By Izzy Hurcum
Every year nearly a quarter of a million people attend Reading and Leeds Festival. With the legendary Glastonbury Festival taking a fallow year (or a year off in simpler terms), R&L is going to be the biggest festival in the UK this year, and the festival booking team did not disappoint with the lineup. With headliners like Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Florence + The Machine, and Dave, it’s no surprise that promoters are urging fans to get tickets sooner rather than later as the festivals are likely to sell out by the end of June.
Taking a good look at the lineup, which isn’t yet fully revealed, there are many fantastic acts on across the weekend outside of the headliners. Below are my picks of who you should make time for if you’re heading to either festival this August bank holiday.
Friday (Reading) / Saturday (Leeds)
Geese
I’m sure by now you must be sick of hearing the name ‘Geese’ being thrown around when people discuss new bands you should be listening to, and honestly, I am too. That said, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re brilliant, and one of the bands I’m most excited to see this year. Known for the hit songs ‘Taxes’, ‘Cobra’ and ‘Au Pains Du Cocaine’ from their 2025 album Getting Killed, the four-piece American rock band and set to take the festival by storm, and I’m already predicting that they will pull in one of the largest crowds of the weekend.
The Guest List
On the same day The Guest List play their first ever Reading Festival, they’re also set to release their debut album, Something Real. The Manchester-based indie band have been making waves in the indie scene recently, blending punchy indie-rock energy with huge singalong hooks. The band have built a reputation for chaotic live shows and crowd-pleasing anthems that feel perfect for festival season. Whether you’re a fan or just wanting to pass the time between other acts, expect big riffs, bigger choruses and a band with the potential to be massive.
Acts to look out for at Reading and Leeds 2026
Saturday (Reading) / Sunday (Leeds)
Slayyyter
If there’s one artist guaranteed to turn R&L into a hyperpop-fuelled fever dream this year, it’s Slayyyter. However, I have one complaint, why is she not on the same day as Charli XCX?! Regardless, if you want thumping basslines and Y2K aesthetics mixed with modern hyperpop chaos, make sure you schedule your day around Slayyyter’s set. And if you somehow still don’t know what poppers smell like after Charli XCX’s headline slot, this might be your chance.
Raye
I feel like I shouldn’t be mentioning a literal headliner in a ‘ones to look out for’ list, however as far as headliners go, I believe Raye might be one of the most underrated acts booked. After being seemingly unstoppable for the past couple of years, it’s finally time to bring her high energy and powerful performances to the main stage and grace us with a blend of jazz, R&B, and pop with brutally honest lyricism that can captivate crowds. And if her recently concluded tour is anything to go by, don’t expect her set to be anything less than one of the standout moments of the weekend.
Sunday (Reading) / Friday (Leeds)
Westside Cowboy
It seems as if this year’s R&L lineup consists of plenty of guitar based indie bands on the verge of becoming the next big band, and Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy is no exception. The classic indie guitar sounds we are all so familiar with mixes with a folk sound in a way that works so effortlessly and makes for vibrant performances. This makes them an exciting prospect on this year’s lineup. With the excitement and momentum surrounding the band at the moment, along with their highly anticipated debut album on the horizon, this might be your last chance to see Westside Cowboy on a small stage.
Holly Humberstone
Holly Humberstone has a rare ability to make even the biggest festival stage feel intimate. The Lincolnshire singer-songwriter has the ability to balance raw emotion with hands-in-the-air indie-pop moments which connect deeply with crowds. Since breaking through with a string of emotionally charged EPs, her debut album Paint My Bedroom Black, and now her recently released sophomore album, Cruel World, she has built a reputation for live performances that feel both vulnerable and euphoric in equal measure. Don’t be surprised if Humberstone delivers one of the weekend’s most emotional and quietly unforgettable sets.
Music Journalists Izzy Hurcum, Freya Hoare and Leah Simons discuss the 2026 Reading and Leeds Festival Line Up.
