Kiss, Biffy Clyro and System Of A Down confirmed as Download 2021 headliners

Download Festival 2020
(Image credit: Live Nation)

Organisers of the UK’s Download festival have today confirmed the names of 80 artists who’ll play at next year’s event.

This year’s festival had to be shelved due to lockdown restrictions, with Kiss, System Of A Down and Iron Maiden due to headline. But while Maiden won’t be on the 2021 bill, Kiss and System Of A Down will be there to headline – and they’ll be joined by Biffy Clyro, who previously headlined Download in 2017.

Download 2021 will take place on June 4-6 at Donington Park, Leicestershire. 

System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian says: “We’re disappointed we weren’t able to make it over this year, but we’re looking forward to next. 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.”

Biffy Clyro add: “We can’t wait to return to headline Download in 2021! It’s a highlight of the festival calendar and a big part of our history as a band. Headlining in 2017 was special and now it’s time to celebrate again!"

Dozens of other artists have also been confirmed for the weekender, including Korn, Deftones, The Darkness, Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, Myles Kennedy & Company, Lacuna Coil, The Wildhearts, Airbourne, Baroness, Volbeat, Bush, Gojira, Funeral For A Friend and Sepultura.

Check out the full list of confirmed artists below.

Download’s Andy Copping says: “2020 has been a tough year for us all, and we were beyond gutted not to be able to experience Download with you all. 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.”

Tickets for Download 2021 will go on sale from the official website from 9am this coming Friday (August 7).

Download 2021: Confirmed artists
A.A. Williams
A Day To Remember 
Airbourne
Alestorm
Anchor Lane
Baroness
Biffy Clyro
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
Kiss
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
System Of A Down
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
Wayward Sons
Will Haven

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.