Hellfest fans were in for a surprise twist when the festival announced its 2025 lineup, headlined by Muse, Linkin Park, KoRn, and Scorpions. The unexpected addition of Muse to the metal-heavy roster came as a result of Foo Fighters canceling their planned summer tour, as confirmed by Hellfest founder Ben Barbaud in an interview with Le Parisien.
“A month ago, I was offered Muse along with a handful of other festivals,” Barbaud shared. “Foo Fighters having cancelled their summer tour, Muse was called in as reinforcements. I accepted because I was missing a headliner on Friday and because the Hellfest audience is more and more open. With age, I too have matured, I am less sectarian.”
This marks a notable shift for the festival, which traditionally leans heavily into metal and hardcore acts. Barbaud admitted that his tastes—and his approach to curation—have evolved. “I created this festival for the love of punk, hardcore and at the beginning for the purists. But today, I prefer to shock them than to always do the same artists. We could have invited Iron Maiden and Slipknot back, who were already there two years ago…”
Muse is no stranger to major festivals and will also headline Finland’s Rockfest, Pinkpop in the Netherlands, and Tons of Rock in Norway next summer. Meanwhile, Foo Fighters, who headlined Hellfest in 2024 alongside Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold, recently wrapped their US Everything Or Nothing At All tour.
The band currently has no upcoming live dates, and their only cancellation announcement so far was for the Soundside Music Festival. Whether this pause signals a break or a bigger shift remains to be seen.
