“It’s a little bit scary as it’s a big deal”: Fall Out Boy talk headlining Download Festival 2024

Next year, emo titans Fall Out Boy will make the giant leap into unknown territory as Download Festival headliners. Nestled alongside Queens Of The Stone Age and Avenged Sevenfold, the bill-topping set comes an entire decade after Patrick, Pete, Joe and Andy last stepped foot into Donington – having previously played main support to Linkin Park.

Now the (star)dust has settled on the first announcement for Download Festival 2024 – which also included the likes of Bad Omens, While She Sleeps, Polyphia and Sum 41 – we had a quick chinwag with FOB frontman Patrick Stump to find out what it means to be stepping up, and what heavy music gets him going…

How does it feel to be back at Download again, and headlining this time?
“No pressure! I feel like it’s a little bit scary as it’s a big deal. But we’re also at this point when we’ve done a lot of big deals and somehow, it’s worked out, so I’m also amazed to see that. I’m not a sports fan, but the Chicago Cubs had not been in the World Series for 109 years, but the year that we were in the series, they asked me to sing the national anthem before the game! I don’t even like the anthem, but I’d do it for the Cubs. When I got up there and the lights hit me, it was terrifying. I thought I’d suck, but also thought enough people think I do okay at this that they asked me to do it, so we’ll see what happens. I did it and it was fine, so that’s how I feel about Download. Part of me is like, ‘Really?!’ but here we are, 22 years after we started, going from playing in a cafeteria to Download. I’m waiting to see what happens.”

Do you get a lot of bona fide metalheads declaring their love for Fall Out Boy?
“We’re such a strange band. We’re kind of a pop-rock band or whatever, but we’re all deeply into heavy music in our own lives. We’re kind of your metal and hardcore kids’ pop band. We’ve always been that. I remember playing a hardcore festival with Terror and Every Time I Die and all these really heavy bands. We were the only pop band and everyone was like, ‘That’s cool, but we really want to mosh.’”

If you could curate your own heavy festival, who would be on the line-up?
“One of my favourite hardcore bands ever is a band called Left For Dead, so I’d want to see them. I would love to see Sepultura with Max and Igor Cavalera back in the band. I also really love Disembodied.”

Fall Out Boy will headline the Saturday night of Download Festival next year, taking place at Donington Park from June 14 – 16. Get your tickets now.

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