
Span
The Sounds
Dirty Americans
Recover
Amplifier
Do Me Bad Things
Danko Jones
The Black Dahlia Murder
Mooney Suzuki
Gonga
Despised Icon
Hurricane Party
Planet of Women

Scotland[]

In June 2004 a two-day Download Festival was held on Glasgow Green, several days before the Donington event. This had a limited line up with only nine bands performing over a two-day period. The bands which did play included the headliners, Metallica and Linkin Park. Download Scotland also saw an appearance from the Welsh rock band Lostprophets who did not perform at Donington.

Acts which also appeared over the two days at Download Scotland were Korn, Slipknot, Iggy and the Stooges, Machine Head, the Distillers and HIM.

The running order went as follows:

Wednesday 2 June Thursday 3 June

Metallica
Slipknot
Korn
HIM

Linkin Park
Lostprophets
Iggy and the Stooges
The Distillers
Machine Head

2005[]

A view of the Main Stage at Download Festival 2005

Download 2005 was held again at Donington Park, on 10–12 June 2005. This festival was different from previous years as the Saturday was officially dubbed Ozzfest 2005, as well as an "Indie day" on the first day of the festival.

Billy Idol performed on the Snickers stage on the Friday night, his first UK gig after a lengthy hiatus, performing songs such as White Wedding, Rebel Yell and a cover version of Van Halen's anthem, Jump.

Feeder's frontman Grant Nicholas was so relieved the band had won the crowd over (there were concerns that they would be received badly by the traditional attendees to the festival), he decided to smash his green Fender Jazzmaster guitar after "Descend" was performed. He later said that he regretted it, but also said he kept the neck and the tremeloes, and might use what was left to make a new guitar. In a July 2010 interview with Kerrang!, it was suggested to Nicholas that he destroyed the guitar as he was frustrated at trying to win the crowd over, as their music was different from the Download demographic, but claimed himself in reply to this that he "Wanted to do the most rock and roll thing after eventually winning over the crowd". In the same interview, Nicholas said that they were "guinea pigs" at the festival as part of the organisers experiment to make it an alternative festival, but said it was a moment of the band's career he is still proud of.[citation needed]

Lemmy also took to the stage, with former MC5 members, and Gilby Clarke, to perform Back in the USA.

Initially, Bert McCracken of the Used and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance were asked to perform their cover of Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, but the former friends refused the offer to perform the cover as they had recently fallen out.[citation needed]

The official line-up included:

Friday 10 June[10]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Napster Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

Feeder
Garbage
Dinosaur Jr
Megadeth
Biffy Clyro
The Others
JJ72
Idiot Pilot
Wednesday 13
Queen Adreena

Billy Idol
The Used
My Chemical Romance
InMe
The Bled
Apocalyptica
Underøath
Lordi
Fozzy
Flogging Molly

Napalm Death
Raging Speedhorn
Paradise Lost
A Change of Pace
Hurricane Party
Tokyo Dragons
Colour of Fire
Slunt
Just a Word
Crashdïet
Planet of Women

Tat
Ellis
The Mascara Story

Saturday 11 June[10]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Napster Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

Black Sabbath
Velvet Revolver
HIM
Anthrax
Alter Bridge
Bowling for Soup
A
The Mad Capsule Markets
The Dwarves
Trivium

In Flames
Chimaira
Lamb of God
Bullet for My Valentine
Meshuggah
Unearth
Every Time I Die
Open Hand
American Head Charge
The Hurt Process
Hondo Maclean
Three Children Of Fortune

Helmet
The Lucky Nine
Breed 77
The Explosion
Towers of London
Johnny Truant
The Ga Ga's
The Answer
Panic Cell
Crucified Barbara
Diamond Nights
Quit Your Dayjob
City on Fire
S.A. Sanctuary

Reuben
Days Of Worth
Fastlane

Sunday 12 June[10]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Napster Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

System of a Down
Slipknot
Slayer
Nightwish
Killswitch Engage
Papa Roach
Mudvayne
Society 1
DV8

Motörhead
DKT/MC5
Funeral for a Friend[11]
Lacuna Coil
Mastodon
Shadows Fall
Helmet
Caliban
As I Lay Dying
Gizmachi
Send More Paramedics
The Mascara Story

Therapy?
Team Sleep
Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Dresden Dolls
The Glitterati
The Saints
Engerica
3 Inches of Blood
Still Remains
No Hope in New Jersey
Acidtone
Henry Rollins

Electric Eel Shock
The Suffrajets
Johnny Panic

2006[]

Alice in Chains at Download Festival 2006

The 2006 Download Festival was held at Donington Park, England on 9–11 June. The headlining acts (Tool, Metallica and Guns N' Roses) have sales of approximately 200–250 million albums between them, more than the entire line up of 2006's V Festival.

2006 was the first time the festival was mirrored in the Republic of Ireland, as Download Festival Ireland. 2006 was also by far the warmest year Download has ever had.[citation needed]

During the festival Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis was rushed to hospital.[12] Similar to 2004's Metallica set, Munky, Fieldy and David Silveria arrived and explained to the fans why Davis could not make it and played with guest vocalists Corey Taylor from Slipknot, Dez Fafara from DevilDriver, Jesse Hasek from 10 Years, Benji Webbe from Skindred, M. Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold, and Matt Heafy from Trivium. Lyrics from the song "Blind" were displayed on the screen for Matt Heafy. Metallica played the album Master of Puppets in its entirety in honour of its twentieth anniversary. Guns N' Roses also performed material from the long forthcoming Chinese Democracy album.

Main Stage The main stage was situated in the centre of the arena with crowd control moving around it, and was the largest of all three stages, the safety barriers used at this stage were in a T shape so as to avoid crowd crush in the middle. The stage was open-air and named in honour of the 25th anniversary of Kerrang! magazine. Down played an unannounced set on Saturday (With the laminates showing ??? in their time slot); opening up the Main Stage.[13]

Snickers Stage The Snickers Stage was situated in a tent, behind the main stage and was the second largest stage at the festival. Access to the stage was via a one-way system which attempted to spread people around the site, rather than all attempting to push through a rather small space.

Soilwork were scheduled to play on Sunday, but were replaced by DevilDriver (playing their second set of the festival).[14]

Gibson/Myspace Stage The Myspace stage was the smallest of the three and under a smaller tent. It was positioned across from the front of the main stage.

Friday 9 June[15]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Gibson/Myspace Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

Tool
Deftones
Coheed and Cambria
Soulfly
Strapping Young Lad
SOiL
Wicked Wisdom
Amplifier

The All-American Rejects
Atreyu
InMe
Clutch
Fishbone
Dredg
Bleeding Through
Gojira
Throwdown
Suns of the Tundra

Ginger & the Sonic Circus
Backyard Babies
Cathedral
Engerica
Bullets & Octane
My Awesome Compilation
Animal Alpha
The Audition
Art of Dying
Enter Shikari
Kitty Hudson

Gay for Johnny Depp
Keiko
SinTuition

Down playing on the main stage
Saturday 10 June[15]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Gibson/Myspace Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

Metallica
Korn
Trivium
Avenged Sevenfold
Stone Sour
Alice in Chains
Arch Enemy
Bloodsimple
Satyricon
Down

Alter Bridge
Opeth
Within Temptation
Secret Machines
Billy Talent
Henry Rollins
DevilDriver
SikTh
Johnny Truant
Khoma

Killing Joke
Reuben
Mondo Generator
Louie
This Is Menace
10 Years
Flyleaf
Manic
It Dies Today
Living Things
Exit Ten
Colon Open Bracket
Stonegard
My Alamo

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
getAmped
The Hedrons

Sunday 11 June[15]
Main Stage Snickers Stage Gibson/Myspace Stage Snickers Bowl Stage

Guns N' Roses
Funeral for a Friend
Bullet for My Valentine
Cradle of Filth
Lacuna Coil
In Flames
36 Crazyfists
DragonForce
Hatebreed
Breed 77

The Prodigy
Alexisonfire
Eighteen Visions
Hundred Reasons
Aiden
Fightstar
From First to Last
DevilDriver
Zebrahead
God Forbid

Sick of it All
Lordi
Skindred
Moneen
Darkest Hour
Blindside
Mendeed
Bring Me the Horizon
Zico Chain
Voodoo Six
Lauren Harris
Winterville
Streetlight Youth
I-Def-I

Viking Skull
Betty Curse
Evergrey

Controversy[]

During the Sunday headline set of Guns N' Roses, bottles were thrown at the band. This caused problems after the band's lead singer, Axl Rose, slipped on the wet surface and a bottle hit bassist Tommy Stinson. Stinson threw his bass, hitting one of the cameramen, and left the stage. He returned after the song and apologised, but warned the crowd that if this activity continued, he would leave for good. There were some disturbances but they eventually died down, and later in the set Rose commented "I'm actually having quite a good time now! I couldn't have said that an hour ago!"[16]

On the final night, fires were started by some festival goers and police were called, arresting twelve people.[17] At around 4 am, the fire brigade arrived to put out a large fire at the gold campsite. A number of people had taken the railings that had been used to separate the campsite area from the path and used them to barricade the road to prevent the fire engines from reaching the main fire. At this point a number of police assembled in riot gear stormed the campsite. The festival director, John Probyn, posted a message on the official website stating that "About 150 people spoiled the end of what had been a great weekend for over 75,000 of us."[18]

2007[]

Stone Sour playing the main stage at Download Festival 2007

The 2007 Download Festival took place on 8–10 June 2007.[19]

The three bands that headlined the 2007 festival were My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park and Iron Maiden. Korn's Jonathan Davis stated that the reason for the band returning this year was because of his absence due to illness last year. He stated on the official Download Festival website, "I am so looking forward to coming to the Download Festival this year. I was heartbroken to pull out last time. So this time I am very happy to be coming back and we promise to rock the place! I will definitely make-up for missing the last one. You can expect an amazing Korn show!"[20]

Download 2007 was Dimmu Borgir's first ever festival appearance in England. Hardcore Superstar pulled out of their slot on the Tuborg stage on the Sunday because their tour bus broke down in Germany. Download 2007 featured an Indian band Parikrama. They became the first band from India to make it to Donington.

Download 2007 also featured the first band to officially perform on the Thursday of the festival. Scumface played on the Tuborg Stage during the boardie barbecue.[21]

Lamb of God's DVD Walk With Me in Hell features the band's full performance at the festival.[22]

Friday 8 June[23]
Main Stage Dimebag Darrell Stage Tuborg Stage

My Chemical Romance
Velvet Revolver
Wolfmother
DragonForce
Megadeth
Hinder
Buckcherry
Zico Chain

Korn
Enter Shikari
Paramore
Porcupine Tree
Saosin
From Autumn to Ashes
Turbonegro
Ill Niño
ANJ

Suicidal Tendencies
Hayseed Dixie
Yourcodenameis:Milo
Job for a Cowboy
The Hedrons
Sanctity
I Was a Cub Scout
The Scare
Neurosonic
This Et Al
Cynic
Fortune Drive
Drive-by Argument

Saturday 9 June[23]
Main Stage Dimebag Darrell Stage Tuborg Stage

Linkin Park
Marilyn Manson
Slayer
Machine Head
Bowling for Soup
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Aiden
Shadows Fall
Hellyeah
Turisas

Mötley Crüe
Satellite Party
Biffy Clyro
My Vitriol
My Dying Bride
Gallows
Anathema
As I Lay Dying
Bring Me the Horizon
Bloodsimple
Elliot Minor
Cat the Dog
S.A. Sanctuary

Head Automatica
Necro
The Answer
Silverstein
Lez Zeppelin
Architects
Priestess
Panic Cell
Beyond All Reason
My Alamo
Damone
Army of Freshmen
Malpractice

Sunday 10 June[23]
Main Stage Dimebag Darrell Stage Tuborg Stage

Iron Maiden
Evanescence
Killswitch Engage
Stone Sour
Lamb of God
Mastodon
Papa Roach
Chimaira
Reuben
Parikrama

Billy Talent
Dream Theater
Dimmu Borgir
Within Temptation
Napalm Death
Paradise Lost
Orange Goblin
DevilDriver
Unearth
Cancer Bats
After Forever
Eyelash

Reel Big Fish
Fastway
Cult of Luna
Lauren Harris
Fair to Midland
Kids in Glass Houses
Between the Trees
Flood of Red
Lights. Action!
Still Remains
In This Moment
The Ghost of a Thousand
LostAlone

2008[]

The 2008 festival took place on 13–15 June. It had a significantly different layout to previous years: the arena area was situated in land to the west of the race track instead of the traditional race track infield area. Among numerous changes, the second stage became larger and moved from a marquee to open-air, on a tarmac car park.[24]

"I am looking forward to humiliating those little boys in little bands who think they count," declared Gene Simmons of Kiss. "We're going to blow their shit to pieces... If U2 or Radiohead are on the bill at Download, then I accept these are good bands. But they will still run for cover when Kiss take the stage, for they are in the presence of a transcendent rock force."[25]

Chris Cornell was scheduled, but cancelled his European tour to focus on a new album. Twin Method, and Finger Eleven were announced but removed from the official website's lineup. On the Friday of the festival, Kid Rock was meant to appear between Seether and Disturbed on the Main Stage but pulled out at the last minute. At first it was announced that this was due to illness.[26] Rock later claimed he left the festival grounds after becoming dissatisfied with the amenities.[27] But, the following year, Download's booker theorised that it had been due to a broken heart.[28] Rock's no-show allowed two bands following him, Disturbed and Judas Priest, to play longer sets.

The 2008 Boardie BBQ took place on the Gibson stage on Thursday 12 June and included a performance by Forever Never.[29]

Friday 13 June[30]
Main Stage Tuborg Stage Gibson Stage
  • Simple Plan
  • Rise Against
  • Rival Schools
  • The Subways
  • The Fall of Troy
  • Comeback Kid
  • The Black Dahlia Murder
  • Stone Gods
  • Zebrahead
  • The Dillinger Escape Plan
  • Kill Hannah
  • Slaves to Gravity
  • High on Fire
  • In Case of Fire
  • Blackhole
  • Hostile
  • Firewind
  • Caimbo
  • Rolo Tomassi
  • Lovvers
Saturday 14 June[30]
Main Stage Tuborg Stage Gibson Stage
  • The Offspring
  • Incubus
  • Bullet for My Valentine
  • Biffy Clyro
  • Alter Bridge
  • Madina Lake
  • 36 Crazyfists
  • Job for a Cowboy
  • Skindred
  • Sign
  • HIM
  • Ash
  • Pendulum
  • Ace Frehley
  • Amon Amarth
  • Bleeding Through
  • Throwdown
  • A Day to Remember
  • The Devil Wears Prada
  • Alesana
  • Annotations of an Autopsy
  • Malefice
  • Testament
  • Saxon
  • Johnny Truant
  • Fighting With Wire
  • Brigade
  • Army of Freshmen
  • The Haze
  • Big Linda
  • The Last Supper
  • Trigger the Bloodshed
  • Mexicolas
  • Go:Audio
  • Rise to Remain
  • Verra Cruz
Sunday 15 June[30]
Main Stage Tuborg Stage Gibson Stage
  • Lostprophets
  • Jimmy Eat World
  • Coheed and Cambria
  • In Flames
  • Within Temptation
  • Apocalyptica
  • Black Stone Cherry
  • Fightstar
  • From First to Last
  • Glamour of the Kill
  • Cavalera Conspiracy
  • Children of Bodom
  • The Wildhearts
  • Elliot Minor
  • Kids in Glass Houses
  • Chiodos
  • Airbourne
  • Rose Tattoo
  • Lethal Bizzle
  • Municipal Waste
  • Animal Alpha
  • Cry for Silence

2009[]

The 2009 Download Festival took place on 12–14 June at Donington Park with an estimated attendance of 120,000 over 3 days. The arena had once again changed location, this time to an open field area south of the race track which was more suitable and a shorter walking distance from the camping areas than last year.

The headliners were Faith No More (Friday), Slipknot (Saturday) and Def Leppard (Sunday).[31] Sunday had a strong classic rock themed line-up on the main stage with bands such as Whitesnake, ZZ Top and Journey, somewhat reminiscent of Monsters of Rock. This would become a recurring feature in future years. Other notable performers included Limp Bizkit, who were playing in the UK with their original line-up for the first time since 2001, Trivium returning for their third appearance and first head lining spot, Anvil, the band featured in the 2008 film Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and Steel Panther, who were making their first appearance in the UK on the Tuborg Stage. A fourth stage, the "Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage", also made an appearance at this year's festival. This stage was also present at other UK festivals, such as T in the Park in Balado, Scotland, and the Underage Festival in Victoria Park, London.

The 2009 Boardie BBQ took place in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage on Thursday 11 June. This year the band was Attica Rage.

The Thursday night of the 2009 festival also saw the Boardie Takeover night. Four bands, three DJ's: Cyst, Dave KC and Gabber Fox, solo singers Hevs and TonsO'Fun, a stand-up and a burlesque dancer – all members of the Download Festival Forums – performed to a full house in the End Tent. These bands were Scumface (returning after a successful appearance at the Boardie BBQ in 2007), Orestea, Echovirus and headliners, Silent Descent.[32]

On Monday 18 May the festival confirmed on its official website that Camping tickets had completely sold out.[33]

On 19 May, it was revealed in an interview with Andy Copping on Music Channel Scuzz that there would be secret sets. It was later revealed the bands would be Enter Shikari and Thunder.[34]

On Wednesday 3 June, one week before the campsite opened, Download released a further 2,500 camping tickets. These limited tickets sold out within 24 hours of being released.

The winners of the "Red Bull Bedroom Jam Competition" was Gravesend-based band After the Ordeal. This set was a 'virtual gig', with the band playing live from their bedroom and this footage being streamed live onto the Main Stage at Download Festival, between Pendulum and Marilyn Manson.

The winners of the "Tuborg Battle of the bands" was Leeds punk band Acid Drop and they opened the Tuborg stage on Saturday 13 June.

The Ghost of a Thousand were scheduled to headline the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage on Saturday but the band cancelled. the Blackout stepped in to play their slot, thus giving them two slots on the festival's bill.

Slipknot's performance is available in their new DVD (sic)nesses. It was released on 28 September 2010 and served as a tribute to their late bassist Paul Gray. It was Gray's last UK gig with Slipknot before his death in May 2010.

Friday 12 June
Main Stage Second Stage Tuborg Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage

Faith No More
Korn
Limp Bizkit
Killswitch Engage
Billy Talent
Staind
The Blackout
Hollywood Undead

Mötley Crüe
Opeth
Lacuna Coil
Bring Me the Horizon
Dir En Grey
Parkway Drive
A Day to Remember
In This Moment
Steadlür

Meshuggah
Duff McKagan's Loaded
Backyard Babies
Voivod
Enter Shikari
Middle Class Rut
Lauren Harris
Sylosis
Bleed from Within
Hunting the Minotaur
Sleepercurve

Blackhole
New Device
DissolvedIn
Linchpin
Don Broco
The Outcry Collective
White Man Kamikaze
Young Guns
Tripswitch
The Instigators

Saturday 13 June
Main Stage Second Stage Tuborg Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage

Slipknot
Marilyn Manson
Pendulum
DragonForce
Down
Hatebreed
DevilDriver
Five Finger Death Punch
Ripper Owens

The Prodigy
Chris Cornell
You Me at Six
The Answer
Static-X
Fightstar
In Case of Fire
Hardcore Superstar
Symphony Cult
The Crave

Anvil
Architects
Thunder
Lawnmower Deth
Man Raze
General Fiasco
Billy Boy on Poison
Loverman
S.A. Sanctuary
Facecage
Black Spiders
No Americana
Acid Drop

The Blackout
This City
People in Planes
My Passion
The Auteur
None the Less
13 Riots
Forever Never
Serpico
The Computers
Japanese Voyeurs
Auger Bane

Sunday 14 June
Main Stage Second Stage Tuborg Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage

Def Leppard
Whitesnake
ZZ Top
Dream Theater
Journey
Black Stone Cherry
Skin
Tesla
Stone Gods

Trivium
Papa Roach
Buckcherry
Clutch
Shinedown
Volbeat
Karma to Burn
Sevendust
God Forbid
Suicide Silence
Trigger the Bloodshed
Sacred Mother Tongue

Go:Audio
Therapy?
The 69 Eyes
Sabbat
Steel Panther
Dear Superstar
Hexes
Hostile
Esoterica
Pulled Apart by Horses
Turbowolf
Violent Soho
Brides

We Are the Ocean
Flood of Red
Exit Avenue
First Strike
Twin Atlantic
Attack! Attack!
Logan
Fei Comodo
Jettblack
Million $ Reload
Raucous Jays
Fall from Grace

2010[]

The Download Festival was confirmed to return to Donington on the weekend 11–13 June 2010, the campsites opening on 9 June. On 25 January, nine bands were announced at the official Download website, including AC/DC as one of the main stage headliners.[35] On 15 February Rage Against the Machine and Aerosmith were confirmed as the other two main stage headliners, as well as 5 more bands confirmed a few hours later.[36]

Saxon performed their 'Wheels of Steel' album in its entirety to commemorate its 30th anniversary. Download 2010 was also the 30th anniversary of rock festivals at Donington Park, since the first one – which Saxon performed at – in 1980.

It was announced on 16 May that the second stage would be renamed "The Ronnie James Dio Stage" in tribute to the singer who died of stomach cancer on the same day.[37] It was also announced that the main stage would be called the Maurice Jones Stage after the co-founder of Monsters of Rock who also died the previous year.

28 May saw 15 more bands added, and an official announcement of the Jägermeister-sponsored fifth stage, which would host acoustic acts, including bands also performing regular sets at the festival.[38] The initially announced Sum 41 cancelled, owing to drummer Steve Jocz being involved in an accident.[39] On 30 May 2010 it was announced that Wolfmother had to cancel due to illness. They were replaced by Killswitch Engage.[40]

Aside from Dio, the year was sadly memorable for other deaths. Y&T performed the Pepsi Max Stage to a jam-packed audience, marking the band's long-anticipated return to Donington after performing at Monsters of Rock in 1984. Download would be bassist Phil Kennemore's last UK show in the UK: he died from lung cancer six months later. Killing For Company drummer Stuart Cable, previously of Stereophonics, died the week of the festival, at which the band were to play.

Ratt were scheduled to play on Sunday, but cancelled due to illness of vocalist Stephen Pearcy. On 9 June, FM were announced as Ratt's replacement.

The ran for the second year in a row on Thursday 10 June.[41] It featured the bands Silent Descent, Fallen Fate, Jacknife Holiday and Cyster Scalpel, as well as singers, DJs and a burlesque dancer.

AC/DC played on an exclusive stage next to the Maurice Jones stage, allowing the band to utilise their full stadium show, as announced on 28 May. This marked the first time a headlining band brought their own stage to Donington. All headlining bands on the other stages had finished before AC/DC began. The stage was used only by AC/DC; the next day, the runway at the front was dismantled and the stage remained empty. "I took my son to see AC/DC..." recalled Saxon's Biff Byford. "Watching Angus from out in the crowd was great, and it was a rite of passage for my son."[42]

The final day saw torrential rain. "By the time Aerosmith take the stage," noted Classic Rock, "we're essentially one amorphous mud blob of an organism blinking through the mire towards the bright lights. They, on the other hand, have Steven Tyler, a man whose dress sense... makes Lady Gaga look like a vicar's wife."[43]

Friday 11 June
AC/DC Stage Maurice Jones Main Stage Ronnie James Dio Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

AC/DC

Them Crooked Vultures
Killswitch Engage
36 Crazyfists
Unearth

Bullet for My Valentine
Coheed and Cambria
A Day to Remember
Anathema
Trigger the Bloodshed

Job for a Cowboy
As I Lay Dying
Tyketto
Lawnmower Deth
Sweethead
Year Long Disaster

Devil Sold His Soul
Funeral Party
Heights
Never Means Maybe
Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders
Imicus
The Humour

Skin
Jettblack
Sondura
Starseed
Danny Vaughn

Saturday 12 June
Maurice Jones Main Stage Ronnie James Dio Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Rage Against the Machine
Deftones
Megadeth
Lamb of God
Five Finger Death Punch
Flyleaf
Atreyu
Hellyeah
Taking Dawn

Thirty Seconds to Mars
HIM
The Blackout
Volbeat
We Are the Fallen
Cancer Bats
My Passion
Rolo Tomassi
Sonic Syndicate
Rise to Remain

Michael Monroe
Skin
Y&T
Senser
Enuff Z'nuff
Halestorm
Rock Sugar
Genitorturers
Reckless Love
Sybreed
Holy Grail
Killing for Company
Godsized

Breed 77
Glamour of the Kill
Kadawatha
This Is Divine
Stand Up Guy
No Mean City
The Dead Lay Waiting
The Plight
Urban Voodoo Machine
Revoker

Reckless Love
Panic Cell
The Humour
The More I See
Dommin
Everything Burns
The Blackout

Sunday 13 June
Maurice Jones Main Stage Ronnie James Dio Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Aerosmith
Stone Temple Pilots
Motörhead
Billy Idol
Slash
Cinderella
Saxon
FM
Dommin

Stone Sour
Airbourne
Steel Panther
Porcupine Tree
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Damned Things
Napalm Death
Switchfoot
August Burns Red
Nonpoint
3 Inches of Blood
White Wizzard

Suicidal Tendencies
Zebrahead
Young Guns
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Whitechapel
The Jim Jones Revue
Esoterica
Your Demise
Crime in Stereo
TAB the Band
The Morning After
S.A. Sanctuary
No Americana
Ben Poole

Panic Cell
Max Raptor
T-34
Starseed
Hearts Under Fire
You And What Army
Sacred Betrayal
Enemo-J
The Virginmarys
Straight Lines
Tiger Please

Ginger Wildheart
Nonpoint
Enuff Z'nuff
DJ Clash (Scott Rowley and Alexander Milas)
The Dirty Feel
Ricky Warwick
Taking Dawn

2011[]

Just before Escape the Fate's set on the main stage at Download Festival 2011

The Download Festival was confirmed to return to Donington on the 10, 11, and 12 June 2011. Linkin Park and System of a Down were the two main stage headliners officially announced, with Saturday subheadliners Avenged Sevenfold and Sunday second stage headliner Rob Zombie announced a short while later.

On 22 February, Def Leppard were announced as Friday's main stage headliner,[44] with Twisted Sister, Down, Duff McKagan's Loaded and Trash Talk also added to the line-up.

15 March saw the Darkness unveiled as the widely speculated Friday subheadliner, with Funeral for a Friend, Plain White T's, Framing Hanley and Hyro Da Hero also added. In April, the Red Bull Bedroom Jam stage and Jägermeister Acoustic stage's acts were revealed.

Wayne Static was scheduled to open up the main stage on the Sunday, but he pulled out a month prior. Masters of Reality were scheduled to perform but pulled out on 30 March and Karma to Burn were to play the second stage on Sunday but were replaced by Hyro Da Hero, thus giving him three sets over the course of the festival; the most in Download history.

Steward 0836 was manning the main stage at the festival, when he caught the attention of fans waiting for Sunday's bands to appear. Some friendly interaction led to cheers from the audience, then one of the giant stage-screens showed him making the "devil horns" gesture, which was applauded by tens of thousands of rock fans. The official Download Festival website even featured him as an artist on their site.[45][46][47]

Friday 10 June
Main Stage Second Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Def Leppard
The Darkness
Alter Bridge
Thin Lizzy
Black Stone Cherry
Duff McKagan's Loaded
Puddle of Mudd
CKY

Pendulum
Korn
Bring Me the Horizon
Children of Bodom
The Damned Things
Anti-Flag
Young Guns
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
Evaline

Danzig
Times of Grace
FM
Hyro Da Hero
Asking Alexandria
Lower Than Atlantis
Japanese Voyeurs
Royal Republic
Betraeus
Sweet Savage

Modestep
Envy of the State
OAF
The Hype Theory
Don Broco
Page 44
Hill Valley High
Makethisrelate
Kellermensch

Skindred
The Last Republic
The Dirty Youth
Million $ Reload
Obsessive Compulsive
The Verses

Saturday 11 June
Main Stage Second Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

System of a Down
Avenged Sevenfold
Skunk Anansie
Down
Hollywood Undead
Skindred
Escape the Fate
All That Remains
The Devil Wears Prada

Alice Cooper
Twisted Sister
Cheap Trick
Mr. Big
Dio Disciples
Clutch
Dan Reed
Rock Sugar
The BossHoss
Rise to Remain
Chthonic
Sacred Mother Tongue

Funeral for a Friend
The King Blues
Sevendust
Evile
Trash Talk
Your Demise
letlive.
VersaEmerge
Ghost
Straight Line Stitch
TRC
Houston
The Rods

Dangerous!
Kill 21
The Dangerous Summer
Dear Superstar
Heights
Blitz Kids
Welcome Wednesday
The Ocean Between Us
The Morning After
Dripback
Fighting Wolves

Bowling for Soup
Dan Reed
Sons of Icarus
Royal Republic
Maiden uniteD
Never Means Maybe
Skin
Intraverse

Sunday 12 June
Main Stage Second Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Linkin Park
Bullet for My Valentine
Disturbed
The Gaslight Anthem
The Pretty Reckless
Bowling for Soup
Madina Lake
Biohazard
Suicide Silence

Rob Zombie
The Cult
Black Veil Brides
Buckcherry
Turisas
Gwar
Kvelertak
Hyro Da Hero
Malefice
Yashin
Collapse

Frank Turner
Plain White T's
Silverstein
Framing Hanley
Deaf Havana
T-34
Starseed
My Darkest Days
Sworn Amongst
Hell
Trucker Diablo
Knock Out Kaine
Jameson Raid

H.E.A.T.
Baptized in Blood
The Dead Lay Waiting
Illuminatus
ACODA
You and What Army
Floods
Autumn In Disguise
October File
Belligerence
Skeletal Damage

Dave McPherson
Red, White and Blues
Hyro Da Hero
The Morning After
Slaves to Gravity
Heaven's Basement
Voodoo Johnson
Raven Vandelle

2012[]

On 12 July 2011 it was confirmed via Twitter, and the Download official website that the festival would be staged in 2012 between 8–10 June. Limited early-bird tickets were put on sale on 15 July. It was announced on 10 November via BBC Radio 1 that Metallica would headline the main stage on the Saturday and also that they would be playing their self titled album in its entirety.[48] The next day Black Sabbath were announced to headline the main stage on Sunday 10 June, closing the festival.[49] On 18 November, the Prodigy was announced as the headliner for Friday 8 June.[50]

On 12 April 2012, Download Festival announced on their website, official Facebook page and official Twitter page that the main stage will be named after Jim Marshall who died a week earlier.

Due to the wet and windy conditions on the site, there was a delay in opening the arena on the Friday, resulting in the cancellation/postponement of certain performers.

American heavy metal band Machine Head reportedly broke the festival record for the most circle pits happening during one song, with a reported 29 pits happening at once.[51]

Comedian Bob Slayer, who is a regular on the comedy stage at Download, broke his neck doing a wheelie bin crowd surf stunt whilst entertaining at the festival.[52]

The line-up won an award in the 2012 UK Festival Awards, and festival director John Probyn won a "Lifetime achievement award".[53]

Friday 8 June
The Jim Marshall Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

The Prodigy
Chase & Status
Machine Head
Billy Talent
NOFX
Fear Factory

Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators
Nightwish
Opeth
Little Angels
Terrorvision
The Quireboys
Red, White and Blues

The Devin Townsend Project
AxeWound
SOiL
While She Sleeps
The Defiled
Lawnmower Deth
Hounds
Absolute Power
Silent Descent
Impaled Existence

Cancer Bats
Gallows
The Safety Fire
Voodoo Six
Marmozets
Upon a Burning Body
Dive Bella Dive
Reachback
Dead Harts
The Jellycats
Broken

Yashin
Skindred
Breed 77
Million Dollar Reload
Neonfly
With One Last Breath

Saturday 9 June
The Jim Marshall Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Metallica
Biffy Clyro
Tenacious D
Steel Panther
Trivium
Black Veil Brides
Saxon
As I Lay Dying

You Me at Six
Killswitch Engage
Skindred
Kids in Glass Houses
Theory of a Deadman
Four Year Strong
Lower Than Atlantis
Turbonegro
Ginger Wildheart
Halestorm
Fozzy
Page 44

The Mission
The Union
Corey Taylor
Sylosis
My Passion
The Treatment
Anti-Nowhere League
Gun
The Yo-Yos
Turbowolf
Don Broco
Avosetta
No Americana

Cockney Rejects
Fearless Vampire Killers
LostAlone
Mallory Knox
Butcher Babies
ACODA
Never Means Maybe
I Divide
Golden Tanks
4Arm
Freebase
Royal Cartel

Tyla
The Quireboys
Toby Jepson
Heaven's Basement
Red, White & Blues
SOiL
Gun
Six Hour Sundown

Sunday 10 June
The Jim Marshall Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Black Sabbath
Soundgarden
Megadeth
Lamb of God
Black Label Society
Anthrax
Kyuss Lives!
DevilDriver
Stellar Revival

Rise Against
Dropkick Murphys
Refused
Shinedown
Ugly Kid Joe
Sebastian Bach
Rival Sons
August Burns Red
We Are the Ocean
Black Spiders
Kobra and the Lotus

Periphery
Ghost
Firewind
Emmure
La Dispute
The JCQ
Shadows Fall
Edguy
Reckless Love
Heaven's Basement
Feed the Rhino
Skarlett Riot

William Control
Hawk Eyes
The Dirty Youth
The Minutes
With One Last Breath
Kopek
You and What Army
Strangle Kojak
Adelaide
Mechanical Smile
PitchBlack
Kamchatka

Saint Jude
Fearless Vampire Killers
Furyon
Mordecai
Daken
Voodoo Johnson
Sanguine
White Powder Gold

Cancellations[]

Five Finger Death Punch were scheduled to perform on Sunday on the Main Stage between DevilDriver and Kyuss Lives! but on 5 April they pulled out due to logistical difficulties.[54] Anthrax, who were initially set to play on the Zippo Encore Stage, were brought up to the main stage (later dubbed the Jim Marshall stage) due to Five Finger Death Punch's cancellation.

T. Mills was scheduled to perform on Saturday on the Red Bull stage but pulled out in May and also Porter Robinson, who was also set to play on the same stage on the Friday pulled out due to the recording of a new album. He was replaced by Voodoo Six.

Problems[]

Due to the wet and windy weather, Download did not open its Arena gates on Friday 8 June until 14:00 whilst laying down straw in the Arena and removing potentially dangerous signs and banners which could prove hazardous in high winds, meaning some of the bands were shifted around. Cancer Bats were moved from second opening band on the Jim Marshall Stage to a headline slot on the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage, with Rise to Remain and Six Hour Sundown missing out on a slot entirely. Fear Factory were also given an additional 10 minutes of performance time due Cancer Bats being relocated to a different stage and Rise to Remain being cancelled. Europe were scheduled to play the Zippo Encore stage on Friday before Little Angels, but it was announced at the last minute that they will not be able to perform due to traffic and transportation issues. Much criticism was aimed at the organisers for not preparing better as the poor weather occurred before the festival goers arrived. Also the conditions in the camping and arena meant that many fans who required disabled access were left stuck in the mud requiring help from their fellow fans to reach their destination, or even the toilets, often with little to no help from organisers.[55]

2013[]

The eleventh annual Download festival was confirmed for 14–16 June 2013. Early bird tickets went on sale 15 June 2012, where a newly implemented deposit scheme was introduced; which allowed customers to pay for their ticket(s) over three payments rather than one. Iron Maiden were announced as the Saturday headliner on 20 September 2012 to commemorate 25 Years since first appearing and headlining Monsters of Rock in 1988 on Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour .[56] Rammstein let slip on the same day that they will be headlining Download on the Sunday,[57] which was confirmed by the festival organisers the following morning. Seven days later it was confirmed via Andy Copping (festival promoter) that Slipknot would be the Friday headliner.[58] From 5 November, bands started to be announced sporadically via Facebook, Scuzz TV, BBC Radio 1, Kerrang! Magazine and the personal Twitter account of Andy Copping.

Goldsboro were due to be playing at the festival, but on 19 February they confirmed they would not be able to perform. After the Burial were scheduled to perform on the Red Bull Studios stage, but pulled out on 17 May in order to focus on their new album.

On 28 May, Skin and Red, White & Blues cancelled their appearances at the festival. Both acts were to perform twice over the weekend, on the Zippo Encore and Jägermeister Acoustic stages. On 3 June, Andy Copping confirmed that Buckcherry would be pulling out of the festival and that they would be replaced by Black Star Riders.

Friday 14 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Slipknot
Bullet for My Valentine
Korn
Down
Papa Roach
Asking Alexandria
Architects
Rise to Remain

Black Stone Cherry
Gogol Bordello
3 Doors Down
Volbeat
Europe
DragonForce
Uriah Heep
Dir En Grey
Monster Truck

HIM
Converge
Motionless in White
Turisas
In This Moment
The Sword
Hang the Bastard
Patent Pending
Palm Reader
Emperor Chung

Fearless Vampire Killers
FIDLAR
The Algorithm
Zico Chain
Blood Command
Verses
Page 44
Zoax
Semperfi
Akord
Free Fall
Hammer of the Gods

We Are the Ocean
Walking Papers
Hear Kitty Kitty
Toseland
Rob Lynch
Avosetta

Saturday 15 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Iron Maiden
Queens of the Stone Age
Motörhead
Alice in Chains
Mastodon
Black Star Riders
Young Guns
UFO

Enter Shikari
Jimmy Eat World
Thunder
Lit
Karnivool
Katatonia
Escape the Fate
Hardcore Superstar
Heaven's Basement
I Divide

The Hives
Kvelertak
Chthonic
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats
Bury Tomorrow
Heart of a Coward
Empress AD
Walking Papers
Nekrogoblikon
earthtone9
Crowns
Hill Valley High
Broken

Last Witness
Rat Attack
Lonely the Brave
Voodoo Six
Press to Meco
Searching Alaska
Wounds
Sky Valley Mistress
Silent Screams
Black Moth
Astroid Boys
Idiom
Wild Lies
Cytota

Devin Townsend
Acoustic TV

Crowns
Straight Lines
Fahran
The Killing Floor
The Afterparty

Sunday 16 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Rammstein
Thirty Seconds to Mars
The Gaslight Anthem
Stone Sour
Parkway Drive
Five Finger Death Punch
Coal Chamber
Cancer Bats
Sacred Mother Tongue

Limp Bizkit
A Day to Remember
Airbourne
Ghost
Rival Sons
Amon Amarth
Masters of Reality
Graveyard
The Ghost Inside
Hellyeah
Blitz Kids

Satyricon
Modestep
P.O.D
Newsted
Red Fang
Vision of Disorder
Bleed from Within
Hacktivist
Brutality Will Prevail
Little Caesar
Krokodil
States of Panic
Bovine

Sonic Boom Six
Glamour of the Kill
I Am I
Falling with Style
Surrender the Coast
The Howling
Forever Can Wait
Radkey

Huntress
Black Dogs
Mordecai
The First
Naked Flame

Heaven's Basement
Pig Iron
Crash Mansion
New Killer Shoes
I Am I
Night By Night
The Graveltones
Arthemis

2014[]

Fall Out Boy's set on the Stephen Sutton Main Stage on Saturday at Download Festival 2014

The twelfth annual festival was held 13–15 June 2014. Earlybird tickets went on sale 21 June 2013. Between 4–6 November, all three main stage headliners were confirmed, along with all the sub-headliners. Linkin Park performed their debut album, Hybrid Theory album in its entirety.

Reactions to Avenged Sevenfold being announced as headliners were very mixed. After a Facebook user suggested that Dying Fetus headline the festival instead, a social media trend titled #WhyNotDyingFetus was started as a joke. However, this actually led to the band being booked to play, although not in a headline slot, and they were officially confirmed on 6 November.

To commemorate its 20th anniversary, the Offspring performed their third studio album, Smash, in its entirety. Also, their appearance marked the first time in Download history that a previous main stage headliner returned to play a lower slot.

Andy Copping confirmed via Twitter that there would be a Secret Set on the Pepsi Max Stage on the Sunday, performing in the time slot in between Crazy Town and Memphis May Fire. This transpired to be Black Stone Cherry.

On 23 May, the Main stage was renamed the Stephen Sutton stage after Stephen Sutton who died on 14 May.

The Boardie Takeover returned on Thursday 12 June and featured four bands and 2 DJs. The bands playing the Takeover are: Last Edition, Scumface, Dumbjaw & Incinery.

Joe Bonamassa was originally booked to play on the Zippo Encore Stage Saturday before Status Quo but he was moved to the Sunday Main Stage due to a double booking. Trivium were initially confirmed to be headlining the Red Bull Studios Live stage on the Sunday, but following a generally negative response from fans due to the size and limited capacity of the tent, the band was moved to Zippo Encore Stage headliner.

In Flames were scheduled to sub-headline the Zippo Encore stage on Sunday, but they were quietly removed from the line-up poster on 26 February. It was later revealed that they had cancelled all of their Summer shows to finish recording their new album. On 22 March the latest announcement was leaked by Classic Rock Magazine. Shortly after the leak, Defeater, who were scheduled to play on the Pepsi Max Stage Sunday, were confirmed to have pulled out due to their lead singer, Derek Archambault, suffering an injury and having to undergo hip replacement surgery. Danger Danger were originally confirmed, but pulled out on 7 April, claiming that bookings had been erroneously made for various dates. September Mourning were confirmed for the Pepsi Max Stage on the Friday but were removed from the lineup on 2 May (as they wished to focus on getting their sophomore album completed), they were replaced by I Am Fire. Cage the Gods also pulled out on 2 May. King 810 pulled out the day before they were due to play because their lead vocalist and bassist were arrested. Upon a Burning Body were scheduled to appear on the Pepsi Max stage on Saturday, but were forced to pull out because singer Danny Leal was taken seriously ill with an inner ear infection that meant doctors would not clear him to fly to the UK.

The unknown band 'Iceman Thesis' were subtly added to the lineup poster in the buildup to the event. They were scheduled to perform for five minutes on both the Pepsi Max and Red Bull Studios Live Stage on the Saturday at the same time. The band performed both sets as scheduled with all ten (two bands of five) member's identities hidden using balaclavas. They performed one song known as 'Return to Harmony' before leaving the stages.

Friday 13 June
The Stephen Sutton Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Live Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Avenged Sevenfold
Rob Zombie
Within Temptation
Black Label Society
Skindred
Powerman 5000
Crossfaith
Miss May I

The Offspring
Bad Religion
Flogging Molly
Rival Sons
The Temperance Movement
The Answer
Drenge
Tesla
Tax the Heat

Opeth
Anathema
Letlive.
Royal Blood
Quicksand
The Amity Affliction
Radkey
Turbowolf
I Am Fire
No Hot Ashes

Dan Reed Network
Tyketto
Battlecross
Baby Godzilla
Huntress
Lyger
Drones
Page 44
They Say Fall
Bloody Hammers
Bad Touch
Goldray

Jamie Lenman
The Answer
Danny Vaughn
New City Kings
The Mercy House
Mia Klose
Brother & Bones

Saturday 14 June
The Stephen Sutton Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Live Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Linkin Park
Fall Out Boy
Bring Me the Horizon
Killswitch Engage
Bowling for Soup
While She Sleeps
Bury Tomorrow
Fozzy
Dying Fetus

Status Quo
Twisted Sister
The Wildhearts
Monster Magnet
Orange Goblin
Skid Row
Twenty One Pilots
The BossHoss
Chevelle
The Dirty Youth
Press to Meco

Behemoth
American Head Charge
The Black Dahlia Murder
Vamps
Blessthefall
Arcane Roots
Lonely the Brave
Marmozets
Lawnmower Deth
Zoax
Collibus
Iceman Thesis

SikTh
The Howling
Malevolence
Martyr Defiled
New Politics
Nothing More
Skyharbor
coldrain
Chasing Cadence
Sinners Highway
Colt 45
Breathe in the Silence
Cytota
Iceman Thesis

Ginger Wildheart
Bowling for Soup
Anathema
Toby Jepson
Dave McPherson
Richards/Crane
Ducking Punches
Enemo-J

Sunday 15 June
The Stephen Sutton Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage Pepsi Max Stage Red Bull Studios Live Stage Jägermeister Acoustic Stage

Aerosmith
Alter Bridge
Steel Panther
Volbeat
Joe Bonamassa
Richie Sambora
Buckcherry
Winger
Red Dragon Cartel

Trivium
The Pretty Reckless
Seether
Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals
Sabaton
Sepultura
Emmure
We Came as Romans
Skillet
Kill Devil Hill
Avatar

The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Used
Suicide Silence
Against Me!
Memphis May Fire
Black Stone Cherry
Crazy Town
The Treatment
Feed the Rhino
Thy Art Is Murder
The Graveltones
The Charm, the Fury
Viza

Zebrahead
Monuments
Polar
Heart in Hand
Reignwolf
Adelphia
The Magnus Puto
Create to Inspire
Kid Karate
Chinese Missy
Life on Standby
Arthemis
Dead City Streets

Nick Oliveri
Jon Gomm
Oxygen Thief
Milk Teeth
VerseChorusVerse
Fizzy Blood
Stormbringer

2015[]

The 2015 edition of the festival took place on 12–14 June. The top three acts on the main stage and the second stage headliner for each day were announced over 18, 19 and 20 November. Bad weather on Friday night and Saturday left the Arena, Village and campsites extremely muddy. Many tents were abandoned over night due to flooding and leaks.

On 22 March 2015, the Download Dog made an appearance at a Progress Wrestling show in London. The Dog invited the entire roster to do a show at Download 2015 but excluded the current Progress Champion Jimmy Havoc. Havoc attacked the Dog at the show. It was confirmed that Progress would do a show at Download after previously in 2014 doing three shows at the Sonisphere Festival.[59]

Following on from the Offspring's second stage appearance in 2014, Faith No More's subheadlining position marks the second time a previous main stage headliner have returned to play in a lower slot. Mötley Crüe's performance was their last ever UK festival appearance.

Several bands who pulled out of the 2014's festival returned to play in 2015, these bands include In Flames, Defeater, Upon a Burning Body & September Mourning.

The Sword were due to play on the Maverick Stage on Friday, but were removed from the line-up poster in March, later being confirmed to have pulled out. King 810 were due to play the Maverick Stage on Sunday, but pulled out on 15 May due to undisclosed reasons, just as they had done before in 2014. On 22 May, Ghost Town, who were confirmed to play on Jake's stage on Saturday, pulled out due to undisclosed reasons; they were replaced by Dub War. Antemasque were due to play on the Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, but pulled out in May, the Cadillac Three were moved up from Jake's Stage to replace them.

After many weeks of discussion surrounding the identities of two secret bands playing over the weekend, Young Guns and the Darkness were confirmed on 8 June. Babymetal also joined DragonForce on stage to perform their song "Gimme Chocolate!!".[60]

The Jägermeister Acoustic Stage will no longer be present at the festival, due to Jägermeister pulling out as a sponsor, however, bands will still perform acoustic sets, on the brand new Dog's Bed Stage. Hands Like Houses were scheduled to perform there on Friday, but the show was cancelled.

Returning for its 7th year, the Boardie Takeover took place on the Thursday night in the Doghouse Tent located within the festivals Village area. This year's bands were selected by the Takeover team, Hevs and Phil

Friday 12 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage Jake's Stage Dog's Bed Stage

Slipknot
Judas Priest
Five Finger Death Punch
Clutch
Lacuna Coil
At the Gates
Hellyeah
All That Remains

Black Stone Cherry
Thunder
Corrosion of Conformity
Modestep
The Cadillac Three
Blues Pills
Fearless Vampire Killers
Rival State

Fightstar
DragonForce
Sylosis
Beartooth
Defeater
Gnarwolves
Krokodil
Counterparts

A
Young Guns
Bombus
The One Hundred
Decade
American Fangs
Allusondrugs
Blood Youth
The Raven Age
Wild Lies
God Damn
E of E

Hands Like Houses
Beasts
Rival State

Saturday 13 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage Jake's Stage Dog's Bed Stage

Muse
Faith No More
A Day to Remember
Rise Against
Parkway Drive
Hollywood Undead
Mallory Knox
Funeral for a Friend
Heart of a Coward

Marilyn Manson
Black Veil Brides
Black Star Riders
Motionless in White
Carcass
Testament
Ace Frehley
Apocalyptica
Malefice
Geyser
The Lounge Kittens

Andrew W.K.
Body Count
Every Time I Die
Crown the Empire
Northlane
Upon a Burning Body
Stray from the Path
Hands Like Houses
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!
In Hearts Wake

Hey! Hello!
The Pink Slips
Dolomite Minor
Insomnium
Purson
Dub War
The Struts
Roam
Creeper
Crobot
Emp!re
New Years Day
Love Zombies
Iconic Eye

Tim Vantol
Von Hertzen Brothers
Crobot

Sunday 14 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage Jake's Stage Dog's Bed Stage

KISS
Mötley Crüe
Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators
Billy Idol
Blackberry Smoke
Tremonti
Cavalera Conspiracy
36 Crazyfists
Pop Evil

Enter Shikari
Lamb of God
In Flames
L7
Eagles of Death Metal
Godsmack
We Are Harlot
Backyard Babies
Von Hertzen Brothers
H.E.A.T
The Dead Daisies

Yellowcard
The Ghost Inside
Madball
Three Days Grace
The Darkness
Code Orange
Evil Scarecrow
September Mourning
Like a Storm

Suicidal Tendencies
FIDLAR
Chelsea Grin
Butcher Babies
Aaron Keylock
Man with a Mission
The Qemists
René LaVice
Trash Boat
LTNT
Hyena
Colour of Noise
Beasts
Sirens in the Delta

Like a Storm
Broken Chords

Fearless Vampire Killers

Police surveillance and marketing profile collection[]

At the 2015 festival, the police and the festival organizers engaged in massive technological surveillance of those who attended the festival.[61] RFID wristband and facial recognition technology were used, installed by the Leicestershire Police without notifying the public prior to the event, and compared visual scans of the festival attendees against a European criminal database. RFID wristbands were the only way to make purchases or travel across the festival grounds' zones.[62] Information about purchases were stored and sold to other marketers. Muse frontman Matt Bellamy commented on the surveillance during the band's performance of "Uprising", in which he said "Fuck Leicestershire police for scanning your faces!"[63]

2016[]

Donington[]

The 14th annual Download Festival was held on 10–12 June 2016. All three headliners were confirmed between 19–21 October 2015 and it was confirmed that Bruce Dickinson was due to fly his Ed Force One 747-400 Jumbo Jet across Download to get to the festival. However, this didn't happen, and in fact Ed Force One flew into East Midlands airport from the opposite direction. Motörhead were due to play the Main Stage on the Friday of the festival; however, due to the death of lead singer Lemmy Kilmister on 28 December 2015, the band would no longer be playing, as confirmed by drummer Mikkey Dee.[64] On 7 February 2016, 36 more bands were added to the bill, as well as the announcement that the Main Stage would be renamed "The Lemmy Stage" in memory of Kilmister, instead of having a band replace Motörhead, it was confirmed that there would be a tribute to Lemmy, which was confirmed at the fan forum to be a 20-minute video.

Heavy rain caused the venue to flood, with some campsites suffering worse than others. The Met Office later confirmed that it could have been the wettest in the festival's history.[65] By Saturday, The Village area was mainly mud with a bit of straw laid down near the entrance to the Blue Campsite. This led to great difficulty trying to get to the main arena, as one had to walk through thick mud most of the way.[citation needed] Architects was scheduled to play on the Encore stage on 11 June but had dropped all of their European festival tours due to a family emergency and were replaced by Against the Current.[66]

Both Moses and Ghost were also forced to pull out of their scheduled sets on Friday and Sunday respectively due to illness on both counts.

Friday 10 June
The Lemmy Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Rammstein
Korn
Killswitch Engage
Babymetal
Alien Ant Farm
Royal Republic

All Time Low
Twin Atlantic
Glassjaw
The Amity Affliction
Skillet
Graveyard
As Lions
RavenEye

Gutterdämmerung
The Wildhearts
Kadavar
Fort Hope (band)
Heck
Zoax
Puppy
Hill Valley High

Raging Speedhorn
InMe
Savage Messiah
Skinny Lister
From Ashes to New
Counting Days
Havok
Strange Bones
The Amorettes
Weirds
In Search of Sun

Saturday 11 June
The Lemmy Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Black Sabbath
Deftones
Megadeth
Rival Sons
Sixx:A.M.
Atreyu
Beartooth
Avatar

NOFX
Skindred
Against the Current
Juliette & the Licks
Bury Tomorrow
Tesseract
Scorpion Child
The Men That Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing
Inglorious
Santa Cruz

Pennywise
Neck Deep
Anti-Flag
Escape the Fate
Lawnmower Deth
Danko Jones
Turbowolf
Black Peaks
SHVPES

Municipal Waste
The Shrine
Cane Hill
Slaves
Dead!
Milk Teeth
Wage War
Palisades
Reigning Days
Wearing Scars
Scattering Ashes

Sunday 12 June
The Lemmy Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Maverick Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Iron Maiden
Nightwish
Disturbed
Shinedown
Halestorm
The Temperance Movement
Amon Amarth
Monster Truck

Jane's Addiction
Billy Talent
Don Broco
Breaking Benjamin
One Ok Rock
Periphery
Delain
Grand Magus
Whiskey Myers
Buck & Evans

Saxon
Gojira
Electric Wizard
Tremonti
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
Attila
The Dirty Youth
The Raven Age
Wild Lies

Napalm Death
Ho99o9
Good Tiger
Ashestoangels
Black Foxxes
The Kenneths
Muncie Girls
The King Is Blind
Witchsorrow
Vukovi
The Franklys

As confirmed by The Mirror, NXT also appeared at this years event, although where Progress Wrestling was after the bands in the campsite, WWE NXT was in the main arena, with a special stage constructed. During the event, the companies' COO and founder of NXT Triple H was awarded by Dave Mustaine the Spirit of Lemmy Award due to their friendship and working relationship.

France[]

In addition to the annual UK edition of Download Festival, it was also announced that in 2016 there would also be a Download held at the Longchamp Racecourse (French: Hippodrome de Longchamp) in Paris on the same weekend as the UK Festival. The lineup will be similar to the UK Festival, but not identical. Iron Maiden were announced as the Friday headliner on 19 October 2015, part of their The Book Of Souls Tour. Rammstein were announced as Sunday headliners on 21 October 2015.

Stage 1
Friday 10 June Saturday 11 June Sunday 12 June

Iron Maiden
Deftones
Gojira
We Came as Romans

Korn
Biffy Clyro
Babymetal
Saxon
Apocalyptica

Rammstein
Volbeat
Sabaton
Trivium
Skillet

Stage 2
Friday 10 June Saturday 11 June Sunday 12 June

Ghost
Anthrax
Avatar
Beartooth

Jane's Addiction
Down (Canceled)
Amon Amarth
One Ok Rock
Mass Hysteria

Megadeth
Rival Sons
Children of Bodom
Lofofora

Stage 3
Friday 10 June Saturday 11 June Sunday 12 June

Tremonti
BlackRain
The Raven Age
Wild Lies

Twin Atlantic
The Struts
The Inspector Cluzo
Arcane Roots
Shinedown

Skindred
Last Train
New Years Day
Strange Bones
The Shrine

2017[]

The 15th annual event took place on 9–11 June 2017. From 3 November 2016, band announcements began,[67] including the headline acts in System of a Down, Biffy Clyro and Aerosmith.

Donington[]

Friday 9 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

System of a Down
Prophets of Rage
Five Finger Death Punch
Mastodon
Sabaton
Motionless in White
Northlane

Sum 41
Good Charlotte
Baroness
Suicidal Tendencies
Machine Gun Kelly
The Raven Age
Blackwater Conspiracy

Sleeping with Sirens
State Champs
Four Year Strong
Issues
Code Orange
The Devil Wears Prada
Astroid Boys
M O S E S

Exodus
The Contortionist
Krokodil
Lost Society
Venom Prison
God Damn
Red Sun Rising
Yonaka
Otherkin
Holding Absence
She Must Burn

Saturday 10 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Biffy Clyro
A Day to Remember
AFI
Pierce the Veil
Of Mice & Men
Sikth
Creeper
Hacktivist

Rob Zombie
The Devin Townsend Project
Coheed and Cambria
Max and Igor Cavalera Return to Roots
Kvelertak
Suicide Silence
Alestorm
RavenEye
Tax the Heat

Simple Plan
The Story So Far
Every Time I Die
Crown the Empire
Knuckle Puck
As It Is
The One Hundred
Trash Boat
Greywind
Normandie

Wednesday 13
The Lounge Kittens
I the Mighty
Sick Puppies
Casey
The LaFontaines
Idles
Junior
BlackWaters
Drones
Dead Label

Sunday 11 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Aerosmith
Alter Bridge
Steel Panther
Airbourne
In Flames
The Cadillac Three
Orange Goblin
Fozzy

Slayer
Opeth
Clutch
Ministry
Anathema
DevilDriver
Red Fang
The Dead Daisies
Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown
Broken Witt Rebels

The Dillinger Escape Plan
Moose Blood
Basement
The King Blues
Touché Amoré
Dinosaur Pile-Up
Dead!
Blood Youth
Grove Street Families
Wallflower

Perturbator
Like a Storm
Aaron Buchanan & the Cult Classics
Devilskin
Love Zombies
Fizzy Blood
The Charm the Fury
Stone Broken
Brutai
Fallen State

France[]

Returning for its second year, Download Festival France takes place just south of Paris the same weekend as the Donington event. So far five bands have been announced including headliners System Of A Down, Linkin Park, and Green Day the lineup reads as follows:

Friday 9 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Warbird Stage Spitfire Stage

Linkin Park
Blink 182
Pierce the Veil
Kvelertak

Gojira
Dinosaur Jr.

Mallory Knox

Hatebreed
Skinny Puppy
Dagoba
Dead!

Nostromo
Mars Red Sky
The Charm the Fury
The Cadillac Three

Saturday 10 June
Main Stage[68] Main Stage 2 Warbird Stage Spitfire Stage

System Of A Down
Five Finger Death Punch
Epica
Alter Bridge
Far From Alaska

Slayer
Paradise Lost
Blues Pills
DevilDriver
Black Foxxes

Caliban
Soilwork
Touché Amoré
Code Orange
Lonely the Brave

Sólstafir
The Living End
Aqme
Project Black Pantera

Sunday 11 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Warbird Stage Spitfire Stage

Green Day
Rancid
Suicidal Tendencies
Leogun

Prophets of Rage
Mastodon
Architects
Suicide Silence
Rise of the Northstar
Tesseract

Carpenter Brut
Kontrust
Coheed and Cambria
Stray from the Path
Red Sun Rising

Crown the Empire
Northlane
Lost Society
Creeper
Astroid Boys

Spain[]

Download Festival Madrid is a brand new member of the rock and metal festival family, taking place in the Spanish capital. After hosting a Parisian edition of the festival for the first time last year, the iconic festival spreads its reach even further in 2017, establishing a new outpost in Madrid.

Thursday 22 June
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Linkin Park
Five Finger Death Punch
A Day to Remember
Code Orange

Gojira
Monster Magnet
House of Pain
Hacktivist

Dark Tranquillity
Motionless in White
Touché Amoré
The Charm the Fury

Kaothic

Jardin de la Croix
Black Peaks
Porco Bravo
Lizzies
Inmune
Virgen

Friday 23 June
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

System of a Down
Cult
Hamlet
Myrath
Bat Sabbath

Mastodon
Opeth
Zebrahead
Skindred

Brujeria
Every Time I Die
Zeke
Triggerfinger
We Ride

Dawn of the Maya
Somas Cure
Against the Waves
Late to Scream

Friday 23 June
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Prophets of Rage
In Flames
Iced Earth
Cobra

NOFX
Ministry
Kvelertak
Sólstafir

Suicidal Tendancies
Apocalyptica
Avatar
Deafheaven
Phil Campbell
And the Bastard Sons
God Damn
We Ride

Wormed
Arcane Roots
Blaze Out
Trono de Sangre
Syberia
Childrain

2018[]

The 2018 event has been confirmed for the weekend of 8, 9 & 10 June 2018. On 6 November Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the first headliner, with Avenged Sevenfold and Guns N' Roses being announced on 8 and 10 November.

Donington[]

Friday 8 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Avenged Sevenfold
Bullet for My Valentine
Volbeat
Marmozets
DragonForce
Avatar
Boston Manor

You Me at Six
Hell Is For Heroes
Jonathan Davis
Andrew W.K.
CKY
Nothing More
Miss May I
Culture Abuse

Bad Religion
The Bronx
Cancer Bats
Stick To Your Guns
Stray from the Path
Ded
Employed To Serve
Woes

Tesseract
Napalm Death
Emmure
Igorrr
Blessthefall
Loathe
Savage Messiah
Gold Key
Kaiser Franz Josef
Helpless
Cellar Darling

Saturday 9 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Guns N' Roses
Black Stone Cherry
Thunder
The Temperance Movement
The Struts
Monster Truck
Whiskey Myers
The Pink Slips

Parkway Drive
Babymetal
Asking Alexandria
L7
Bury Tomorrow
Corrosion Of Conformity
Lawnmower Deth
Von Hertzen Brothers
Powerflo

Neck Deep
Mayday Parade
The Maine
Being As An Ocean
The Fever 333
Rolo Tomassi
The Faim
WSTR
TIGRESS
The Bottom Line

Thy Art Is Murder
Plini
Knocked Loose
Malevolence
Massive Wagons
Shvpes
Sleep Token
Higher Power
Anchor Lane
Death Blooms

Sunday 10 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Ozzy Osbourne
Marilyn Manson
Shinedown
Black Veil Brides
In This Moment
Hatebreed
Cradle Of Filth
Inglorious

Rise Against
Alexisonfire
Meshuggah
Thrice
Body Count
Kreator
Dead Cross
Turbonegro
Greta Van Fleet
Starcrawler

The Hives
Less Than Jake
A
Jamie Lenman
Black Foxxes
Milk Teeth
BadCopBadCop
Puppy
Ecca Vandal
Dream State

Baroness
Zeal & Ardor
Myrkur
All Them Witches
Wayward Sons
Myke Gray
No Hot Ashes
The Hyena Kill
Sun Arcana
Koyo

Australia[]

It has been confirmed that Live Nation, Unified and Secret Sounds will take the UK-founded rock festival to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Saturday 24 March 2018. This will be a one-day event and the line-up is to be announced on Thursday 9 November.

Saturday 24 March
Black Stage Red Stage Avalanche Stage Dogtooth Stage

Korn
Limp Bizkit
Mastodon
Gojira
Of Mice & Men
King Parrot

Prophets of Rage
Good Charlotte
Amon Amarth
Sabaton
Northlane
Ocean Grove
High Tension

NOFX
Hot Water Music
Suicidal Tendencies
The Story So Far
Neck Deep
Trophy Eyes
Bad Cop/Bad Cop
Clowns

Arch Enemy
Nails
Falling In Reverse
Issues
Make Them Suffer
Psycroptic
Chase Atlantic
Cast Down

France[]

Returning for its third year, Download Festival France takes place in Brétigny-sur-Orge just south of Paris the weekend after the Donington event (15th, 16, 17 & 18 June). Headliners were Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses & Foo Fighters. Originally, Black Veil Brides was supposed to play on 15 June but pulled out the festival to join the Vans Warped Tour back in America.

Friday 15 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Spitfire Stage Warbird Stage Firefly Stage

Ozzy Osbourne
Opeth
Powerwolf
Billy Talent

Ghost
Alestorm
Eluveitie
Wakan Tanka

Vandenberg's Moonkings
Sidilarsen
Pogo Car Crash Control
Cellar Darling

Converge
Underoath
Thy Art Is Murder
Bury Tomorrow

Peter Alexander Band Plays Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hangman's Chair
Laura Cox Band
Merge

Saturday 16 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Spitfire Stage Warbird Stage Firefly Stage

Marilyn Manson
Avatar
Hollywood Undead
Turbonegro
Crossfaith

The Offspring
NOFX
Betraying the Martyrs
Alcest
Wild Mighty Freaks

Treponem Pal
Mantar
Nothing More
Skinny Lister
Ded

Meshuggah
Ultra Vomit
Thrice
Tagada Jones
Whiskey Myers

Galactic Empire
Cemican
Bad Cop Bad Cop
Jean Jean

Sunday 17 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Spitfire Stage Warbird Stage Firefly Stage

Foo Fighters
The Hives
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
Wolf Alice
The Noface

Mass Hysteria
Dead Cross
Royal Republic
The Struts
Teacup Monster

Ego Kill Talent
Landmvrks
Arcane Roots
The Last Internationale

Perturbator
Slaves
Graveyard
Starcrawler

In Search Of Sun
Nesseria
Stone Broken
Kaiser Franz Joseph

Monday 18 June
Main Stage Warbird Stage Firefly Stage

Guns N' Roses
Volbeat
Jonathan Davis
Baroness

Seether
Greta Van Fleet
The Pink Slips
The G

Jared James Nichols
Grit

Spain[]

Returning for its second year, Download Festival Spain takes place just south of Madrid three weekends after the Donington event (28, 29 & 30 June).

Main Stage Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Avenged Sevenfold
Marilyn Manson
Arch Enemy
Tesseract

A Perfect Circle
Rise Against
Kreator
Backyard Babies

Pennywise
Myrkur
Iron Reagan
Foscor
Kaiser Franz Josef

Galactic Empire
Hummano
Exhorder
Altair
Catorce
Aphonnic

Friday 29 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Guns N' Roses
Bullet for My Valentine
Creeper

Parkway Drive
Clutch
Thrice

Viva Belgrado
Underoath
Ankor
Leather Heart

Moose Blood
The Pink Slips

Sunday 16 June
Main Stage Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Ozzy Osbourne
Volbeat
Baroness

Judas Priest
The Hellacopters
Shinedown
L7

Carcass
Madball
In This Moment
Crim
Ego Kill Talent
Meltdown

77
Adrift
Crisix
Crossfaith
Teething
Eon

2019[]

Donington[]

The 2019 event took place during 14–16 June.[69] The first 20 bands, including all three main stage headliners, were announced at 2pm on 23 October 2018. More bands were announced on 27 January 2019.[70] In terms of genres, 44 artists represented rock (out of 117), while 41 bands played metal music.[71]

Now three-time headliner Def Leppard played their seminal album Hysteria in full as part of their set.

Some people left the festival before any of the bands had even started playing due to heavy rain turning the site into a "mud-bath". Several festival goers injured themselves due to falling over because of the conditions.[72]

Friday 14 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Def Leppard
Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators
Whitesnake
Clutch
Blackberry Smoke
Tesla
Last in Line

Rob Zombie
Eagles of Death Metal
Opeth
Deadland Ritual
Delain
Kvelertak
Skid Row
Goodbye June

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Reel Big Fish
The Interrupters
Zebrahead
Man with a Mission
Icon for Hire
Sumo Cyco
PENGSHUi

At the Gates
Ne Obliviscaris
Jinjer
Twelve Foot Ninja
Vega
Lost Society
Skynd
Conjurer
Nova Twins
Those Damn Crows
GroundCulture

Saturday 15 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Slipknot
Die Antwoord
Trivium
Skindred
Behemoth
Power Trip
Royal Republic
Alien Weaponry

Halestorm
Stone Temple Pilots
Three Days Grace
Brothers Osborne
Epica
Animals as Leaders
Elvana
Bad Wolves
The Inspector Cluzo

Simple Creatures
The Wonder Years
Nothing,Nowhere
Trash Boat
ROAM
Palisades
The Beaches
Hot Milk
Yours Truly
Parting Gift

Carcass
Batushka
Intervals
The Hu
Riding the Low
Lovebites
Queen Zee
Underside
Cloud
Vambo

Sunday 16 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Tool
Smashing Pumpkins
Lamb of God
Amon Amarth
Godsmack
Underoath
I Prevail
Cane Hill

Slayer
Dream Theater
Anthrax
Beartooth
State Champs
Starset
Badflower
Dinosaur Pile-Up
Like a Storm

Enter Shikari
Fever 333
Palaye Royale
The Amity Affliction
Our Last Night
Black Peaks
Heart of a Coward
Allusinlove
Black Futures
RedHook

Municipal Waste
Whitechapel
Coldrain
Alcest
Toska
Crystal Lake
Kim Jennett
Arron Buchanan & the Cult Classics
Blurred Vision
Wolf Jaw
Lost in Stereo

Australia[]

The 2019 event was held in Sydney on 9 March and in Melbourne on 11 March.[73] Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the headliner of the festival, but cancelled due to his illness, pneumonia.[74]

Saturday 9 March[73]
Black Stage Red Stage Avalanche Stage Dogtooth Stage Ascension Stage

Judas Priest
Rise Against
Anthrax
Airbourne (Replaced Ozzy Osbourne)[75]
Luca Brasi
Alien Weaponry

Slayer
Alice in Chains
The Amity Affliction
Behemoth
I Prevail
Polaris
Voyager

Ghost
Pennywise
Thy Art Is Murder
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Code Orange
The Fever 333
War on Women
New Years Day (Replaced Andy Black)[76]

Sum41
Halestorm
Twelve Foot Ninja
Converge
Frenzal Rhomb
High Tension
Slaves
Ruins

Justice for the Damned
Devilskin
Outright
Eat Your Heart Out
Aversions Crown
The Beautiful Monument
RedHook

Monday 11 March[73]
Black Stage Red Stage Avalanche Stage Dogtooth Stage Ascension Stage

Judas Priest
Rise Against
Anthrax
Luca Brasi
Airbourne (Replaced Ozzy Osbourne)[75]

Slayer
Alice in Chains
The Amity Affliction
Behemoth
I Prevail
Voyager

Ghost
Sum41
Pennywise
Code Orange
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
The Fever 333
Slaves
New Years Day (Replaced Andy Black)[76]

Halestorm
Twelve Foot Ninja
Thy Art Is Murder
Polaris
Frenzal Rhomb
Converge
High Tension
War on Women (band)
Ruins

Justice for the Damned
Devilskin
Outright
Alien Weaponry
Aversions Crown
Eat Your Heart Out
The Beautiful Monument
Windwaker

Japan[]

The Live Nation and Creativeman Productions took place at the UK-founded rock festival to Makuhari Messe, located in Chiba, on Thursday, 21 March 2019. This was a one-day event.[77] Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the headliner of the festival, but cancelled due to his illness, pneumonia.[74]

Thursday 21 March 2019[78]
Blood Stage Tears Stage

Judas Priest
Sum 41
Anthrax
Halestorm
Amaranthe

Slayer
Ghost
Arch Enemy
Man with a Mission
Like a Storm

Spain[]

Friday 28 June[79]
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Scorpions
Papa Roach

Sabaton
Children of Bodom
Turbonegro
Comeback Kid

Mantar

The Wizards

Rolo Tomassi

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Turnstile
Brutus

Hiranya
Holy Cuervo DJ'S

Saturday 29 June[79]
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Slipknot
Amon Amarth
Red Fang
Perturbator

Stone Temple Pilots
Berri Txarrak
Rival Sons
Kontrust

Enter Shikari
Leprous
Will Haven

Graveyard


Megara
Lovebites


Back to the 90's DJ'S

Sunday 30 June[79]
Main Stage 1 Main Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Tool
Architects

Amon Amarth
Fiend

SUM 41
Soulfly

Boston Manor

Watain
State Champs
Fever 333

The Interrupters
As It Is
Bala
Nothing,Nowhere

2020[]

The 2020 Download events were due to be held in the UK, Australia and Japan. They were all cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A return of the Paris edition was also planned but was cancelled in September 2019 due to construction work on the festival site by French transportation company SNCF.

Donington[]

The 2020 event was scheduled to take place during 12–14 June. The initial lineup was announced on 23 September 2019, with Kiss, Iron Maiden and System of a Down to headline. On 26 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, it was announced that the 2020 event had been cancelled.[80][81]

The 2020 festival was replaced by Download TV, a 3 day virtual festival showing old performances, unseen interviews, new performances and more. The online festival started on the same day the festival was due to take place.

Australia[]

The 2020 event was scheduled to take place in Melbourne on 20 March and in Sydney on 21 March. However, due to headliners My Chemical Romance withdrawing from the festival due to fears regarding the pandemic, and the organisers unable to secure a replacement headline act in such a short time, Download Australia 2020 was cancelled. The other headliners were to be Deftones and Jimmy Eat World. [82]

Japan[]

The 2020 event was scheduled to take place in Chiba City on 29 March, headlined by My Chemical Romance.

2021[]

For 2021, only a UK Download event was scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 June.[69] The dates for the 2021 Download event in the UK were announced on 3 June 2020.[83] The announcement revealed that two headliners, KISS and System of a Down, as well as many other acts, would be returning to the festival after its cancellation in 2020.[84] As was the case with the previous year, the 2021 event was cancelled on 1 March 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[85]

The 2021 event was replaced with another virtual event similar to 2020. It was announced on 14 May 2021 that there would be two special programmes on Sky Arts on 5 and 6 June featuring the best headliners from the past 10 years of Download.[86]

As part of the second phase of the UK Government's Event Research Programme, a pilot testing event of Download Festival 2021 was announced on 26 May 2021 called Download Festival Pilot. The event was held from 18 June to 20 June with an all-British lineup headlined by Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet For My Valentine.[87] The main stage on the Sunday experienced a few sound issues, notable during Loathe's set which saw them lose their sound during the final song of their set,[88] and The Wildhearts who ended their set early and left the stage.[89]

Friday 18 June
Main Stage Second Stage

Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes
Neck Deep
Boston Manor
Hot Milk

Sleep Token
Holding Absence
Malevolence
Death Blooms

Saturday 19 June
Main Stage Second Stage

Enter Shikari
While She Sleeps
Twin Atlantic
Yonaka
A
Wargasm
Bleed From Within
Conjurer

Creeper
Stone Broken
Those Damn Crows
Vukovi
Tigercub
The Hara
As Everything Unfolds
Lotus Eater

Sunday 20 June
Main Stage Second Stage

Bullet For My Valentine
Skindred
The Wildhearts
Elvana
Lonely the Brave
Loathe
Employed To Serve
Saint Agnes

Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls
Trash Boat
Massive Wagons
Jamie Lenman
Higher Power
Chubby and the Gang
Cassyette
Static Dress

2022[]

The 2022 UK Download event is scheduled to take place from 10 to 12 June.[90]

Donington[]

The dates for the 2022 Download event in the UK were announced on 1 March 2021, with Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro set to headline.[91]

Friday 10 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Kiss
A Day to Remember
Black Veil Brides
Bury Tomorrow
Theory
Wayward Sons

The Distillers
Airbourne
Lacuna Coil
Myles Kennedy & Company
Ayron Jones

The Ghost Inside
Sleep Token
Normandie
Meet Me @ The Altar
Gender Roles
Press Club

Electric Wizard
Blues Pills
British Lion
Bokassa
Tempt
A.A. Williams
Dead Poet Society
Cellar Door Moon Crow
The Scratch
JJ Wilde

Saturday 11 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Iron Maiden
Deftones
Shinedown
The Pretty Reckless
Black Label Society
Monster Truck
Those Damn Crows
The Raven Age

Megadeth
Mastodon
Daughtry
Bush
Code Orange
Ice Nine Kills
Malevolence
Cassyette

Funeral for a Friend
Creeper
The Faim
grandson
Holding Absence
Loathe
Dragged Under
Salem
Blackout Problems

Sepultura
Obituary
Dying Fetus
Bleed from Within
Venom Prison
Higher Power
Joyous Wolf
Dead Label
Death Blooms
Temples on Mars

Sunday 12 June
Main Stage Zippo Encore Stage The Avalanche Stage The Dogtooth Stage

Biffy Clyro
Korn
Volbeat
Rise Against
Powerwolf
Wargasm

Steel Panther
The Darkness
Skillet
Baroness
Tremonti
Of Mice & Men
Wednesday 13
Massive Wagons
The Last Internationale
Control The Storm

Descendents
Boston Manor
Trash Boat
Marianas Trench
Jamie Lenman
The Hara
Cemetery Sun
Dead Posey
Static Dress

Myles Kennedy (Acoustic)
Twin Temple
Spiritbox
Fire from the Gods
Kill the Lights
Modern Error
Thick
Phoxjaw
Anchor Lane
As Everything Unfolds
The Injester

See also[]

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