Bloodstock is wasting no time in fuelling excitement for next summer’s metal pilgrimage. Hot on the heels of this year’s event, the festival organisers have confirmed that Bloodstock Open Air 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the biggest editions in its history.
The first wave of names was announced during this year’s festival, revealing an absolutely colossal trio of headliners: Lamb Of God, Slaughter To Prevail, and Judas Priest. That opening salvo alone would be enough to set metal fans’ hearts racing, but the announcements didn’t stop there. The early lineup also included Carpenter Brut, 200 Stab Wounds, Sepultura, Municipal Waste, Bleed From Within, Orbit Culture, Northlane, and many more — a thunderous first taste of what’s coming to Catton Park next August.
27 More Bands Just Announced
Now, Bloodstock have doubled down and delivered another massive announcement — confirming 27 new bands joining the 2026 bill.
Leading the fresh wave are British metal legends Saxon, who will headline the Thursday night party on the Ronnie James Dio Stage. Known for their anthemic NWOBHM classics and high-energy live shows, Saxon are guaranteed to fire up the festival weekend in spectacular style.
They’ll be joined on Thursday by Bloodstock cult favourites Evil Scarecrow, whose theatrical antics and tongue-in-cheek robot metal have become a staple of the festival, and the wonderfully bizarre dino-metal crew Heavysaurus, promising riffs, roars, and a whole lot of chaos.
New Additions to the Ronnie James Dio Stage
The main Ronnie James Dio Stage will also see an influx of heavy hitters and rising stars across the weekend. Among the newly announced acts are:
- Graphic Nature – delivering visceral, groove-laden metalcore
- Battlesnake – bringing their wild Aussie heavy rock energy
- Party Cannon – Scotland’s kings of party-deathgrind
- SKYND – known for their dark, true-crime-inspired industrial sound
- Inhuman Nature – thrash-fuelled crossover chaos
- Kittie – returning nu-metal icons making a triumphant festival comeback
- Castle Rat – theatrical doom rockers with a flair for the bizarre
- Bootyard Bandits – country metal mayhem straight from the wild west
This eclectic mix shows Bloodstock’s willingness to push beyond the traditional boundaries of metal while staying true to its heavy roots.
Sophie Lancaster Stage Gets a Huge Boost
Not to be outdone, the Sophie Lancaster Stage has also received a colossal boost. Known for spotlighting underground heroes, international cult favourites, and next-big-thing contenders, the Sophie Stage is often where festival-goers discover their new favourite bands.
The newly announced names include:
Neckbreakker, URNE, Celestial Sanctuary, Stampin’ Ground, Dream State, Viking Skull, Mushroomhead, Trivax, Froglord, Hidden Intent, Sellsword, Seething Akira, Hammer, Bound In Fear, Imperium and the gloriously unhinged Excrementory Grindfuckers.
From the return of British hardcore pioneers Stampin’ Ground to the theatrical chaos of Mushroomhead and the genre-bending intensity of Seething Akira, this is a lineup that spans the full spectrum of the heavy music world.
Bloodstock 2026 Line-Up So Far
Here’s every band confirmed for Bloodstock Open Air 2026 so far — with many more still to come:
| Stage | Artist |
|---|---|
| Headliners | Lamb Of God · Slaughter To Prevail · Judas Priest |
| Ronnie James Dio Stage (Initial) | Carpenter Brut · 200 Stab Wounds · Sepultura · Municipal Waste · Bleed From Within · Orbit Culture · Northlane |
| Ronnie James Dio Stage (New) | Saxon · Evil Scarecrow · Heavysaurus · Graphic Nature · Battlesnake · Party Cannon · SKYND · Inhuman Nature · Kittie · Castle Rat · Bootyard Bandits |
| Sophie Lancaster Stage | Neckbreakker · URNE · Celestial Sanctuary · Stampin’ Ground · Dream State · Viking Skull · Mushroomhead · Trivax · Froglord · Hidden Intent · Sellsword · Seething Akira · Hammer · Bound In Fear · Imperium · Excrementory Grindfuckers |
Bloodstock Returns August 6–9, 2026
Bloodstock Open Air returns to Catton Park, Derbyshire from August 6–9, 2026, and if this lineup is anything to go by, it’s set to be one of the most diverse, daring, and downright heavy years in the festival’s history.
With legendary icons, cult favourites, and the next generation of metal all represented, Bloodstock continues to prove why it remains the UK’s ultimate destination for metal fans. And hey, if headbanging in a field isn’t your thing… Coachella was announced today too!