Chappell Roan, Hozier, Travis Scott and Bring Me the Horizon have been announced to headline Reading and Leeds in what arguably marks the festivals’ most eclectic lineup to date.
Hozier, Roan and Scott are all making their debut headline appearances at the twin events, while Hozier and BMTH are both festival exclusives.
Roan has experienced one of the biggest pop breakthroughs in recent memory thanks to her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which was released in 2023, along with hits such as “Good Luck, Babe!”, “Red Wine Supernova” and “Pink Pony Club”.
The Independent named “Good Luck, Babe!” as one of its songs of the year, with Annabel Nugent writing: “It’s a shame that only one of Chappell Roan’s songs is eligible for this list, so buoyantly brilliant was [The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess ]– discovered by so many only this year. But it makes sense that it was ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ (released in April) that finally sent her star soaring.
“The sapphic encapsulates the singer’s most melodramatic tendencies: Eighties synths wrapping around her Kate Bush-inspired yodels like a fluffy, purple feather boa. Lyrically, it’s brattish and frank – which is to say, classic Roan.”
Meanwhile, Hozier has enjoyed a new level of success thanks to his first UK No 1 album, 2023’s Unreal, Unearth, and a follow-up EP, Unheard, that included the hit single “Too Sweet” – recently confirmed to be one of the biggest-streamed songs of the year.
Grammy-nominated US rapper, singer and producer Scott released his latest album, Utopia, last year – it debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was also his first No 1 in the UK.
Sheffield-formed metal band BMTH last headlined Reading and Leeds in 2022 and have received critical praise for recent records such as 2019’s Amo and 2024’s Post Human: Nex Gen.
Also on the Reading and Leeds lineup are rappers AJ Tracey, Trippie Redd and Blanco, rock bands Enter Shikari, Wunderhorse, Royal Otis, Amyl and the Sniffers, Sea Girls, and the Linda Lindas, and pop acts Suki Waterhous, Lola Young, Luvcat and Nieve Ella.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, said in a statement: “We’re witnessing an exciting wave of inspiring voices breaking through in pop culture, and this lineup captures that energy perfectly.
“This is one of the youngest average ages for headliners in years, and that’s very exciting in itself.”
Reading and Leeds festivals take place between 21 to 24 August. The pre-sale opens at 12pm on 7 December, while the general sale opens at midday on 9 December.
In a review of this year’s event, Mark Beaumont praised organisers for giving the festival some of its “bite” back, singling out performances from Irish band Kneecap, rock band Neck Deep, South African singer Kenya Grace and DJ Nia Archives.
