Download Festival and Kerrang! are set to turn up the volume in Brighton once again as they return to The Great Escape Festival 2026, hosting a specially curated stage celebrating the very best in emerging rock and alternative music.
Taking over The Great Escape across three days in May, the collaboration will see Kerrang! team up with Download Festival to deliver Kerrang! Presents The Download Stage, a showcase designed to spotlight the next generation of rock and metal talent ahead of Download’s landmark 2026 edition.
The stage will run across evening programming (6–10pm) and feature a stacked lineup of rising acts tipped for big futures on the main stages of Donington Park.
A Celebration Of Rock’s Future Stars
Kerrang! Presents The Download Stage will bring Download’s signature energy into the heart of Brighton, reinforcing its role as one of the world’s most influential festivals for rock and metal.
Among the artists confirmed to appear are:
- Native James
- Comastatic
- Oversize
- Frozemode
- Eurotripp
- Ally Nicholas
- Heave Blood & Die
- Mudrat
…and many more, showcasing the breadth and diversity of the UK and international underground music scene.
Download Festival’s Legacy Meets New Music Discovery
The collaboration highlights Download Festival’s ongoing commitment to nurturing breakthrough talent. Now in its 23rd year, Download has long been a rite of passage for rock and metal fans—and many of today’s emerging bands first found their audience through grassroots stages and festival discovery moments like this.
By partnering with The Great Escape, Download continues to bridge the gap between grassroots venues and global festival stages, offering artists a direct pathway to the biggest crowds in rock.
The Great Escape: the UK’s Home of New Music
Renowned for championing fresh talent, The Great Escape Festival remains one of the UK’s most important platforms for emerging artists.
Each year, the festival hosts more than 450 acts across 35+ walkable venues throughout Brighton, alongside its industry-focused conference programme. It continues to be a launchpad for artists breaking into the global music scene.
Download Festival 2026: Rock havyweights lead the charge
Looking ahead, Download Festival 2026 is set to be one of its biggest editions yet, with headline sets from:
- Limp Bizkit
- Guns N’ Roses
- Linkin Park
They’ll be joined by a huge lineup including Halestorm, Architects, A Day To Remember, Cypress Hill, Trivium, Bad Omens, Electric Callboy, BABYMETAL, Ice Nine Kills, Pendulum, The Pretty Reckless, Black Veil Brides, Behemoth, Mastodon, and many more across five days of live music at Donington Park.
Final tickets are available now via the official Download Festival website: https://www.downloadfestival.co.uk
Kerrang!’s 45-Year Legacy of Alternative Music
For over four decades, Kerrang! has remained at the forefront of rock, metal, punk, hardcore, emo and alternative culture.
From its beginnings as the world’s biggest-selling weekly rock magazine to its modern global digital platform reaching millions of fans each month, Kerrang! continues to champion both legendary acts and the next wave of underground talent shaping the future of alternative music.
