Music fans have reacted after Reading Festival announced its headliners for the 2026 edition of the festival.
Next year’s festival will see six different headliners across the weekend, exclusively British and Irish acts for the first time in 25 years.
Festival organisers also confirmed that Reading & Leeds would be the only UK festival appearances for all six headliners.
Charli XCX, Dave, Raye, Fontaines DC, Chase & Status and Florence and The Machine will top the bill for the festival which will take place on August bank holiday weekend in 2026.
However, the headline announcements have received a mixed reaction.
One fan took to social media to say: “Remember when Reading was primarily a rock festival? Yeah, me too.”
Another added: “I always thought Reading and Leeds had acts like Muse and Foo Fighters and others now seems to have gone more commercial for the younger audience.”
One person said: “Years ago these two festivals were the house of magnificent. Rock band, bands that have been written into history. Now it’s just a joke. Time is changed? It’s never changed for great rock bands.”
Meanwhile, there were also some positive reactions. One fan said: “Charli XCX, Raye and Jade are phenomenal (shame they are on different days). Wish older people would be more open minded to try listening to new artists. I’m 52 and having a teenage daughter has opened my mind. They are a lot more talented than most of the stuff I listened to in the 80s and 90s”
Another said: “Best line up for a long time but it depends what you listen to everyone is different.”
Another fan added: “Not terrible. Very relevant tbh. Good variety of artists. Mostly newish. FLorence keeping it 2000s. Headliners are all great live.”
One fan added: “Fountaines DC and Skepta amazing, the rest not my cup of tea but at least they’re giving modern artists a chance which is what a music festival should be. I also remember Reading was a rock festival but that was 20 years ago, can’t keep rolling out the same bands, let the new generation have their fun.”
Another said: “All the idiots moaning. Why. If you’re not interested just don’t go. Everyone else who goes will have a great time.”
