Music lovers were left divided after seeing the headline announcements for Reading and Leeds Festival 2025.
The festival, which last year hosted Fred Again, The Wombats and Liam Gallagher, confirmed the first four headline acts of their bill next year as well as musicians and bands that will appear on other stages across Bramham Park. Some of those who attend the legendary festivals regularly were unimpressed, as were those who had written off the weekender music shows completely.
Hozier, Chappell Roan, Bring Me the Horizon and Travis Scott were the four headliners announced, with Amyl and the Sniffers, Bloc Party and Wunderhorse featuring elsewhere on the line-up for 2025's festival. The pair of festivals will take place over August's Bank Holiday Weekend, from Friday August 23 to Sunday August 25.
An official announcement from the Reading and Leeds Festival Twitter/X account reads: "THE LINEUP OF SUMMER 2025 HAS JUST LANDED and I KNOW you don’t wanna miss out on the biggest weekend of the year."
However, not everyone was pleased with the announcement, with one fan writing: "It’s arguably your worst lineup of the last 10 years." Another fumed: "Absolutely terrible lads fair play." A third added: "This has to be the worst line up I have ever seen."
Another suggested the festival did not have the draw it once did, writing: "This is… not a great line-up. Festivals really struggling to pull in the big bookings, who know they can make more £££ through doing their own headline shows."
Festival-goers pointed to previous years in Reading and Leeds history, with one user replying with a screenshot of 2009's line-up featuring Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead as the headliners. They added: "Guys, what happened? We used to be friends."
However, not everyone was as disappointed. One wrote: "Not for me this year but hopefully folk going enjoy it. Will be the first time I haven’t gone in years." Meanwhile another was far more impressed, writing: "You delivered this year."
Another suggested the varied line-up was a net positive for the festival, with plenty of up and coming acts available to see. They wrote: "I rather like this line-up tbh. The headliners are varied and current and there's lots of my personal favourites there as well (High Vis! Amyl! MP! Lambrini Girls! Shikari etc). And you bet your ass I'm going to be there for Chappell Roan."
One user who believed their festival-going days were over has said they would return this year because of the line-up, writing: "I think that is just absolutely brilliant. So many great bookings on there. Very, very impressed. I thought my Leedsfest career ended in disgrace when I had to leave this year with 3 broken bones but looks like I’ll be making a triumphant return."
Some compared the festival to line-ups across the globe, with Oya Festival in Oslo featuring Charli XCX and Chappell Roan as headliners, while Bilbao BBK hosts Kylie Minogue, Pulp and Raye for their three-day event.
English (US) ·