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Festivals have secured a number of exclusive performances, including from British pop star Charli XCX and rapper Dave
Roisin O'ConnorMonday 01 December 2025 09:56 GMTComments
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Charli XCX has been announced as a headliner for Reading and Leeds festivals, along with rapper Dave, pop star RAYE, Irish rock band Fontaines DC, Florence and the Machine, and Chase and Status.
The artists will perform on the main stage at both sites on August Bank Holiday Weekend next year.
It has also been revealed that the festivals have been extended to Thursday, with rock band Kasabian taking on the inaugural headline slot.
Other musicians on the 2026 lineup include grime veteran Skepta, British pop star Jade, Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, US rock band Geese, Sombr, and singer-songwriter Role Model.
Further artists are to be announced at a later date.
With Glastonbury Festival taking its traditional hiatus next year, other festivals will be vying for music fans’ attention during summer 2026.
(Getty)Charli XCX established herself as a headline-worthy act following a rapturously received performance on the Other Stage at Glastonbury, a set that drew one of the weekend’s biggest crowds.
She also completed a sold-out tour in support of Brat, the 2024 album that became a cultural behemoth and dominated pop discourse for much of that year. Her headline slot at Reading and Leeds will be her only UK festival performance of 2026.
Elsewhere, RAYE continues her ascent, with her second album scheduled for release next year and a headline tour on track to sell out, including four nights at London’s O2 Arena. Florence and the Machine released their latest, critically adored record, Everybody Scream, and will embark on a headline tour next year.
Fontaines DC, meanwhile, played a triumphant sold-out headline show at Finsbury Park this summer as part of a headline tour in support of their fourth album, Romance, which attracted critical praise and charted at No 2 in the UK and Ireland.
Mercury Prize winner Dave recently released his long-awaited third album, The Boy Who Played the Harp, becoming the first UK rap artist to debut three albums at the top of the UK chart. His Reading and Leeds shows are also a festival exclusive.
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Reading and Leeds 2025 included headline sets from US pop star Chappell Roan, Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, Travis Scott, and Bring Me the Horizon.
Tickets for next year’s festivals go on general sale at 12pm on Wednesday 3 December. The festival presale begins at 9am on Tuesday 2 December.
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