A7X could easily pass as a smaller headliner a la Lost Prophets in 2008. BFMV would be awful, i'd rather see A7X headliner than Bullet

Andy Bullet though, and their last album sold shedloads over here - reckon they're not far off.

A7X not good live? Are you off your tits?
Depeche mode can go suck a fat one
 

greenyboy27

Creed!

No way in hell would they headline over here. 3rd from top on main at best I reckon.

I would love to see the mighty Iron Maiden on their 7th Son recreation tour (and, as they played Donington, under the Monsters Of Rock banner on that tour, what's the possibility that they'll be back for the recreation of 7th Son at the same venue, albeit under the Download banner, that it is now).
Stone Sour, I'd love to see, tho, are they festival headliner status yet? Priest, AC/DC, Rammstien.... crikey, the list goes on.

TheTrooper92

A7X not good live? Are you off your tits?
Depeche mode can go suck a fat one

 
What a fantastic contribution.  Yes, they are terrible live, and I'm not talking from purely my own taste/opinion as I don't mind them on album, but every time I've seen them (and yes that is more than once) they've been abysmal.  M Shadows hitting bum notes left right and centre, completely sloppy drumming (except after The Rev was replaced) and guitar work to boot, very noticeably bad.  Never seen them put on a good performance, hell I've never seen them even put on an average performance, which is a shame.  Yet the fanboys/girls still lap it up either way.
 
Depeche Mode are, on the other hand, one of the finest bands around. Fantastic on album, massively influential, and fantastic live too.

With the crowd they pulled last year, reception they got they will be headlining festivals before long. If Soni is back next year, they will headline that before they do Download though.

New generation of kids will make them headliners init

Oh for sure, and they are certainly near enough popular, so fair play... doesn't make them good though 
 
Was just pointing out why I said they they are a poor live act, because they are (from all the times I've seen them), none of which were because I was off my tits.  If I was off my tits I'd probably enjoy them more.

A7X are a poor live band, but have a big enough fan base to headline,  then again so do 30STM & BFMV, DOESN'T MEAN THEY SHOULD THO

Most newer bands are ****...I reckon we should have Def Leppard headline every year. Serious now, some bands should and will get a shot because we will need new bands to headline or it will get boring....
 

Jack123

a7x and b4mv will never headline end of, no substance to keep hold of a crowd of downloads size

What about say, in ten years or so? When a lot of the older bands aren't around any more? Personally, I think either one of them can in 4/5 years or depending on how their next album goes. I definitely think A7X need to do their own arena tour before they can be contenders. As for BFMV, I think they need to stop touring the UK for a while. Seen them 4 times I think it is, so probably wouldn't see them. Definitely need about two more big albums before I'd consider seeing them again.

billy_GNR

Jack123

a7x and b4mv will never headline end of, no substance to keep hold of a crowd of downloads size

What about say, in ten years or so? When a lot of the older bands aren't around any more? Personally, I think either one of them can in 4/5 years or depending on how their next album goes. I definitely think A7X need to do their own arena tour before they can be contenders. As for BFMV, I think they need to stop touring the UK for a while. Seen them 4 times I think it is, so probably wouldn't see them. Definitely need about two more big albums before I'd consider seeing them again.

 
hopefully they'll disband and cry into their minimal royalty checks. hopefully in ten years we will have something bigger and better. mediocrity rules the music at the moment, someone is going to give it a good kick up the arse.
 
and everyone talks of these bands headlining in future years. Deftones? biggest career, sub headlined in 2010, sold a hell of a lot more and are the better the band in my opinion..
 
and lets span this list off shall we, it kills me to see everyone talking about two bands.
Lamb of God, Mastodon and Biffy Clyro have already headlined a uk festival
 
and lets face it Metallica are going to be around till the end of time like motorhead
 
stirrring the pot.. 

Van Halen, Rammstein and anyone else and Soni can give it a miss for another year...

Pendulum are supposedly going to release a new album in early 2013 . If this gets big and bigger than The Immersion surely with their incredible live shows they'd be put in the pot of bands that could headline Download. I think that they are better than BFMV, A7X and 30STM. Perhaps not for 2013 but 2014 they'll be a very big electronic rock type band and they'd be a perfect alternative like The Prodigy this year. Next year they'll almost definitely play a big slot at Reading and Leeds and in 2014 I think that a Download headline slot will be beckoning and an Other Stage headline at Glastonbury would be good, especially clashing with a non-heavy headliner at Glastonbury.  Pendulum are not **** like some newer bands. Personally I think that A7X, BFMV and 30STM are pretty good but Pendulum are better and more reliable as more people like them and less people are cynical about them.

like to see Tool in there somewhere, are the stilll going come to think of it?

Anyone think Stone Sour could headline depending on how well their double album does?

juggle_monkey

Anyone think Stone Sour could headline depending on how well their double album does?

I think they are more likely to sub under a big headliner first

I bet Slipknot will play again cos its a safe booking and a big pull to the Download demographic. There's usually one classic band playing so I'll say Van Halen though I hope Pearl Jam take this spot. Then some new blood, I still think NIN could happen which would be enough to get me to buy a ticket

Whether you like it or not, think they're good or not, there's no beating around it, Avenged WILL headline permitting their next album goes well. Andy Copping has said it himself. 
 
Oh and, controversial statement here... Lower Than Atlantis WILL be massive in a few years. You heard it here first