THE Libertines and Oxford band Glass Animals are among more than 50 new names to be added to the bill for this year’s Reading Festival, tonight.

The indie-rock four-piece, fronted by Peter Doherty and Carl Barât, will join previously announced headliners Metallica and Mumford & Sons on the main stage at the event, beside the Thames from August 28-30.

Glass Animals, featuring former St Edward’s, Oxford Schoolmates Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer and Joe Seaward will play the gathering as part of a packed year of festivals, which will also include Coachella and Bonnaroo.

Other bands announced tonight include All Time Low, Bring Me The Horizon, Kendrick Lamar, The Maccabees, Knife Party, Limp Bizkit, Tyler, The Creator, Swim Deep, Everything Everything, Jamie XX, Boy Better Know, Camo & Krooked, Hudson Mohawke, New Found Glory, Mastodon, Cancer Bats, Django Django, The Wombats, Frank Turner, Ash, A$AP Ferg, Flatbush Zombies, Azealia Banks, Lethal Bizzle and Stormzy. The bands will also play the festival’s twin event in Leeds.

A spokesman for teh festival said: “We are thrilled to announce The Libertines as the final of this year’s Main Stage headliners. They cement a Reading & Leeds legacy which dates back to 2002. “Rising up through the Festivals’ billing, the legendary troubadours Peter Doherty, Carl Barât, Gary Powell and John Hassall made their main stage debut in 2003 and returned in 2004. The band blew the crowds away in 2010 when they famously reunited at the festival and now, for the first time, they will take their rightful place as Reading headliners. With their long awaited new record in the works, their set will undoubtedly be one of the defining moments of Reading 2015.”

In an exclusive video message, Peter Doherty said: “I’ve just woken up and I can’t stop thinking about playing at Reading & Leeds.”

John Hassall said: "Really excited to be playing Reading and Leeds this year. There is a great vibe in the band and we should be doing some new songs too. So it'll be the best Reading and Leeds ever!”

Gary Powell said: "We are all extremely happy to be playing Reading and Leeds this year. As it was the festival that graciously allowed us to perform back in 2010 at our first attempt at reforming, and the audience were amazing in their reception of us, it seems only right that we go back to the scene of the crime and do our best to not only replicate what we did back then - but do better, for the fans and friends we have met along the way.

“Here’s wishing 'us all' luck. We’ve all got a lot of work to do, but I, for one, am excited for the challenge and looking forward to seeing everybody!"

Oxford Mail:

Festival boss Melvin Benn said: “What a band to announce as our third headliner! The Libertines are part of the Reading & Leeds family and I can’t wait for the boys to walk on to our Main Stages in their rightful place at the top of the bill.

“I’m excited to announce over 50 other phenomenally talented acts today who will bring amazing performances for our fans. I really think we’ve got the ultimate line-up this year. Where else can you see Kendrick Lamar on the same day as Deadmau5 and Years & Years, or Marmozets on the same day as Azealia Banks or Metallica, or All Time Low on the same day as Knife Party or Mumford & Sons!

“It’s almost exactly six months to the festivals and I already can’t wait until August Bank Holiday weekend.

"Having spent some time reviewing the ticket price and talking to people about it I felt that where we had got to with the day price was too high and once I really examined it decided to go the whole hog and reduce it to £59.50. However, anyone thinking it’s a way to get the weekend including camping cheaper will be disappointed. It will not give access to the campsite as I'm creating new entrances for day ticket holders. It’s still great though for those that don't want to camp."

  • Video message from Pete Doherty
  • Tickets for Reading & Leeds 2015 are on sale now
  • Weekend tickets £205.00 plus £8.00 booking fee + postage
  • Day tickets Friday / Saturday / Sunday £59.50 plus £7.00 booking fee + postage
  • Early entry permits £20 Campervan permits £75
  • Reading car parking £10
  • Camping is included with weekend tickets only
  • To buy visit seetickets.com
  • Credit Card line: 0871 231 0821 Calls cost 10p per minute plus standard network charges.

Who's playing?

Newly announced today:

  • The Libertines (Headliner)
  • A$AP Ferg
  • All Time Low
  • Alvvays
  • American Football
  • Ash
  • Azealia Banks
  • Ben Kahn
  • Boy Better Know
  • Bring Me the Horizon (European Festival Exclusive)
  • Brodinski
  • Bury Tomorrow
  • Camo & Krooked
  • Cancer Bats
  • Cardiknox
  • Circa Waves
  • Coasts
  • Craze
  • Darlia
  • Dillon Francis
  • Django Django
  • DMA’s
  • Everything Everything
  • Flatbush Zombies
  • Frank Turner (solo)
  • Frnkiero Andthe Cellabration
  • FTSE
  • Ghost
  • Glass Animals
  • Gojira
  • Gorgon City
  • Hudson Mohawke
  • Jake Isaac
  • Jamie XX
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • Knife Party
  • Krept & Konan
  • Lethal Bizzle
  • Limp Bizkit
  • Little May
  • Lonely The Brave
  • Marmozets
  • Mastodon
  • Modern Life Is War
  • My Nu Leng
  • Neck Deep
  • New Found Glory
  • Nick Brewer
  • Oneman
  • Panic! At the Disco
  • Peace
  • Pell
  • Porter Robinson
  • Radkey
  • Rae Sremmurd
  • Rat Boy
  • Ratking
  • San Fermin
  • Simple Plan
  • Slaves
  • Stormzy
  • Swim Deep
  • The Bulletproof Bomb
  • The Districts
  • The Maccabees
  • The Menzingers
  • The Wombats
  • Toyboy & Robin
  • Tyler, The Creator
  • Walking On Cars
  • We Are The Ocean
  • While She Sleeps

Already announced:

  • Metallica (Headliner and UK Festival Exclusive)
  • Mumford & Sons (Headliner and England & Wales Festival Exclusive)
  • Bastille (England & Wales Festival Exclusive)
  • Catfish and The Bottlemen
  • Deadmau5
  • Hannah Wants
  • Jack Garratt
  • Jamie T
  • Manchester Orchestra
  • Pierce The Veil
  • Pretty Vicious
  • Rebel Sound
  • Refused
  • Royal Blood (UK Summer Festival Exclusive)
  • Run The Jewels
  • Wilkinson (Live)
  • Wolf Alice
  • Years & Years

* Glass Animals talk to The Oxford Times about their amazing year. See this Thursday's Weekend section