Not one to wait, Download Festival have revealed their headliners for 2020! KISS, Iron Maiden and System of a Down will be heading the next festival of rock and metal at the hallowed Donington.
It will be a return to the festival for KISS for the first time since 2015, 2018 for SOAD and 2016 for Iron Maiden.
The show on Friday will be a UK exclusive for KISS who began their farewell tour earlier this year. Gene Simmons said: “I’ve said it before, Download Festival audiences are the best. They are up for whatever is thrown at them. KISS is going to come fully prepared to rock their world in 2020 to say Thank You for always showing up for us.”
Paul Stanley added: “Download will be the culmination of 47 years of unapologetic bombast and spectacle. We will make this a fitting farewell to a country and its people whose music remains the blood in our veins.”
Londoners Iron Maiden will only be performing two UK festival shows in 2020, with Download on the Saturday being one of them. Bruce Dickinson said: “Next year we will play a number of countries and cities we have yet to visit on this incredible tour, so it is terrific to be able to accept the invitation to return to Download in 2020 and we will certainly go to town and add a few extra items to the show. This will be our seventh time headlining at Donington Park. It’s home turf and we all really enjoy playing this Festival, the vibe from the crowd is always fantastic.”
System of a Down will be closing the festival with a headlining slot on Sunday. The band’s Shavo Odadjian said: “Next year we will play a number of countries and cities we have yet to visit on this incredible tour, so it is terrific to be able to accept the invitation to return to Download in 2020 and we will certainly go to town and add a few extra items to the show. This will be our seventh time headlining at Donington Park. It’s home turf and we all really enjoy playing this Festival, the vibe from the crowd is always fantastic.”
Also announced to perform are Deftones, Korn, The Offspring, Gojira, Disturbed, Black Veil Brides, Daughtry, Of Mice & Men and Alestorm.
Festival organiser Andy Copping said: “Downloaders, your 2020 headliners are here! Rock ‘n’ roll legends KISS and System of A Down will both be headlining as UK Festival exclusives and after 4 years away from Donington, Iron Maiden will return bringing with them mascot Eddie and more fire than we can handle, I’m counting down the days already!”