Reading Festival 2025 Preview: Glitter, Guitars & Glorious Chaos Incoming

Hold on to your bucket hats – Reading Festival 2025 is about to blow the roof off Richfield Avenue from August 21–24 (well, if it had a roof). Whether you’re there for the music, the mosh pits, or the memories you probably won’t remember, this year’s lineup is stacked, chaotic, and gloriously genre-bending

Blink-182 @ Reading Festival 2024

Blink-182 @ Reading Festival 2024 (Nick Allan)

Headliners: All Killer, No Filler

Travis Scott is touching down for a European exclusive – expect bass drops that rattle your bones, lasers that could land planes, and mosh pits that could open portals. Utopia? More like Read-topia.

Then there’s Chappell Roan, the neon-clad pop queen bringing theatrical bangers, unapologetic queer energy, and probably more glitter than is legally advisable. It’s her world – we’re just in it.

Need a soulful comedown? Hozier has got you. He’s back with his first UK No. 1 album, Unreal Unearth, and ready to gently crush your heart while making you feel weirdly euphoric.

And because it’s not Reading without at least one breakdown that makes you question your life choices, Bring Me The Horizon return with Post Human: Nex Gen, set to melt faces and maybe summon a few demons (the fun kind).

Lineup Lowdown: Legends, Lunatics & Future Faves

You want variety? We’ve got you:

The Kooks and Bloc Party are bringing peak indie sleaze nostalgia. Side fringes optional, but encouraged.
AJ Tracey will tear up the stage with grime-laced hits, while Becky Hill is basically a walking, belting Ibiza sunrise.
Enter Shikari = pure adrenaline. Conan Gray = dreamy angst. Wunderhorse = gritty guitars and future cult status.
Fancy a musical curveball? Try Balming Tiger, Amyl And The Sniffers, Lambrini Girls a or Bakar – genre boundaries don’t apply.
And don’t sleep on future headliners Good Neighbours, Matilda Mann, Nieve Ella and Nell Mescal. Catch them now so you can brag about it later.

The Vibe: Mud, Mayhem & Magic

Reading isn’t just a festival – it’s a rite of passage. It’s where you lose your voice, your inhibitions, and probably your tent pegs. It’s sunrise sing-alongs, impromptu raves, glitter explosions, and at least one emotional breakdown in front of a falafel stand.

And for those who like to plan (or just not get lost looking for the loos), the festival app will be back with set times, maps, alerts and probably a friendly reminder to hydrate.

The Need-to-Know

Tickets are flying faster than a pint thrown in the pit. Snap yours up via Ticketmaster, See Tickets, or the official Reading site. Whether you’re camping in a field, glamping in style, or just showing up for the Saturday chaos, there’s a ticket with your name on it.

Reading Festival 2023 (Luke Dyson)

What’s My Age Again?! Friday Night At Reading Festival 2024

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Less Than Jake @ O2 Academy, Birmingham (Nick Allan)

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Avalanche @ O2 Academy, Birmingham (Nick Allan)

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