Download Festival Returns as DLXXII with a Trio of Historic First-Time Headliners
Green Day, Sleep Token, and Korn will each headline Download Festival for the very first time in 2025, marking a bold new era for the UK’s premiere rock and metal gathering. Renamed DLXXII for its 22nd edition, the festival will thunder back to Donington Park on 13–15 June 2025, with a lineup that spans punk, metal, hardcore, emo, classic rock, and everything in between.
Tickets go on sale at 9pm on Thursday 14 November at www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
A New Era of Headliners
In a landmark move, next year’s Download sees all three headliners debuting atop the main stage, a first in festival history. The decision signals Download’s drive to push boundaries while remaining rooted in rock tradition.
Friday belongs to Green Day, the punk-rock icons whose career-defining albums Dookie and American Idiot still reverberate across generations. Known for their explosive stage presence and political edge, Green Day’s long-overdue Donington debut promises a landmark set.
Saturday will be soundtracked by the enigmatic rise of Sleep Token, whose masked mystique and genre-bending sound have propelled them to arena-headlining status. Their set is poised to be one of the most atmospheric and emotionally charged of the weekend.
Sunday’s closer is none other than Korn, the pioneers of nu-metal who have influenced an entire generation of heavy music. After decades of anticipation, the Californian giants are finally taking their rightful place at the top of the Download bill.
More Than 90 Acts Confirmed
The 2025 lineup runs deep with a multi-generational, multi-genre feast of music. Among the stacked list are:
- Weezer
- Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter
- Jimmy Eat World
- Within Temptation
- Spiritbox
- The Darkness
- Meshuggah
- Steel Panther
- Loathe
- Eagles Of Death Metal
- Cradle Of Filth
- Poppy
- Lorna Shore
- Airbourne
- McFly
- Don Broco
- The Ghost Inside
- Alien Ant Farm
- Jinjer
- Mallory Knox
- CKY
- Whitechapel
- Sylosis
- Fit For An Autopsy
- Kittie
- Jerry Cantrell
- Turbonegro
DLXXII: A Festival Experience Like No Other
Beyond the music, Download’s immersive District X afterhours scene, warm community atmosphere, and consistently diverse bill have earned it a unique spot in UK festival culture. The DLXXII lineup was unveiled in style at a red-carpet Metal Gala at One Marylebone, attended by rock royalty and fans alike. Actor and musician Paddy Considine featured in the announcement video, summing up the spirit of the festival: “This is where legends are born. This is where you belong.”
UK Dates
Download Festival 2025
13–15 June 2025 – Donington Park, Leicestershire (UK)
More acts and surprises are still to be announced, but the message is loud and clear: DLXXII is shaping up to be one for the history books.
