Lineup 2014

[Com Truise]

Metallica is the only name that suits Download more than Reading and Leeds there.

I can see them all playing, just not all at once. R&L is going more towards the mainstream side of things, a high proportion of the demographic it's aiming at now has probably never listened to any of those acts in their lives, bar Prodigy perhaps

[Asdaprice]

I can see them all playing, just not all at once. R&L is going more towards the mainstream side of things, a high proportion of the demographic it's aiming at now has probably never listened to any of those acts in their lives, bar Prodigy perhaps

You're forgetting sir that they have gone for high up alternative acts like system, NIN, biffy to an extent, and green day this year as well as bands like deftones. It's a heavy main and a poppier NME

Pearl jam

Qotsa

Metallica

Prodigy

Arctics

Vaccines

Would be sweet and although not likely, plausible.

[Com Truise]

You're forgetting sir that they have gone for high up alternative acts like system, NIN, biffy to an extent, and green day this year as well as bands like deftones. It's a heavy main and a poppier NME

Biffy and Green Day are a lot more mainstream than Metallica, QOTSA and Pearl Jam

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Yeah, don't take download headlining as a they must headline reading. They, like Qotsa, are in that gap where they could depending on the organisers opinion be headliners or subs.

If they have strong subs like this year, Qotsa and prodigy will fit that bracket. All depends on if they get arctics Metallica and whoever else, hopefully a gem like pearl jam

Prodigy are much bigger than QOTSA, NIN & System of a down. None of those bands could play the MK Bowl off their own backs.

[Matt42]

Queens Of The Stone Age will have alot more attention next year following this album, I can imagine they will be a good booking that younguns would like. Biffy wouldn't be getting the attention they are if they weren't played loads on Radio One, and invited to do Big Weekend.

I can see the similar thing happening with both Queens and Arctics next year.

the third headliner I reckon could be anybody, someone who may raise eyebrows subbed by the prodigy to make it look stronger.

Blooming heck it could even be mumford and sons.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

QOTSA aren't nearly as commercial as Biffy though. I doubt Radio 1 will latch on to them that much. Plus Biffy have always been a band on the up, they've increased size with every album/tour. QOTSA peaked a while ago & it'll take a huge album to give them a push above sub, where they've been sitting comfortably for years.

[Com Truise]

Yeah QOTSA moving up to headline relies a lot on how this album is received by the public, no doubt the Alex Turner feature will get played to death on R1 despite how the rest of the album sounds

[Asdaprice]

Biffy and Green Day are a lot more mainstream than Metallica, QOTSA and Pearl Jam

That's true, but with NIN and system subbing this year, they are heavier then Qotsa and pearl jam so could fit in

Pearl jam would be you're alternative headliner

Arctics pop indie

Metallica - lets face it most rock fans love the hell out of them metal or not.

Plausible.

[Asdaprice]

Prodigy are much bigger than QOTSA, NIN & System of a down. None of those bands could play the MK Bowl off their own backs.

Everyone brings this up, but that was a one off show and they are a unique band to the genre (or at least were before lots of copycat dance / rock bands came up). I doubt they could do it now.

And I dunno, I think system and just maybe NIN could potentially if it was a one off show that year. Not instantly, but with a great undercard, maybe

[Com Truise]

Pearl jam would be you're alternative headliner

Arctics pop indie

Metallica - lets face it most rock fans love the hell out of them metal or not.

Plausible.

Yeah that's plausible, don't reckon they'd book QOTSA and Prodigy with that though. I do reckon QOTSA will either headline next year or not play at all. Be no point booking them even as a sub if the album does nothing for them commercially, and if it does, then they'll be more likely to headline.

[Seanoooo]

Who knows, no one exepected system to sub.

[Com Truise]

Who knows, no one exepected system to sub.

that's true, but they don't have any new material so they're in the between space of too big to sub and not big enough to headline anymore

[Gucci Piggy]

Except half the people on here.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Will-2609

[thewayiam]

Who knows, no one exepected system to sub.

it was more, too many thought they would headline

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Everyone brings this up, but that was a one off show and they are a unique band to the genre (or at least were before lots of copycat dance / rock bands came up). I doubt they could do it now.

And I dunno, I think system and just maybe NIN could potentially if it was a one off show that year. Not instantly, but with a great undercard, maybe

It was only 3 years ago, you're talking as if it happened in the 90's. Prodigy are an established festival headliner, get over it. Yes they could also be a very strong sub, but for that to happen you need strong headliners first...

System or NIN couldn't shift 65,000 headlining MK Bowl. Maybe if they co-headlined with a strong under card.

[rawaudioinput]

NIN definitely couldn't headline MK Bowl; at their gig at the O2 someone told me in the queue you could pick up a standing ticket for £20.

I do think The Prodigy are totally headline worthy but it all just depends on their plans for next year; the only reason that I half-doubt they'll headline is because they'd be able to headline IOW and sub Reading without splitting sales that much between the two whereas for Arctic Monkeys their only option is to headline which would be of detriment to both festivals.

[Asdaprice]

Yeah that's plausible, don't reckon they'd book QOTSA and Prodigy with that though. I do reckon QOTSA will either headline next year or not play at all. Be no point booking them even as a sub if the album does nothing for them commercially, and if it does, then they'll be more likely to headline.

I disagree, there would be every point in booking them. They are a much loved reading band that will have new stuff to promote and will take a sub slot which they know will be appreciated.

[Asdaprice]

It was only 3 years ago, you're talking as if it happened in the 90's. Prodigy are an established festival headliner, get over it. Yes they could also be a very strong sub, but for that to happen you need strong headliners first...

System or NIN couldn't shift 65,000 headlining MK Bowl. Maybe if they co-headlined with a strong under card.

No but that day was huge (I went) and it had a great load of support bands that fitted the day perfectly. I wouldn't say prodigy alone were the factor that sold that day out - same with foos. It was having a strong backing day that made it so much more appealing.

Prodigy are definitely not festival headliners for certain. Maybe, but I doubt they'd headline glasto at all and they haven't got any bigger (yet) then when they subbed in 09. You forget they only headlined download because another act dropped out, before that they were 2nd stage headliners there.

[Asdaprice]

No but that day was huge (I went) and it had a great load of support bands that fitted the day perfectly. I wouldn't say prodigy alone were the factor that sold that day out - same with foos. It was having a strong backing day that made it so much more appealing.

Prodigy had pendulum who were a massive support act, and foos had biffy, who were massive.

Prodigy are definitely not festival headliners for certain. Maybe, but I doubt they'd headline glasto at all and they haven't got any bigger (yet) then when they subbed in 09. You forget they only headlined download because another act dropped out, before that they were 2nd stage headliners there.

Edit, can't work out how to delete this shit

Edited May 10, 2013 by Asdaprice

[Gucci Piggy]

Someone dropped out of Download? I don't think they did.

[Asdaprice]

Someone dropped out of Download? I don't think they did.

They didn't drop out, but Andy stated to haters of the lineup that he couldn't get the act he wanted, so gave prodigy it (after headlining Milton Keynes and because they'd be exclusives)

I'm not disputing they won't headline, I've predicted them myself, but they aren't set in stone headliners

Edited May 10, 2013 by Asdaprice

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I never said they were set in stone headliners, I said they were established headliners, which they are. For them to sub, they'd need 3 headliners bigger than them, which I don't see them getting next year.

[Gucci Piggy]

Ahh okay, so nobody actually dropped out then, they just weren't his first choice? Also, how could there be haters of that lineup? It was stellar.

[Matt42]

Someone dropped out of Download? I don't think they did.

Van Halen last year.

[Gucci Piggy]

Van Halen last year.