Big names such as KISS and System of a Down were meant to play this year, and were able to perform for viewers via YouTube and other social media streaming platforms. Luckily, both bands have been confirmed for next year as well. Joining them as headliners will be none other than Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro.

Other acts to grace the stage include A Day To Remember, Korn, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, The Pretty Reckless, and many more incredible bands, with more to be announced in the coming months. Download organisers posted on the official Instagram page to let fans know, saying, “After a year apart, we’re so ready ROCK with you once again.” Check out the full line-up below.

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Your first DL2021 lineup announcement has landed, including @kissonline, @biffy_clyro, @systemofadown and so much more. After a year apart, we’re so ready ROCK with you once again, 4-6 June 2021. Tickets on sale Friday 7 August 9am.

A post shared by Download Festival (@downloadfest) on Aug 3, 2020 at 1:00am PDT

The festival will go ahead on 4th-6th June in the small English town of Donington, in Leicester. Pre-sale tickets will be available from Ticketmaster on Wednesday 5th August, while general sale tickets will be released on Friday 7th August at 9am.

Booker for Download, Andy Copping, spoke to Kerrang! about what’s to come for the festival and the future of the live music industry. He explained that “it’s not just festival promoters, it’s yourselves in the media, the labels, and without doubt the fans – you’ve got to get behind these acts.” Since the Covid-19 pandemic has made it unsafe to gather large groups of people, many music industry workers have been fighting to save venues and festivals such as this, to confirm the future of music as we know it.

Copping continued, “Even if it’s not somebody that you particularly like personally, to keep things alive we’ve got to be bringing bands through.” He gave an idea of who he feels will be performing at Download in the future as a headliner, which included Bring Me The Horizon, Paramore, Architects, and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

System of a Down haven’t released new music in 13 years, since the double bill of Mesmerise and Hypnotise in the latter half of 2005, and since returning to the stage after a hiatus in the early 2010s, fans have been feverishly hoping for news of another album coming their way, particularly after pictures of the band in the studio emerged as far back as late 2016.

Dolmayan admitted a stall in the album process, but admitted “I don’t like saying that, but you’ve gotta live in the realm of reality. And anything we do outside of System is never gonna be anywhere close to System. System is the best thing that anybody in System will ever do. But we still do other things.”

“It’s a complex question. You know I’m ready to go any time, and certain members of my band haven’t been able to make it work for themselves.”

Guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian echoes this, telling Revolver magazine that the future remains very music uncertain for System, in terms of releasing new music.  “I can’t close the book on it and say it’s done forever. We still play live. We’re all still friends. It’s more a combination of where each person is at a different point in their life, and each person wants to do a different thing.”

He added: “There are some creative differences as well on what direction each one of us wants to take the next System album, if that ever happens. Which is fine. I’m not sitting here upset or anything. The only thing I’m a little frustrated with was waiting for that to maybe happen or not happen.”

Rumours had been abound since early September, when drummer John Dolmayan posted images of himself in a rehearsal studio with bassist Shavo Odadjian and guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian on Instagram, with the caption“1..2..3..4.. #systemofadown #letdothis”.

1..2..3..4.. #systemofadown #letdothis

A photo posted by John Dolmayan (@johndolmayan_) on Aug 31, 2016 at 6:17pm PDT

Following this, the band announced that they would be playing several festival dates across Europe this summer, beginning in Zurich on June 1, with the notable date for UK fans being their return to Download festival, to headline alongside Aerosmith and Biffy Clyro. This added further fuel to the rumours of a new album being on the way, and now Dolmayan has confirmed to Kerrang! that progress for the band’s first LP since 2005’s double albums Mesmerize/Hypnotise is underway. “We’ve been working on a new album for the last six months and there’s about 15 songs that I think are album-worthy […] We don’t know what’s happening in terms of release, it’s still not 100% as far as plans go.” The fact that the album is already so far along will doubtlessly calm some of the fans that were worried by vocalist Serj Tankian’s notable absences from all the photos that have so far been uploaded.

When addressing the pressure of releasing a new album so long after their last, Dolmayan was very open about the band’s ambitions, saying “Our playing ability is better than it ever has been and we’re trying new things. We’re not trying to make Toxicity Part II, just because it was by far our biggest album.” and that the whole band wanted to create “something for a new generation of SOAD fans, so everyone can see we’re not resting on our laurels.”

The first 15 acts were announced today as festival organisers prepare for the 15th year of the event, which takes place at Donington Park in Leicestershire in June.

System of a Down will be opening the festival, headlining the Friday night. The band spoke about coming back to headline the festival for the second time. “It’ll have been a couple of years since our memorable Wake Up The Souls show at Wembley, so returning to the UK to headline Download, a festival we always love to play, is really exciting for us. The energy and atmosphere there is always electric.”

Scottish band Biffy Clyro will headline the Saturday night for the first time at Download, after headlining Reading and Leeds twice before. This comes after achieving their second number one album with their seventh album, Ellipsis.

With Aerosmith closing the festival, Joe Perry – guitarist – said: “Every time we go on tour I look at the schedule for cities, towns or events that I look forward to playing. Download Festival is always one of the ones I circle. Donington is like home to us. I have some great memories playing there and I can’t wait to make some more.”

The rest of the festival will consist of artists such as AFI, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Of Mice & Men, Fozzy, Sleeping With Sirens, Simple Plan, Every Time I Die, The Story So Far, Slayer and Motionless In White, with more acts to be announced nearer the time.

Download Festival’s Promoter, Andy Copping said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the Download 2017 headliners. We have three giants of rock and metal topping the bill. As always, Download fans can expect world class performances across the weekend. You won’t want to miss a thing. System of a Down made headline history back in 2011 and 2017 will no doubt see them bigger and better than ever. Saturday’s headliner, Biffy Clyro, have raised the bar for rock music – we’re always looking for bands to make their Download headline debut, and I have no doubt they’ll be worthy of the title.

“The mighty Aerosmith will be back, and their closing set will be something truly special. The band has a long history with Donington, and having them headline for us again is a real honour.”

Download 2017 takes place between Friday 9 – Sunday 11 June. General Sale Weekend tickets and Day tickets are available now.