Reading & Leeds Festival 2024: A Weekend You Do NOT Want To Miss!

While the British summer weather is, well, being British summer weather - you may be finding it difficult to visualise yourself in a festival field. Though our festivals are known for their mud, it can be hard to get excited for this key part of our summertime. However, don't let this hold you back from buying your festival tickets and missing out! Today, we're shining a spotlight on one of our expected highlights of the summer - Reading & Leeds Festival.

In our opinion, Reading & Leeds Festivals is always a highlight of the vast amount of festival options. Reading Festival is the longest-running popular music festival in the UK, and it's no surprise why! In recent years, we watched iconic headliners like Billie Eilish (2023), The 1975 (2022, 2023), Megan Thee Stallion (2022), Arctic Monkeys (2022), and Stormzy (2021) grace both the Reading Festival and Leeds Festival stages. And this year, the headliners continue to be show-stoppers, with six stellar acts: Blink-182, Fred again..., Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon. Many of whom are only doing Reading & Leeds as their exclusive UK festival appearances (namely, Lana Del Rey, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Fred again...)

Apart from one torn ligament and messy hair, our previous experience seeing Fontaines D.C at Reading Festival was nothing but positive. This is a band that knows how to take on the Main Stage, and this time around will be no different. Their fourth album, 'Romance' will be released on during the festival weekend - who wouldn't want to celebrate the album's release by watching the band's performance on the main stage? Watch Fontaines D.C.'s set on the Main Stage on Saturday 24th August (Reading) and Sunday 25th August (Leeds).

Reneé Rapp is rapidly becoming one of the most interesting acts on the scene right now. Rapp has an infectiously lively on-stage presence which makes for a genuinely enjoyable time at any of her sets. With Broadway training, it's no surprise that her vocals will blow you away. Her rise into mainstream stardom has been a pleasure to watch, with her ability to give you the space to blow off steam, lean into pain experienced and grief suffered, and truly let loose in a safe space, all in one sitting. If her performances at places like Coachella, Saturday Night Live, or the Governors Ball haven't already sparked your interest, her latest album, 'Snow Angel' (2023) should do all the talking. Her slot is set to pull a huge crowd, and we warn you now that if you miss out, you will regret it. Catch Reneé on the Main Stage on Friday 23rd August (Leeds) and Sunday 25th August (Reading).

Jorja Smith feels like RnB royalty and there is no doubt that she will be bringing energy to the BBC Radio 1 Stage. Since her debut album 'Lost & Found' (2018), she has taken the world by storm and released major hits such as 'On My Mind', 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', with her more recent projects flirting with the dancehall scene all while sticking to her roots. Something that Smith embraces is versatility, with tracks like 'Where Did I Go?' and her most recent feature on Childish Gambino's 'In The Night' being so sonically and thematically different. The variation within her music, but holding onto the same passion and distinctive vocals throughout showcases her multifaceted talent. This set will be a party, you better RSVP. Jorja will be headlining the BBC Radio 1 Stage on Friday 23rd August (Reading) and Saturday 24th August (Leeds).

Reading & Leeds is always set apart from other festival lineups due to their unique and exciting selection of artists. One that really stands out this year is Artemas, an alternative pop artist that we've been following for a few years now. Artemas has been building a strong and distinctive sound that has been incredibly popular on social media. Every time we catch an Artemas set at a festival, it's always a standout performance, so cannot recommend catching this one enough. Artemas is playing the BBC Radio 1 Stage on Friday 23rd August (Leeds) and Sunday 25th August (Reading).

We mentioned earlier the incredible UK-exclusives that Reading & Leeds Festival hosts each year, and this summer, Bleachers is only performing at Reading, Leeds and their headlining O2 Academy Brixton show - meaning you absolutely cannot miss this set! Front-manned by Jack Antonoff, long-time collaborator with Taylor Swift, as well as Lorde, The 1975, Lana Del Rel, Clairo and most recently Sabrina Carpenter, Bleachers is a really exciting band to watch live and is likely to a great experience during the busy festival schedule. With Taylor Swift performing in Wembley shortly before the festival, and Lana Del Rey headlining, you can't help but wonder: should we expect some crossovers...? Bleachers will be on the Main Stage on Saturday 24th August (Reading) and Sunday 25th August (Leeds).

Despite the already-stacked line-up, please do not get comfortable just yet! Each year, fans are treated to surprise sets throughout the weekend, from more intimate performances from artists on the existing line-up to appearances from singers and bands that one truly could not predict. Festival goers are notified before the event via social media and the official R&L app, to let them know who will be gracing the stage shortly. Everybody loves a surprise, and it makes for some of the most memorable moments across the weekend. Personally, we love to make our own guest predictions. Who do you think will perform a secret set this year?

Reading & Leeds have taken the opportunity to expand the festival this year, with the inclusion of a brand new stage, 'The Aux'. With a heavy focus on podcasts and alternative media programming, this will provide a space to experience culture and entertainment within a new but rapidly expanding platform. 'The Useless Hotline' and 'Antics with Ash' are just a couple of names featuring on The Aux, making for a compelling development within the festival's overall structure. We are excited to see how the attendees will take to this interactive, media personality showcasing new stage and see what the future brings for live podcasts within the music realm.

New names JUST ADDED to The Aux include 'The Chunkz & Filly Show', 'Fan Girl Files', and a long-time Blonde Vibrations favourite, 'Goes Without Saying.'

Whether this will be your first time attending a festival, or you know the R&L experience like the back of your hand, this will no doubt be an unforgettable weekend for everyone. Festivals like this are a prime opportunity to not only get to see your beloved artists play but discover all that the music scene has to offer across all genres and find new favourites, future headliners, and rising stars while you have the chance.

To check out the full lineup, find out more information, and purchase tickets, please visit Reading & Leeds Festival's official webpage here.