Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event, has announced IRON MAIDEN, KISS and BIFFY CLYRO as it’s 2022 headliners, with more of the world’s most exciting bands in rock, pop punk, hardcore and metal yet to be announced. The three-day festival takes place 10th – 12th June 2022 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets will be on sale at 10am on Friday 5th March 2021 via HERE
Despite 2021 being unable to take place, Download have assured fans that 2022 is very much ON and that three HUGE headliners are already in place.
IRON MAIDEN will return to Donington next year to headline Download Festival on Saturday night. The band have sold over 100 million records in their 45 year history and have played well over 2000 live shows for their amazing fans in 63 countries across every corner of the globe. Their 16th and most recent studio album 2015’s The Book Of Souls debuted at #1 in over 40 countries, their most successful album chart-wise to date, proving the appetite for IRON MAIDEN continues to grow and the band themselves are showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Their Legacy of the Beast stadium, arena & festival tour that was curtailed due to the global pandemic in 2020 was hailed by fans and media alike as the most visually stunning live show of their career to date. So get ready Downloaders, this is one performance you won’t want to miss.
“Like everyone, we were all hugely disappointed when the global pandemic forced the cancellation of Download 2020 which would have been Maiden’s seventh time headlining here. So we are delighted to be invited back and fulfil our ambition of playing Donington Park in every decade since the 1980’s! As most people know, this Festival is hallowed ground for us (and Eddie!) and our fans’ vocal support and enthusiasm is always phenomenal and much appreciated. We can’t wait to see everyone again, and are determined to make the show one hell of a party and the greatest homecoming ever!” Comments Bruce Dickinson.
After an epic and well documented 47-year career that launched an era of rock’n roll, the legendary KISS will perform in the UK at Download Festival 2022, in a UK Exclusive. They embarked on their final ever tour in 2020 before being cut short by the pandemic. Far from letting the grass grow under their feet, in classic KISS style they put together a Guinness World Record breaking concert; ‘KISS Goodbye to 2020’ in Dubai for New Years Eve, capturing Most Number of Flame Throwers (73) and Tallest Flame (180 ft.)! With their larger than-life blistering performances, KISS have proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock’n’roll, and one of the best headliners Donington has ever seen. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, it won’t just be KISS Army fans who will be blown away with their final Download performance next year.
“I’ve said it before, Download Festival audiences are the best. They are up for whatever is thrown at them. KISS is going to come fully prepared to rock their world in 2022 to say Thank You for always showing up for us.” – Gene Simmons, KISS
“Download will be the culmination of 47 years of unapologetic bombast and spectacle. We will make this a fitting farewell to a country and its people whose music remains the blood in our veins.” – Paul Stanley, KISS
The final Download headliner, crowning Sunday night will be Scottish rock titans Biffy Clyro. Returning to Donington following their statuesque 2017 headline set, Biffy will no doubt prove themselves once again to be one of the greatest live bands on earth.
Far from sitting out the pandemic, the band took to streaming shows over lockdown to maintain the emotional connection they have with fans, including the incredible live stream of ‘A Celebration of Endings’ live from the legendary Barrowlands. That innovative, iconic show was the first time fans heard the new album in full and helped to propel the album to number one – the third time in a row that the band has hit the top spot. A Celebration of Endings is an uplifting, celebratory album that god knows we all needed in the never-ending darkness of 2020. A blast of optimism, it showed Biffy’s mastery of styles, from Queen-esque bombast to feral sonic attacks that wouldn’t be out of place on the Sub-Pop back catalogue. We can’t wait to see them open up and let the new tracks fly in front of the Sunday night crowd. Download fans can expect a show full of anthemic, cathartic songs including ‘Wolves of Winter’, ‘North of No South’, ‘Many of Horror’, ‘Mountains’ and ‘The Captain’ – not just a singalong, but the scream-your-heart-out experience that the band are known for. They’ll be an uncompromising presence at Download and will end the festival in suitably grandiose fashion – with the spectacle that fans have come to expect and love.
“Downloaders, your 2022 headliners are here! Rock ‘n’ roll legends KISS will be kicking off Friday in style, Iron Maiden will return bringing with them mascot Eddie and more fire than we can handle, and what better way to end the festival than with Biffy who will leave us awestruck with their energy. I’m counting down the days already!”
“Download Festival is the home of rock music and takes place on the sacred grounds of Donington Park, which have been associated with rock since the eighties. The festival attracts icons of rock and metal to its main stage, plus some of the best and hottest new acts in the world.” adds Download’s Andy Copping.
