Download Festival Announce 2021 Headliners, Plus Over 70 More Bands

The first announcement for Download Festival 2021 is here!

After teasing last week that we'd be getting line-up news, little did we know that Download's first 2021 update would not only include all three headliners for next year's bash, but over 70 more bands across the June 4-6 weekend.

After having to cancel this year's festival due to coronavirus, thankfully planned headliners System Of A Down and KISS have been able to lock back in for 2021 as UK exclusives, with Scottish rock titans Biffy Clyro now joining them atop the bill.

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“We’re disappointed we weren’t able to make it over this year, but we’re looking forward to next,” enthuses SOAD bassist Shavo Odadjian. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Mostly, we all just want to make sure everyone is provided with a safe and secure environment, so we were prepared to wait as long as we needed to.”

Elsewhere, Deftones, Korn, The Distillers, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Rise Against, Black Veil Brides, Creeper, Poppy, A Day To Remember, Mastodon and so, so many more have joined the 2021 line-up.

“2020 has been a tough year for us all, and we were beyond gutted not to be able to experience Download Festival with you all,” says festival head honcho Andy Copping. “We gave you Download TV to reflect on memories of the past, and what the festival means to all of us.

“Download 2021 is going to be something special and go down in the history books as when the Download family reunited. We’re going to be working hard behind the scenes to make Download 2021 an unforgettable experience and a celebration of the festival we all love.”

Check out the full list of bands announced – not including the headliners – in alphabetical order: A.A. Williams, A Day To Remember, Airbourne, Alestorm, Anchor Lane, Baroness, Blackout Problems, Black Veil Brides, Bleed From Within, Blues Pills, Bokassa, Bush, Cellar Door Moon Crow, Cemetery Sun, Control The Storm, Creeper, Daughtry, Dead Label, Dead Posey, Deftones, Dirty Honey, Dying Fetus, Electric Wizard, Employed To Serve, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Funeral For A Friend, Gender Roles, Gojira, Haken, Hatari, Higher Power, Holding Absence, Hot Milk, Killswitch Engage, Kill The Lights, Korn, Jamie Lenman, JJ Wilde, Joyous Wolf, Lacuna Coil, Loathe, Lotus Eater, Marianas Trench, Mastodon, Modern Error, Myles Kennedy & Company, Obituary, Of Mice & Men, Phoxjaw, P.O.D., Poppy, Powerwolf, Press Club, Rise Against, Sepultura, Skillet, Sleep Token, Spiritbox, Steel Panther, Stone Broken, Temples On Mars, Tempt, Theory, The Darkness, The Distillers, The Faim, The Hara, The Pretty Reckless, The Wildhearts, Those Damn Crows, Tiny Moving Parts, Twin Temple, Volbeat, Wage War, Wargasm and Wayward Sons.

Download Festival 2021 takes place at Donington Park from June 4-6. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, August 7 over at downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.

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