10 Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Bands That WILL Headline Download Festival

8. Alter Bridge

For the longest time, Alter Bridge have been gunning for a main stage Download slot. Their work just lives and breathes a stadium-sized sensibility.

2007's Blackbird was the real turning point, bringing in vocal powerhouse Myles Kennedy for duel guitar leads and in a more integral songwriting role. This kicked off a hot streak that's still going, comprising the concept album AB III, the expansive, experimentally furious Fortress, and the epic, sweeping The Last Hero.

Last seen one position away from headlining directly underneath Aerosmith in 2017, Alter Bridge have one of the most diehard fanbases in modern rock, with songs running the gamut from heavy as hell (Isolation, Farther from the Sun) to orchestral and majestic (Blackbird, Cry of Achilles, Twilight).

Harnessing the rare quality to appeal to multiple generations simultaneously, Alter Bridge's time is now.