is this the comment you guys are referring to? if so, my first instinct was 'either trolling or being trolled'.. but then a wee bit a dread set in with "what if it was right??" haha
This is the one. I think they are 100% being trolled themselves. They DMed me to explain it a bit more and without saying too much - my vibe is that they messaged somebody they assumed works for the festival and because they said "trust me bro" they trusted them and assumed they worked for the festival. Which just feels like a massive leap to me. That somebody for the festival would just be bopping around and give hints to a rando on the Internet and confirm who 2/3 of the headliners are. Seems like a good way to lose your job if that shit ever got f'real leaked. I just don't see a world where Riot books three active rock fest headliners in a single year. That has never happened. They usually spread it out across genres or whatever...
Disagree. Lp would have played if Chester never passed away. Feel like it would have been 2018 or 2019
There's just zero evidence that they have any interest in booking nu-metal artists. Deftones and System are exceptions for aesthetic reasons (e.g., one has roots in the hardcore scene, the other is pretty much beloved across the board). Slipknot would never have played the festival if NIN hadn't dropped out. If there was a history of them booking like, Papa Roach or whatever I'd feel differently. It just hasn't ever happened with headliners or in the undercard. So I'm not sure why they'd start now. Maybe it changes or whatever (and there's a way to book a neat undercard around Linkin Park, TBH) but there's no reason to think it would have happened given the history of bookings the festival has had.
Lp is headlining a few of the bigger overseas fests. Rock am/im ring, download, Rock in rio, parklife so they fit the 5th bullet point
Given who lp has toured with or had guest spots on songs you could curate a full day of roots and riot around them.
Also given their hardcore fan base and the possibility of it being billed as their only us show of 2026 they would def sell tickets I’ve had a gut feeling for a while now they would somehow end up on the lineup after they weren’t on lolla. Lolla asked them to play last year but declined cuz they were doing their own thing. Kinda figured they would have asked them to play this year in that same convo but guess not
I feel like a good bit of nu metal/ex-nu metal is kind of a gray area in terms of whether or not they’d fit Riot’s vibe. I think it’s like a case-by-case basis thing for me Like, Deftones* playing in 2016 made total sense considering their sound and aesthetic. But I couldn’t imagine Linkin Park playing Slipknot was also an interesting one because I’d never really pin them down as a “Riot band” but it made sense to me. They’ve toured with many Riot alumni and I think for many, they were a “gateway to Metal” band. So it worked in the end (*I know, they aren’t nu metal, but they get clumped with those bands still, so I put them in as an example)
This is pretty much how I feel about Linkin Park too. I have plenty of friends who got into emo/pop punk because MCR, TBS, the Used, and the like were on the Projekt Revolution tour. Also, genuine bit of inside info from the Slipknot year is that it happened in part because they are big fans of the festival and really wanted to do it.
There is a lot of grey area in that space. I've said in the past that, similar to Rob Zombie's initial appearance, I could see Korn doing an album play but as a more "standard" set I'd find it odd. Slipknot is on the fence but their current influence on hardcore, all of the KnotFest bills, etc. have it making a bit more sense. My thing is it just seems like the festival has zero interest in booking artists in that space. Not that Riot isn't above compromise but there's some lines they seem to have drawn over the years. I mean, we're talking about a festival that had a multiple comment back/forth with somebody clowning on them for suggesting 311... (Hard disagree with them on that one! LOL) That's interesting about Slipknot! And you probably don't know all the ins/outs of how that happened but... Doesn't that almost prove the point? If they were fans of the festival and really wanted to do it... You kinda have to figure that they had probably tried before and other options (better from the fest's perspective) were available. Like I said above, not that Riot is above compromise to sell tickets or whatever but there just has always seemed like a few things they'd always say no to. Like, I find it hard to believe that at no point Papa Roach asked to play this thing.
Korn’s another weird one. They’re one of the ones I couldn’t see playing, but considering Slipknot have played, plus Korn having a resurgence in popularity, I don’t think it would be too odd? 311 I think would fit decently. At this point in the career, they tend to get more affiliated with more reggae rock groups. Many of which have already played Riot.
That’s interesting. I wonder if their interest in the fest lead to them working out a radius clause deal. They did play Tinley Park a week or two after Riot, I recall (or was it before?)
311 is definitely on the short list of "really fucking weird they've never played" at this point. But I feel like they never will if the social media interactions are anything to go by. A few years back, I was daydreaming about having a stage with 311 and Turnstile. But clearly that time has passed. LOL With bands like Korn, or even Limp Bizkit, I think the context matters. It works now but it wouldn't have a few years back. You could do something neat with like Korn and some bands they used to tour with (e.g., Helmet, Quicksand or some Family Values alum like Method Man, Ice Cube, Primus, or Incubus), that they are fans of, or who were inspired by them.
Pierce the Veil definitely fits the "major festival headliner" this year description, I've been wondering if it's possible. They also have a history with the fest so it makes sense to me. Personally, I'm rooting for it, but I also don't think that post is real.
One week out and we can’t even convince ourselves on at least 15 hard locks let alone a single headliner. They got our ass good this year.
Very much not a headliner, but The Beaches have a little Riot gap that puts them in play for the Saturday. The first festival they're playing is in New Labrador, Canada so Chicago makes a good midpoint between there and Denver.
We can formally rule Pearl Jam out. Stone Gossard has said that the identity of the new drummer won't be revealed until Ohana.
Took another look at the Sugarcult post from back in April that seemed to be a tease toward a live show... But in the comments the band confirmed that "unfortunately Tim can’t perform live these days." So scrap Sugarcult too. I feel like this year has had more "oh look, this band is reunitin--oh no? JK!" moments compared to most years. Hole is another one that stands out as pretty notable. Though, TBH, a Courtney Love set with Melissa would still be a truly awesome get for the festival.