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Reading & Leeds 2026: the complete line-up deep dive
All the runners and riders across both sites of the UK’s blockbusting bank holiday twin festivals
The biggest and most sonically-diverse festival of the 2026 British summer is right around the corner. But, while Reading & Leeds has long had its roots in the rock and punk space – Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Nirvana all stormed its stages in decades past – the team behind the bank holiday event have vastly expanded the range of genres covered.
While the guitar revival rages on, DJs are frequently being hailed as the new rock stars, so it’s no surprise this year’s line-up is stacked with many of the biggest names in the UK dance scene, including drum ‘n’ bass duo Chase & Status who are among the headliners.
Though their high-energy live show is sure to have mosh-pits springing up left, right and centre, rap and pop artists take a large chunk of the top billing, too, with Dave, Charli xcx, Florence + The Machine, Fontaines D.C. and RAYE closing each day of both festivals.
With this year’s R&L offering something for every music fan, then, here is our rundown of unmissable acts.
The BRAT-pop takeover
Charli xcx
Having blown everyone away with her Wuthering Heights soundtrack and recently released the glitchy headbanger ‘Rock Music’ – in which she proclaims the dancefloor is dead, no less – a headline slot would be the perfect stage for everyone’s favourite 365 party girl to debut her new direction.
ADÉLA
She might not have made it into the final KATSEYE line-up, but the standout star of Netflix’s Pop Star Academy has become a cult icon nonetheless. Having emerged from the series hungrier and sharper, she bulldozed the industry with a Grimes collab and the unashamedly sexual EP ‘The Provocateur’. Now, almost a year on from her debut London shows, she’s about to take Reading & Leeds by storm.
Slayyyter
If Slayyyter’s conversation-dominating Coachella debut is anything to go by, the cult-favourite disruptor – who delivered one of this year’s best pop records with “iPod music” throwback third album WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA – is sure to send her UK fans feral when she unleashes bass-heavy raunchy rap onslaughts ‘CRANK’ and ‘BEAT UP CHANEL$’.
The Stateside showmen
sombr
One of the breakout stars of the past 12 months, sombr really knows how to put on a show. Dressed like a flamboyant star from another era, his charismatic BRIT Awards and Coachella performances proved why he’s one of the modern greats, as did a brief UK tour where he was joined on one night by Niall Horan. With a bucketload of viral hits already in his arsenal, prepare to sing your heart out to ‘back to friends’, ‘12 to 12’, ‘undressed’ and recent single ‘homewrecker’.
Role Model
When it comes to festival anthems, the country twang of Role Model’s viral smash ‘Sally, When The Wine Runs Out’ is made for mass singalongs in a huge field. Taken from his folk-tinged second album Kansas Anymore, sun-tinted break-up breezes ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ and ‘Look At That Woman’ will go down just as well.
The guitar revival
Geese
Off the back of their stellar third album, ‘Getting Killed’, Brooklyn rockers Geese have rightfully earned the Rolling Stone-anointed title of “the best young band in years”. The accolades have kept coming: less than one month on from being hailed as “the new savours of rock ‘n’ roll” by The Guardian, Sabrina Carpenter was spotted in the crowd at their Coachella show in April. Absolutely huge. Being in the crowd for ‘Taxes’ will be unforgettable.
Fontaines D.C.
Dublin rockers Fontaines D.C. have been making tunes for almost a decade, but it was their 2024-released fourth album, Romance, that led to their breakout moment. Off the back of cathartic hits ‘Starbuster’ and ‘Favourite’, they’ve since graduated to become one of the best live bands in the world. Their upcoming headline slots at Reading & Leeds feel like a crowning moment.
Bleech 9:3
Picking up the mantle of Nirvana – whose Reading & Leeds shows in the 90s remain legendary – are Bleech 9:3. Initially formed amid addiction recovery in rehab, the Irish four-piece’s gritty guitars and raw vocal delivery present a thrilling update on grunge for a new generation. Off the back of just a handful of singles – including the incendiary ‘Ceiling’ and ‘Jacky’ – they’ve been inciting teenager-heavy moshpits at their wild live shows in the UK and across Europe.
The generational lyricists
Dave
Performing his first UK shows since an arena tour that saw him headline The 02 in London FOUR times earlier this year, Dave’s headline show at Reading & Leeds will be nothing short of legendary. With a wealth of material to draw from, including his chart-topping third album The Boy Who Played the Harp, he’ll prove why he’s regarded as one of the best lyricists of his generation.
Loyle Carner
Fresh from his recent role in BBC One drama Mint – a modern-day Romeo & Juliet-style crime caper – this vital voice of the UK hip-hop scene will take to the Reading & Leeds stages armed with four albums worth of material. The rapper, songwriter and spoken word artist’s most recent record, the deeply personal and introspective ‘hopefully !’, deservedly reached No.2 in the UK chart last year.
The belters
Skye Newman
As well as taking the coveted BBC Radio 1 Sound of crown and bagging two BRIT Awards nominations, Newman’s emotionally-charged ‘Hairdresser’ and ‘Family Matters’ made her the first UK female solo artist in over a decade to debut in the Top 20 with both a first and second release – and one of only four artists to reach this milestone in the past 70 years. Having since opened for Lewis Capaldi at arenas, her recent The Woman I Am tour saw her perform for huge crowds across the UK and Europe, captivating thousands with her Adele-esque chat, show-stopping vocal and raw yet relatable storytelling.
Mulaa Joans
Fresh from supporting Sekou on his tour and selling out her own headline show at Hoxton Hall in London, prepare to shed a tear watching this fast-rising singer-songwriter. Wielding an authenticity and honesty far beyond her 19 years, the emotionally-charged ballad ‘Love Letter’ is not only lyrically poignant but showcases her timeless voice.
The new-gen club stars
![Omar+ & bullet tooth - Lose Control [Official Visualiser]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q_QtdTWlE3Y/0.jpg)
Omar+
Blending his own new-school R’n’B vocals with bumping house and UKG flavours, this TikTok-favourite club star’s refreshingly different sound has already taken him to Miami Music Week and Coachella this year. His sets at Reading & Leeds are sure to draw huge crowds.
NOTION
Off the back of his BRIT-award-nominated bass-heavy remix of Chrystal’s ‘The Days’ – which has clocked up more than half a BILLION Spotify streams – this Bristolian DJ and producer has become one of the hottest names on the dance scene. Pushing the new wave of UK dance music to a global stage, his high-octane blends of bassline, garage and house recently led to a Mixmag cover and rework of Redlight’s classic ‘GET OUT MY HEAD’.
Silva Bumpa
With an unexpected viral hit, ‘Doin’ it’, under his belt, this Geordie DJ and producer has risen through the ranks of obscurity to playing some of the biggest stages in the world, including recent shows in Las Vegas. Best get down early for this one.
The genre-blenders
Jane Remover
A pioneer of the viral dariacore microgenre, Jane Remover’s three albums to date have pushed boundaries across shoegaze, digicore, and maximalist pop. The likes of ‘JRJRJR’ and ‘Dancing with your eyes closed’ from last year’s ear-splitting Revengeseekerz – which was praised for its emotional intensity and genre-fluid experimentation – are sure to have mosh-pits spring up left right and centre.
Frost Children
Hyperpop. Electro-clash. Indie-sleaze. The second coming of EDM. Whatever you call it, this St Louis duo are the future of music. Throwing multiple genres into a blender, their explosive third album ‘SISTER’ is packed with euphoric outbursts and surprisingly tender moments. Their Reading & Leeds debuts will not only be a must for their cult fanbase, they will likely help them reach a whole new audience.
Pepsi MAX presents Reading & Leeds runs across both sites over the August bank holiday weekend. Find tickets – including day passes, VIP upgrades and transport options – here for Reading, and here for Leeds
Photo credits: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images, Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Ally Coalition, Joseph Okpako/WireImage, Rick Kern/Getty Images
