Reading and Leeds 2026: Charli XCX and Raye to headline

Getty Images Charli Xcx Wears A Yellow Strappy Top. He Has Long, Wavy Brown Hair And Wears Black Sunglasses. She Is Singing In Front Of A Microphone And Pointing At The Camera. — Reading and Leeds will be Charli XCX’s only performance at a UK festival next year

British stars Charli XCX, Dave and Raye will headline Reading and Leeds Festival next summer.

Irish rock band Fontaines DC, electronic duo Chase & Status and band Florence + The Machine will also headline both events over the August bank holiday weekend.

It is the first time in 25 years that the headliners at the sister festivals are exclusively British and Irish artists, organizers say.

Five-time Brit Award winner Charli XCX’s appearances are her only UK festival shows currently scheduled for next year.

Ywaaaaaaqabaaacauwaow== | Stuff Unknown — Raye first performed at the Reading and Leeds Festival last year.

Getty Images Raye Is Wearing A Strappy Black Dress. She Performs On Stage And Sings In Front Of A Microphone. There'S A Band Playing Behind Her And There'S A Sign That Says — Raye first performed at the Reading and Leeds Festival last year.

Reading and Leeds bosses said the twin events would be the only appearances by the six headliners at UK festivals next year.

The West Yorkshire venue will also host a headline performance on Thursday for the first time, with rock band Kasabian set to take to the stage.

Irish rap trio Kneecap, pop singer Jade and grime artist Skepta will also be on the bill over the weekend, alongside American singers Sombr and Role Model.

Other confirmed artists include up-and-coming singer Skye Newman, Manchester-based DJ Josh Baker, Irish producer Kettama, American rock band Geese, Slovakian singer Adéla and rock band Keo.

Dutch DJ Chris Stussy will play Reading alone, with more acts still to be announced.

Getty Images Dave Sings Into A Microphone While Performing On Stage. He Is Wearing A Worn Denim Jacket. — Dave has recently cemented his position as one of the biggest names in British rap.

Charli XCX has had an impressive couple of years as the infectious electro-pop tracks from her culture-shaping album Brat climbed the charts and inspired a trend.

While the “brat summer” may be over, Reading and Leeds have said it will usher in a new era when it takes to the stage next summer.

He recently released his new song House, the first song from his upcoming album Wuthering Heights, which will soundtrack the long-awaited Emerald Fennel adaptation due out next year.

Dave has recently cemented his position as one of the biggest names in British rap after his third album, The Boy Who Played The Harp, reached the top of the charts earlier this year.

His success secured him the title of the first British rap artist to debut three albums at number one on the official UK chart.

Florence + The Machine, fronted by singer Florence Welch, also released their first album in three years on Halloween.

Florence told Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw on their podcast that she chose the date because it is a “darker album” than what she had done before and that it explores “life and death.”

Getty Images Florence Welch Wears A Flowing Cream Dress While Performing On Stage. She Is Singing Into A Microphone While A Spotlight Shines On Her. — Florence + The Machine released their first album in three years on Halloween

Meg, who has attended the festival every year since she was 17, told BBC Newsbeat that the line-up looks like it was made for her.

She also believes the headliners are “very large scale” and is particularly excited to have three women headlining the bill, something the festival has already faced criticism for.

In 2023, festival organizer Melvyn Benn said in an interview that he had worked “very hard to achieve full diversity” on his line-up, but argued that “there are simply fewer women available to headline festivals.”

American pop star Chappell Roan and American rapper Travis Scott were among the headliners at this summer’s festivals, along with metal band Bring Me The Horizon and singer-songwriter Hozier.

The events will take place in Reading’s Richfield Avenue and Bramham Park in Leeds between August 27 and 30, with artists rotating which days they perform.

Tickets go on general sale on Thursday and pre-sales are now live.