Download 2026: Festival adds A Day To Remember, Creeper and Daughtry
Download 2026 has revealed a second wave of artists for its Donington Park edition, adding 14 new names to the bill for the event running from 10-14 June. The download 2026 announcement names A Day To Remember, THE PRIMALS, Daughtry, Creeper, Hot Milk and a further set of additions that expand the DLXXIII lineup.
Download 2026 second wave additions
Organisers confirmed 14 new acts in the second wave: A Day To Remember, THE PRIMALS, Daughtry, Creeper, Hot Milk, DECESSUS, Silly Goose, Marmozets, BAND-MAID, Stampin’ Ground, Frozemode, Conjurer, Annisokay and Private School. The Primals are identified as Final Fantasy XIV’s official band and will make their very first show outside of Asia.
Full list of 14 new names
The new names include UK math-rock band Marmozets, Japanese five-piece BAND‑MAID, hardcore veterans Stampin’ Ground and experimental punk-rap trio Frozemode. DECESSUS is described as a Chilean death-metal group fronted by current Miss World Chile, Ignacia Fernández, whose unexpected growls recently went viral. The complete list of additions repeats the 14 confirmed artists and places them into the Donington Park bill.
Day tickets, presale and timings
With the second wave confirmed, organisers have put day tickets on sale. PayPal users have access to a 48-hour exclusive presale starting at 10am today (23. 02. 26), before a general on sale follows at 10am on Wednesday (25. 02. 26). The announcement repeats that PayPal customers receive a 48-hour presale window beginning at 10am today and that the general sale opens at 10am on Wednesday 25 February.
Reactions from festival booker Kamran Haq
Festival booker Kamran Haq is quoted on the second announcement: "We’re really proud of our line-up this year, and our second announcement brings further depth and diversity to DLXXIII. " Haq added: "We have huge artists like A Day To Remember, Daughtry, Creeper and Hot Milk, as well as bringing Final Fantasy XIV’s official band THE PRIMALS to Download for their very first show outside of Asia. " Haq also said more announcements are still to come and warned that tickets are selling faster than usual.
Past moments and breakout acts
The new wave joins an already stacked bill headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park, and joining further sets from Scooter, Electric Callboy, Pendulum, Bad Omens, The Pretty Reckless, Cypress Hill, Trivium, Halestorm, BABYMETAL, Tom Morello and many more. Commentary around the announcement noted that the festival’s first wave had around 90ish bands, and Download Festival HQ had been teasing this next announcement for just over a week.
Wider festival context included reference to past Download moments: the 2018 Guns N’ Roses set ran three hours and, as a result, only the Dogtooth Stage carried on with something like a normal schedule; second-stage headliners Parkway Drive played at 6: 15pm and delivered what many, including that writer, saw as the best performance of the whole weekend. Commentators also noted that Kamran Haq delighted "A LOT" of people with an announcement just before Christmas and that, after years of fans asking and the success of the Vengaboys in District X in 2025, Scooter would be coming to Download. Scooter are not playing District X and are listed on the main arena lineup.
The conversation around breakout slots referenced Trivium in 2005, Alien Weaponry in 2019 and Bloodywood in 2023 as examples of bands whose early Download appearances proved pivotal; Trivium now occupy a biggest-ever slot on the 2026 poster, Bloodywood are filling main support slots in arenas less than three years on from their day-stealing performance, and Alien Weaponry have regrouped after line up changes and issues and are working their way back. Blood Incantation make their Download debut in 2026 and are noted as a "logo band" on the poster. Suggestions for potential breakout names this year mentioned Sleep Theory, Thrown and As Everything Unfolds.
Download Festival, now in its 23rd year, remains one of the UK's biggest destinations for rock and metal fans. Fans following download 2026 will find the expanded DLXXIII lineup, the PayPal presale window starting 10am on 23. 02. 26 and the general sale at 10am on 25. 02. 26 among the key practical details released with this second announcement.
