As twin festivals Reading & Leeds adapt to new challenges of the British live music landscape, their format has evolved significantly in the last 5 years. The festivals, which take place on the August bank holiday weekend every year, moved to a new site layout in 2021 following the global COVID-19 pandemic, which set up two main stages with 6 full-fledged headliners over the three days of music. Last week, it was announced that following Leeds’ expansion to a Thursday line-up of music headlined by Kasabian, Reading followed suit by applying for licenses to do the same for next year’s edition.

Unfortunately, Festival Republic’s continued evolution for the events has led to new collateral in the shape of the BBC Introducing Stage – a platform which has given public auditions for hundreds of young, unsigned acts since 2008 and served as a launchpad for 2026 headliners Florence + The Machine, Charli XCX, Dave and Raye. Also counted among its graduates are Ed Sheeran, Little Simz, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Glass Animals and Royal Blood. The BBC estimate that 70% of all UK artists on the bill for this year’s Reading & Leeds Festival have performed on the Introducing stage in the past.

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Festival Republic Managing Director Melvin Benn spoke to IQ Magazine about the incoming changes which will take effect this August, describing a full reset with six new stages, all with distinct identities. The Grid will be the new main stage, hosting all of the headliners and the biggest acts of the weekend, while The Gallery will become the new secondary host of bands and louder live acts. With electronic music becoming one of main draws to the event, The Warehouse will be the new venue tailored to all things dance, and The Ballroom will be an exciting stage for defining acts of the current sounds.

The Canopy will be the replacement destination for the up-and-comers, which Benn explained as Festival Republic taking the developmental wing of the festivals in a new direction – “historically we’ve had the BBC Introducing stages for the emerging acts, and it was a really inexpensively presented stage. We want to create something that’s significantly better and stronger and has a great feel about it.”

Tommy Longhurst, lead singer of Reading-based indie group Only The Poets, described the move as “sad news” for the ambitions of future musicians, saying the BBC Introducing Stage “really does a lot for new artists.” Talking to BBC Radio Berkshire, he said “for me I think we’re taking a huge opportunity from up and coming artists,” and explained how his own experience shaped his opinions now – “we hold those memories so highly and it was such a poignant moment for us to get to play a festival that inspired us to start the band.”

A BBC spokesperson has clarified that the decision was solely undertaken by Festival Republic, and that the BBC Introducing platform would continue their activities at other top UK festivals this year with “line-ups including some fantastic up-and-coming artists”.

Reading & Leeds 2026 run from August 27 to 30 at Reading’s Richfield Avenue and Leeds’ Bramham Park, with select tickets still available.

The tour kicks off on Wednesday, August 13th, at Frequency Festival in Austria, before hitting major European festivals, including Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands, Cabaret Vert in France, and Rock En Seine in Paris. UK fans can look forward to Suki’s highly anticipated appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals on August 22nd and 24th, before her headline London date. She will also perform in Belfast at the Ulster Hall on August 28th.

These performances will showcase songs from Waterhouse’s critically acclaimed albums, including her 2024 release ‘Memoir of a Sparklemuffin‘, alongside tracks from her debut album ‘I Can’t Let Go‘ and the ‘Milk Teeth‘ EP, featuring her platinum-selling hit ‘Good Looking’.

Suki Waterhouse’s album ‘Memoir of a Sparklemuffin‘ did not produce any singles that charted on the UK’s Official Singles Chart. However, the album itself achieved some recognition, peaking at number 46 on the Official Scottish Albums Chart and number 39 on the Official Albums Sales Chart. The album includes hits such as ‘My Fun’, ‘OMG‘, and ‘To Love‘. ‘My Fun’ made it into MXDWN’s ‘Top 30 Songs of 2024‘.

Waterhouse’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric, with her sold-out 2024 US tour spanning over 30 shows and a high-profile support slot for Taylor Swift during the Eras Tour in London. With an ever-growing fanbase and a dynamic catalogue of music, Suki Waterhouse’s UK and EU tour promises to be an unmissable event for fans eager to experience her captivating live performances. Her full tour schedule and ticket information is available on her official website.

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One of the biggest surprises in today’s announcement is the addition of Limp Bizkit, the legendary rap-rock band known for hits like ‘Break Stuff‘ and ‘Rollin’. The band, led by frontman Fred Durst, has been making a resurgence in recent years, and their inclusion in the lineup is sure to draw a massive crowd especially paired alongside Bring Me The Horizon. Known for their high-energy performances and mosh-pit-inducing anthems, Limp Bizkit’s set is bound to be a highlight of the weekend 10 years on from their last performance at the festival. 

UK rap duo D-Block Europe is also joining the lineup, adding a strong hip-hop presence to the festival. The duo, consisting of Young Adz and Dirtbike LB, has gained a massive following with their unique rap style and chart-topping hits like ‘Overseas’ and ‘Darling’ featuring Central Cee. Their set is expected to be a major draw, especially for fans of UK drill and Afroswing-infused rap. 

Festival icon Example returns to Reading and Leeds, bringing his signature mix of electronic and rap hits. With classics like ‘Kickstarts’ and ‘Changed the Way You Kiss Me’, Example has been a festival favourite for years and is always successful at getting the crowd to go insane. 

Additionally, Bakar, Nemzzz, and Jazzy have been added to the lineup, further enriching the festival’s diverse music offering. Bakar, known for his genre-blending sound that fuses indie rock with hip-hop, has gained a loyal following with tracks like ‘Hell N Back’. Nemzzz continues to rise in the UK rap scene with his smooth flow and viral tracks like ‘Escape‘. Meanwhile, Irish DJ and singer Jazzy brings an different electronic and dance element to the festival, with her hit ‘Giving Me ‘expected to bring energy to the festival.  

These new additions compliment an already stacked lineup featuring Travis Scott, Hozier, Bring Me The Horizon, Chappell Roan, AJ Tracey, Becky Hill, among many others. With such a diverse range of artists spanning rap, rock, indie, and electronic music, Reading and Leeds 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting editions of the festival in years. 

The Reading and Leeds Festival 2025 will take place from August 21 to 24, 2025, across the two iconic sites. Tickets are currently on sale, with both weekend and day passes available.  

For more information about the festival, please visit this website.  

THE LINEUP OF SUMMER 2025 HAS JUST LANDED and I KNOW you don’t wanna miss out on the biggest weekend of the year @ThreeUK & @MastercardUK presales start tomorrow 12pm
Festival presale starts Saturday 12pm (last chance to sign up in bio)
General sale starts Monday 12pm… pic.twitter.com/5DkXEArYDi

— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) December 5, 2024

Chappel Roan’s debut album, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ (2023) received critical acclaim, appearing on numerous best-of-the-year lists and earning Grammy nominations. The album saw significant success, even topping the Scottish charts and peaking at #1 on the UK Albums Chart during its 29-week run. This year’s single ‘Good Luck, Babe‘ peaked at #2. Roan’s festival debut is eagerly anticipated, as 2025 marks her first major UK festival headline slot. Known for intimate club performances and a growing cult following, this will be her largest audience yet.

Chappell Roan AND Bring Me at Reading Fest next year??? COUNT ME IN IMMEDIATELY
— sar-AAH! (@saraaaaahh) December 5, 2024

Travis Scott is one of hip-hop’s most influential artists, with hits like ‘Sicko Mode’. His live performances are immersive, often involving high-energy mosh pits and elaborate stage designs, reflecting his larger-than-life persona. Travis Scott has headlined global festivals like Coachella and Rolling Loud. His ‘Astroworld Festival’ set a new standard for immersive concert experiences, combining pyrotechnics, visual storytelling, and high-energy performances.

Do you think Travis Scott should bring back Astroworld Festival? pic.twitter.com/TdGSIpwOmq

— travvy (@travis_conno) October 16, 2024

Bring Me The Horizon is a British band which blends metalcore with pop and electronic elements. This band frequently headlines major rock festivals like Download Festival and Reading & Leeds (previously in 2018). Their performances are intense, blending metalcore aggression with crowd-pleasing anthems.

Folk and soul meet in Hozier’s poignant music. Known for ‘Take Me to Church’ and ‘Cherry Wine’, his lyrics often delve into themes of love, social justice, and spirituality, delivered with haunting melodies. Hozier has graced stages at Glastonbury and Electric Picnic, captivating audiences with soulful, stripped-back performances that contrast with festival chaos. His 2025 set promises similar intimacy. If you’re following his work closely, it seems Hozier might take occasional quiet periods for songwriting and reflection, but he remains actively engaged with his music and his audience.

The 2024 Reading & Leeds Festival featured six headline acts: Fred again.., Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Blink-182, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon.

Reading & Leeds Festival have issued an apology to fans of Lana Del Rey after cutting her set short.

The singer had a firework show planned for the final song of her set. She instead sat and watched the fireworks with fans as her microphone feed was cut. pic.twitter.com/tFg9D93YtV
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 25, 2024

Tickets go on pre-sale on December 6, with the general sale following on December, 9. You can check here for Reading and here for Leeds.