The lineup for Reading and Leeds Festival has been confirmed, and fans have slammed it for including the “worst headliners ever.” The long-running British festival returns in 2023 with hundreds of acts performing at its twin sites at Reading’s Richfield Avenue and West Yorkshire’s Bramham Park.
More than 30 acts have so far been confirmed for slots at the festival – taking place over the August bank holiday weekend from August 25 to 27 – with many more to be announced. Continuing its recent tradition of having two main stages at both sites, the festival now boasts double headline acts each night.
Topping the bill this year are Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons, Sam Fender, Foals, The Killers and Lewis Capaldi. The whopping six headliners are arguably some of the most successful artists around, with many chart-topping hits between them and previous headline performances – most notably Eilish’s Glastonbury 2022 headline slot, which made her the youngest ever solo headliner earlier this year.
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Despite this, fans are “fuming” following the announcement, with many taking to social media to share their overwhelmingly negative reactions. Slamming the lineup on Twitter, @jxmesjxhn said: “THATS ATROCIOUS WHAT WERE THEY THINKING, reading and leeds get a f***ing grip.”
@SuperLucasb said: “Reading and Leeds dropping the worst headliners I think I’ve ever seen a top tier festival drop.”
@indsclayton added: “What in gods name is that reading and leeds line up.”
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Some fans, who booked their tickets before the lineup was announced, are already regretting their decision. @elysia36982489 said: “Bought tickets yesterday and I'm fuming.”
HERE ARE YOUR FIRST NAMES FOR #RANDL23@LoyleCarner, @wetlegband, Central Cee, Steve Lacy and @BeckyHill plus your headliners and LOADS more join us for one huge August bank holiday weekend pic.twitter.com/loMmEOyDkQ
— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL)
Reading and Leeds has previously seen rocky heavyweights including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, and Iron Maiden grace the stage at its two sites. While British music icons Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and Muse have also performed over the years.
But over the past decade, the festival has seen a marked change in style of acts performing, with organisers appearing to opt for more pop-based artists as opposed to rock. This has not gone down well with many festivalgoers, who have criticised the festival for moving away from its roots.
@MrPauloGoodman said: “Some people are really gonna dislike that Reading and Leeds line up…. Used to be a rock festival, it’s morphed into T4 on the beach.”
@emmyeliza__ echoed: “Actually baffling how reading and leeds have gone from top tier line ups to imagine dragons rock festival turned into the big weekend.”
“Reading and leeds is quite literally becoming v festival and relying on tiktok and npc acts to sell tickets,” @stxn_h added. “Always been an advocate for it to be a mix, but this lineup REALLY isn’t it.”
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi – confirmed to be taking the Saturday and Sunday headline slots – hit back at the criticism with a tongue-in-cheek message on Twitter. He said: “‘Reading and leeds is a ROCK festival what the f**k is Lewis capaldi doing there’.
“‘Lewis capaldi isn’t festival material’. F**k ye. Dream come true to be one of the headliners for @OfficialRandL next year, see ye there x.”
He added: “It’s mad I’m gonna save rock and roll when I headline reading and Leeds wtf.”
Tickets for Reading and Leeds 2023 go on general sale on Monday, December 12 at 9am.
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