Dear Download

This episode we explore some of the huge bands that have never set foot in the Hallowed grounds of Download Festival that we should have seen by now.

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This episode we discuss the bands that we think will be playing next year at Download Festival 2027 and who will be joining the rumored headliners Blink 182, Bring Me The Horizon and Evanescence.

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This episode we give an overview of all the festivals we've been to this year, including Slam Dunk Festival, Download Festival, Eddfest, Bloodstock Festival and ArcTanGent festival.

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This episode Simon talks to us all about his time at this years Bloodstock Festival and ArcTanGent festival.

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Join us for our Bloodstock Open Air 2026 festival preview as we take a look at everything you need to know before one of the UK's biggest heavy metal festivals. We discuss the 2026 lineup, including Judas Priest, Lamb Of God, Slaughter To Prevail, and Saxon, highlight the must-see bands across the weekend, explore the festival's 25th anniversary celebrations, and share our predictions, recommendations, and tips for fans heading to Catton Park. If you're planning to attend Bloodstock 2026 or just want to keep up with the latest rock and metal festival news, this is the episode for you.

All...

Join us as we review EddFest 2026, Iron Maiden's epic 50th anniversary celebration at Knebworth. We break down Iron Maiden's headline performance, supporting sets from The Darkness and Blaze Bayley, plus our thoughts on the Infinite Dreams museum, themed attractions, the overall festival atmosphere, and how the event delivered as a one-of-a-kind celebration of Maiden's legacy. Was EddFest a triumph worthy of becoming a regular festival? Tune in as we discuss the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

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This episode we talk about everything we did on the Saturday and Sunday at Download Festival 2026, as well as everything else including the toilets, food, how organised this year was in general and much much more.

Thanks again to our sponsor Broken Day Clothing. You can find them, along with our new colab T-shirt right here.

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This episode, hosted by Simon is our review of what we did at Download Festival 2026 from the Tuesday to the Friday. 

Thanks again to our sponsor Broken Day Clothing. You can find them, along with our new colab T-shirt right here.

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The chatty trekker Joe Butler - Instagram

This episode we chat about everything else you can find going on at Download Festival 2026, from the District X line-up, to food and much more in between. 

Thanks again to our sponsor Broken Day Clothing. You can find them, along with our new colab T-shirt right here.

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This episode we discuss every band playing on the Sunday at Download Festival 2026. 

Sunday at Download Festival 2026 is shaping up to be one of the festival’s strongest days for modern rock and metal, headlined by Linkin Park, whose set is expected to combine classic nu-metal favourites with newer material from the band’s current era featuring Emily Armstrong. Other standout acts include Bad Omens, known for blending metalcore with huge melodic hooks and atmospheric production; Ice Nine Kills, famous for their theatrical horror-inspired live shows; The Pretty Reckless, bringing a more classic hard rock sound led by Ta...

This episode we discuss every band playing on the Saturday at Download Festival 2026. 

Saturday at Download Festival 2026 is headlined by Guns N’ Roses, bringing a classic, stadium-rock feel with their biggest hits. The day mixes modern heavy acts like We came as Romans and Architects with established names such as Trivium and Drowning Pool. There’s also a blend of alternative and crossover appeal from The All-American Rejects, Bush, and BABYMETAL, alongside heavier acts like Decapitated and Behemoth, making it a diverse day that balances nostalgia with modern metal.

Thanks again to our sponsor Broken Day Cl...

Join us in this bonus episode where we speak with Lais Martins Waring about PR and her involvement with Download Festival - what she does in the lead up to the festival and her role on site as well.  

This episode we discuss every band playing on the Friday at Download Festival 2026. 

Friday at Download Festival 2026 is led by Limp Bizkit as headliners, with major acts like Cypress Hill, Pendulum, and Electric Callboy setting a strong rap-rock and nu metal tone. The lineup is rounded out by popular rock and metal names such as Halestorm, Periphery, alongside heavier and cult acts like Corrosion of Conformity and Creeper. Overall, the day blends nostalgia with modern metalcore and alternative sounds, creating a high-energy start to the festival.

Thanks again to our sponser Broken Day Clothing. You c...

This episode we talk all about what we can expect at Eddfest this year which is being held at Knebworth on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th July. We also revisit our top 10 Iron Maiden albums for the first time in almost 5 years. 

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This episode we dive into the history of Limp Bizkit, the headliners for Friday at Download Festival 2026.

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This episode we talk all about Download Festival 2026's Saturday headliners Gun N' Roses! Beginning with the beginning, we also touch upon all of their albums, some of the problems the band has faced over the years and what to expect from them this year.

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This episode we talk all about Linkin Park, who are headlining Download Festival 2026 on the Sunday! We discuss their history, their albums, our opinions on them over the years and what we might expect to see at Download this year.

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This episode we chat about our memories of Download Festival 2009, we look at the line up, the map, the Red bull bedroom jam . com stage and some of the other things that were happening at the time.

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This episode we chat about what 2026 will hold for us, for festivals, for music releases and also films and other bits in general.

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This episode we announce the winners of the Dear Download awards for 2025. We had more votes than any previous year for more accurate results. We also celebrate hitting 50,000 all time downloads! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Dear Download this year.

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CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Vote here

We've got this episode out early to give you all a little bit more time to cast your votes.

This episode we are back with our 4th annual DD awards covering best and worst albums, best live performances and much more. Get your votes in before Thursday, which is when we will record and reveal the winners. 

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This episode we talk about 10 iconic albums that turn 10 this year.

Killing Joke - Pylon

Three days grace - Human

Soilwork - The ride majestic

Fear Factory - Genexus

Soulfly - Archangel

Shinedown - Threat to Survival

Fightstar - Behind the Devil's back

Ghost - Meliora

Bring me the horizon - That’s the Spirit

Cradle of Filth - Hammer of the witches

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This is by far our most in depth analysis of Download Festival's first band announcement, it may well be the most in depth analysis of the DL2026 first announcement so far. Join us as we talk about all of the bands that stand out to us so far, and take a deep dive into the lineup as a whole, the curveball, and what the future holds for Download festival headliners.

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This episode we talk about 10 iconic albums that turn 20 this year.

Bullet for my Valentine - the poison

Trivium - Ascendancy

DevilDriver - The fury of our makers hand

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

Mudvayne - Lost and Found

Story of the Year - In the wake of Determination

Funeral for a Friend - Hours

Paradise Lost - Paradise Lost

Static-X - Start a War

Korn - See you on the Otherside

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This episode we talk about 10 iconic albums that turn 30 this year.

Faith No More - King for a day

At The Gates - Slaughter of the Soul

Death - Symbolic

Fear Factory - Demanufacture

Gamma Ray - Land of the free

Iron Maiden - X-Factor

Ozzy Osbourne - Osmosis

Paradise Lost - Draconian Times

Rammstein - Herzslied

Deftones - Adrenaline

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This episode we discuss all the news from all the recent festival announcements including Rock am/im Park/Ring, Ressurection fest, Nova Rocks, Tons of Rock, Tuska, Copenhell, Rock for People and Sonisphere. And we speculate how Download festival 2026 might look compared to these festivals. 

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Ashes by Dawn

This episode we discuss our predictions, and look back at the headliners from the last 10 years for all the regular festivals the come up on the podcast, including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air Festival, 2000 Trees, Slam Dunk festival and Reading and Leeds.

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Ashes by Dawn

This episode Simon tells us all about his time at Bloodstock festival this year. 

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Ashes by Dawn

This episode we take a walk down memory lane, talking about some of our favourite episodes, some of the amazing people we've met through doing the podcast, a brief look at where we may be going over the next 4 years and as always, give ourselves a pat on the back.

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Ashes by Dawn

This episode Simon tells us all about his time at 2000 Trees festival 2025.

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Ashes by Dawn

This episode Simon talks about one of his favourite fastivals of the year - 2000 Trees - and gives you all the reasons why you should go too!

2000 Trees info

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This episode we discuss everything we experienced on the Saturday and Sunday at Download Festival 2025, plus many many other tid bits from this years festival.

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Credits:

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/RunnerPack/sounds/87039/

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/simplewave/sounds/372876/

Intro music - Simon Bond

Intro robot voice...

This episode we discuss everything we experienced from the Tuesday to the Friday at Download Festival 2025!

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Trash Talkin' Podcast

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Credits:

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/RunnerPack/sounds/87039/

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/simplewave/sounds/372876/

Intro music - Simon Bond

Intro robot voice - Adam Cox

Good morning Download Festival 2025.

This episode we discuss everything else that's going on accross the weekend of Download Festival 2025 that isn't the arena bands. We dive deep into the map and talk about some new things that have been added, we discuss our own set on the Dear Download stage in R.I.P, as well as some of the things happening in District X. 

Dear Download stage bands

The Takeover on Wednesday

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In this episode we take the time to interview Harry White - the Suit wearing Managing director, CEO, Owner and top bloke of Hammerdown Festival. Hammerdown is one of the fastest growing festivals of the UK currently and we had the chance to sit down with Harry to learn about some of the history, behind the scenes, general running of the festival and much more.

Find all information about the festival here

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...

This episode we listen to and discuss every single band booked to play on the Sunday at Download Festival 2025!

CLICK HERE FOR OUR STORE! OPEN 1st MAY 2025!

BROKEN DAY CLOTHING! ALSO FROM 1st MAY

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Credits:

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/RunnerPack/sounds/87039/

Explicit Intro...

This episode we listen to and discuss every single band booked to play on the Satrurday at Download Festival 2025!

CLICK HERE FOR OUR STORE! OPEN 1st MAY 2025!

BROKEN DAY CLOTHING! ALSO FROM 1st MAY

You can find us here

Linktree

Simon's YouTube

Ashes by Dawn

SMTV Youtube

Trash Talkin' Podcast

Stu's Tiktok

Stu's Instagram

Emma Sturman Youtube vlogs

Credits:

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/RunnerPack/sounds/87039/

Explicit Intro...

This episode we listen to and discuss every single band booked to play on the Friday at Download Festival 2025!

To be a part of the exclusive Dear Download podfest 2025 t-shirts join up to the patreon here.

You can find us here

Linktree

Simon's YouTube

Ashes by Dawn

SMTV Youtube

Trash Talkin' Podcast

Stu's Tiktok

Stu's Instagram

Emma Sturman Youtube vlogs

Credits:

Explicit Intro - https://freesound.org/people/RunnerPack/sounds/87039/

Explicit Intro...