Bloodstock Announces 27 More Bands for 25th Anniversary
As plans for BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary get underway, the festival has unveiled another 27 bands for 2026’s monumental event. With heavyweights, cult favourites, and rising stars joining the awesome bands already announced, this year’s line-up is shaping up to be one for the ages. And there are still plenty more names yet to come, with approximately 125 bands in total set to appear. Did you know? BLOODSTOCK is going to open the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Thursday now as well! Early bird, campervan, and VIP tickets are already sold out and weekend tickets are over 90% gone, so act quickly to get tickets if you don’t want to miss out!
And so to the bands…
THURSDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE
Headlining the opening night on the Ronnie James Dio main stage are none other than British heavy metal legends SAXON. With over four decades of anthems and an iron-clad reputation for blistering live shows, SAXON’s triumphant return to BLOODSTOCK will kick off the weekend in classic style. Expect a masterclass in pure heavy metal power.
Also joining Thursday’s main stage are BLOODSTOCK favourites EVIL SCARECROW, who bring their eccentric, theatrical brand of tongue-in-cheek metal mayhem, and HEAVYSAURUS, the dinosaur-costumed heroes delivering family-friendly metal fun. Previously announced for the Sophie Lancaster stage, HEAVYSAURUS now stomp onto the RJD stage for maximum roar.
FRIDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE
Prepare for the unnerving, true crime inspired, industrial sounds of SKYND, the outrageous brutal slamming, death metal riot of PARTY CANNON, and the serpentine heavy rock theatrics of BATTLESNAKE.
SATURDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE
Warm up your necks, thrash-fuelled crossover aggression comes courtesy of London’s INHUMAN NATURE, flying the flag for the new generation of feral thrash.
SUNDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE
Closing the weekend in ferocious style, BLOODSTOCK is thrilled to host the BLOODSTOCK debut of Canadian alt-metal pioneers KITTIE. Joining them are occult doom bringers CASTLE RAT - all hail the Rat Queen, boundary-smashing modern hardcore crew GRAPHIC NATURE, and Wild West metal rabble rousers BOOTYARD BANDITS (from Worcester no less).
FRIDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE
Unleash the chaos with German grindcore absurdists EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, Australian thrash squad HIDDEN INTENT, UK medieval power metallers SELLSWORD, Danish death metal beasts NECKBREAKKER, electro nu-core party-starters SEETHING AKIRA, and rising Scottish extreme metal outfit HAMMER.
SATURDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE
Expect no compromises from UK hardcore institution STAMPIN GROUND, genre-bending heavy hitters URNE, death metal purists CELESTIAL SANCTUARY, swaggering stoner rock bruisers VIKING SKULL, down-tempo brutality from BOUND IN FEAR, technical groove maestros IMPERIUM, and amphibian doom oddballs FROGLORD.
SUNDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE
Round off the weekend with the masked industrial spectacle of MUSHROOMHEAD, soaring alt-rockers DREAM STATE, and blackened extremists TRIVAX.
BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary is going to be truly unforgettable. With many more bands & additional on site entertainment still to be announced, this is the must-attend celebration of 2026!
BLOODSTOCK 2026 will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 6th - 9th August, 2026.
Already announced to perform at BLOODSTOCK 2026 are RJD headliners LAMB OF GOD, SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, and JUDAS PRIEST. Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, your headliners are CRYPTOPSY (None So Vile 30-year anniversary set), WEDNESDAY 13, LEPROUS, and CARPENTER BRUT. Joining the fun over the full event are SEPULTURA, MUNICIPAL WASTE, DEATH ANGEL, NORTHLANE, BLEED FROM WITHIN, VENDED, ORBIT CULTURE, THE SCRATCH, IMPERIAL AGE, LIFE OF AGONY, OF MICE & MEN, BIOHAZARD, 200 STAB WOUNDS, THE HELL, BLACK SPIDERS, SHINING, and NEVERMORE!
