Guess the 1st Band Announcement Date for 2026

by **aleyeahed** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:25 pm

Yes, the PCD is real, so let's shake off those winter blues and participate in some true nostradoomass-level buffoonery! Remember, the winner will get a free BOAT-time's supply of Sorrento's pizza. Not the gruel they serve the plebs, oh no, the good stuff they reserve for the staff. And for bonus points, free deep-dish Sorrento's, the holy grail of the pizza world, guess the first band for giggles.

My guess: Friday, April 18th Dark Tranquility

Previous year's data stolen from smarter sleuths than I for reference.

2025 - April 19
2024 - May 25
2023 - October 28
2020 - October 19
2019 - August 31
2018 - July 03
2017 - July 08
2016 - June 25
2015 - March 15
2014 - March 31
2013 - June 27
2012 - April 18
2011 - December 18 (2009)

by **metalforever** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:31 pm

Going with June 16 .

by **metalforever** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:44 pm

metalforever wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:31 pm Going with June 16 , Insomnium .

by **aleyeahed** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:54 pm

metalforever wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:44 pm
metalforever wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:31 pm Going with June 16 , Insomnium .

They were gonna be my guess, but I figured Stanne would take top billing, haha.

by **toby** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:14 pm

I'm going to lean towards agreeing with you on Dark Tranquillity. I'll also go with April 17th just to not share the same day. lol

by **DrinkMoxie** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:33 pm

April 24

I seriously doubt any band I'm into would be their big hype first announcement, but I'll make a bold swing on The Halo Effect

by **aleyeahed** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:45 pm

toby wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:14 pm I'm going to lean towards agreeing with you on Dark Tranquillity. I'll also go with April 17th just to not share the same day. lol

Here we go, the Price is Right argument rules, haha

by **AverageMetalDrummer** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 3:00 pm

My guess is April 4. As for which band, let’s go with… Gaerea. I don’t believe they’ve been onbroad yet, but they seem fairly popular. It would be cool if they started announcements with some new blood, unless I’m wrong about their status.

by **Swiss Jack** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 3:22 pm

GRAVE DIGGER... No kidding

by **DeadPoet** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 4:15 pm

I'll go with April 25, with Testament as first band.

by **Jabberwock** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 4:24 pm

May 9, Dimmu Borgir

by **toby** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 4:45 pm

aleyeahed wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:45 pm
toby wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2025 1:14 pm I'm going to lean towards agreeing with you on Dark Tranquillity. I'll also go with April 17th just to not share the same day. lol
Here we go, the Price is Right argument rules, haha

If it's after the 17th, I lose. That's the way PIR rules work. Of course, for me to collect my winnings, I'd have to be there, so...

by **Downvod** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 5:48 pm

Some interesting guesses for first band announced. More often than not, the first announcement is one that makes a splash (Angra for 2024 might be the only exception I can think of). I doubt some of the most repeated bands/artists 70K has ever had ((Insomnium Gatherum or a Mikael Stanne project) will be the first announcement for next year, but who knows.

by **aleyeahed** » Tue Feb 18, 2025 6:06 pm

Oh yeah, I'm referring to the hand wringing over some folks' interpretation of Price is Right rules as it relates to the winner. Much ado about nothing. In a previous life I did stand in for Bob Barker during commercial breaks, the rules are emblazoned upon my eyelids.

by **Metalhead_80s** » Wed Feb 19, 2025 6:26 am

March 20...band? Somebody bigger than Dark Tranquility. Helloween?

by **bodomdragon** » Wed Feb 19, 2025 6:33 am

I think the first band will be one that hasn't been onbroad before. I can't imagine at all DT (nor The Halo Effect for that matter) being the first announcement.

by **MuzakMaker** » Wed Feb 19, 2025 12:17 pm

March 28th. Three Inches of Blood

by **aleyeahed** » Thu Feb 20, 2025 6:58 am

Testament and Helloween are great guesses. Armed with a time machine I would change my prognostication, but alas, mine is broken. The field as it currently looks would make for a killer Boat.

In summary, to date:

March 20th Metalhead_80s Helloween
March 28th MuzakMaker Three Inches of Blood
April 4th AverageMetalDrummer Gaerea
April 17th toby Dark Tranquility
April 18th aleyeahed Dark Tranquility
April 24th DrinkMoxie The Halo Effect
April 25th DeadPoet Testament
May 9th Jabberwock Dimmu Borgir
June 16th metalforever Insomnium

by **metalforever** » Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:24 am

If I win I would like to have premium topping on my pizza

for example: anchovies, olives

or spinach. Who has the inside track to let this happen? Onions also work . I only notice regular or pepperoni pizza at Sorrento.

by **MuzakMaker** » Thu Feb 20, 2025 12:07 pm

Gaerea would be such a left field pick for a first band but I'm here for it

by **MMatti** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:40 am

Ah, good to see this game is back, always fun.

I think they will start a little later this year, as the early start of the announcements, and more importantly the booking process caught some people off guard. Now, there is a chance that they will simply delay the start of the booking process and not the first announcement, but that would be innovative so I don’t think that will happen. I was going to go with May 9 but that is taken so I will choose May 2nd.

Nice touch to add the first band as part of the guess. Extra toppings if you get it right? My guess is Wintersun. Or Be’lakor. But Wintersun more likely.

by **Metaltrout** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 3:49 pm

70k will finally have a true headliner when Havukruunu is announced on June 29th.

by **aleyeahed** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 4:38 pm

A little more action, nice to see. With new Havukruunu dropping today that certainly makes for a fun pick, and one I'd certainly welcome. Wintersun is yet another great guess, further diminishing my lousy dart throwing skills.

In summary, to date:

March 20th Metalhead_80s Helloween
March 28th MuzakMaker Three Inches of Blood
April 4th AverageMetalDrummer Gaerea
April 17th toby Dark Tranquility
April 18th aleyeahed Dark Tranquility
April 24th DrinkMoxie The Halo Effect
April 25th DeadPoet Testament
May 2nd MMatti Wintersun
May 9th Jabberwock Dimmu Borgir
June 16th metalforever Insomnium
June 29th Metaltrout Havukruunu

by **Metalhead_80s** » Sun Mar 02, 2025 7:52 am

So, just to confirm, Price is Right rules apply, correct?

No nonsense reverse PIR rules as we've seen for the 2024 boat?

by **MedolicVaralin** » Tue Mar 04, 2025 11:43 am

My guess is Kanonenfieber on May 1st. I see this band getting talked about more than most newer bands these days. I bet they (or him Mr Noise) will be Sabaton levels of fame in ten years.

Who says it has to make sense?!?

by **aleyeahed** » Tue Mar 04, 2025 4:57 pm

Metalhead_80s wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 7:52 am So, just to confirm, Price is Right rules apply, correct?

No nonsense reverse PIR rules as we've seen for the 2024 boat?

It will be the same as before. If you guess April 1st and April 1st comes and goes with no announcements, then a lovely retirement community hammock for you it shall be. One with limitless free Sorrento's pizza of course, just no bragging rights on the guess, which also, coincidentally enough, comes with limitless free Sorrento's pizza.

by **MMatti** » Thu Mar 13, 2025 7:21 am

One week to go for the first kill.

by **toby** » Thu Mar 13, 2025 11:04 am

MMatti wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 7:21 am One week to go for the first kill.

They're already running behind on the recap videos, so my guess might have been a little ambitious.

by **Metalhead_80s** » Thu Mar 13, 2025 2:54 pm

MMatti wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 7:21 am One week to go for the first kill.

You mean until a winner is chosen

by **MMatti** » Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:51 am

Metalhead_80s wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 2:54 pm You mean until a winner is chosen

No, I do not, haha, but I hope you will be crowned the winner!

In any case I hope our beloved cruise will not be affected by this tariff and boycott nonsense we have going on currently. If I were Andy I would maybe hold my horses for a while and see how this pans out.

by **Metalhead_80s** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 5:20 am

Well, I lost...they're running behind on the recap vids.

by **BoltThrower** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:07 am

First announcement will be January 28.

by **MuzakMaker** » Fri Mar 28, 2025 1:25 pm

Well, we got an email with information (all old, but I guess might be news if you didn't attend the thank you and avoided all forms of 70K socials?)

So I'll count the moral win of correctly guessing a marketing date.

by **caddee313** » Sat Mar 29, 2025 8:25 am

April 24th 70K will announce a one size fits all band, perhaps Arch Enemy in an attempt to attract the masses. (I can live with that)

by **AverageMetalDrummer** » Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:41 pm

April 4th is getting close, and I can see the reaper in the distance. Will he catch me? Or will Skipper come through and start announcing bands, saving me from Survivor Hell?

by **aleyeahed** » Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:36 am

Some new guesses, going for the BOLD with Kanoenfieber rouses the loins!, and now a few ambitious sailors left in the wake of Skipper's cruelty, so let's provide an update:

Eliminated
On the chopping block clock

March 20th Metalhead_80s Helloween
March 28th 28th MuzakMaker Three Inches of Blood
April 4th AverageMetalDrummer Gaerea
April 17th toby Dark Tranquility
April 18th aleyeahed Dark Tranquility
April 24th DrinkMoxie The Halo Effect
April 24th caddee313 Arch Enemy
April 25th DeadPoet Testament
May 2nd MMatti Wintersun
May 9th Jabberwock Dimmu Borgir
June 16th metalforever Insomnium
June 29th Metaltrout Havukruunu
January 28th BoltThrower

editor's note: it's disappointing the strikethrough code isn't enabled on this forum. first world problems.

by **toby** » Sun Mar 30, 2025 10:46 am

For the record, Dark Tranquillity has two 'l's in it. Because they don't buy into the 'Merican spelling.

by **Metalhead_80s** » Mon Mar 31, 2025 4:41 am

aleyeahed wrote: ↑Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:36 am Some new guesses, going for the BOLD with Kanoenfieber rouses the loins!, and now a few ambitious sailors left in the wake of Skipper's cruelty, so let's provide an update:

Eliminated
On the chopping block clock

March 20th Metalhead_80s Helloween
March 28th 28th MuzakMaker Three Inches of Blood
April 4th AverageMetalDrummer Gaerea
April 17th toby Dark Tranquility
April 18th aleyeahed Dark Tranquility
April 24th DrinkMoxie The Halo Effect
April 24th caddee313 Arch Enemy
April 25th DeadPoet Testament
May 2nd MMatti Wintersun
May 9th Jabberwock Dimmu Borgir
June 16th metalforever Insomnium
June 29th Metaltrout Havukruunu
January 28th BoltThrower

editor's note: it's disappointing the strikethrough code isn't enabled on this forum. first world problems.

If we're going by PIR rules, which we agreed we were, March 28 is still in the game. It's the closest without going OVER.
March 28 would be eliminated on April 4th at Midnight, if there are no bands between now and then.

by **aleyeahed** » Mon Mar 31, 2025 4:49 am

toby wrote: ↑Sun Mar 30, 2025 10:46 am For the record, Dark Tranquillity has two 'l's in it. Because they don't buy into the 'Merican spelling.

Huh, I never nu that. Always be learning!

by **aleyeahed** » Mon Mar 31, 2025 5:36 am

Metalhead_80s wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 4:41 am
aleyeahed wrote: ↑Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:36 am Some new guesses, going for the BOLD with Kanoenfieber rouses the loins!, and now a few ambitious sailors left in the wake of Skipper's cruelty, so let's provide an update:

Eliminated
On the chopping block clock

March 20th Metalhead_80s Helloween
March 28th 28th MuzakMaker Three Inches of Blood
April 4th AverageMetalDrummer Gaerea
April 17th toby Dark Tranquility
April 18th aleyeahed Dark Tranquility
April 24th DrinkMoxie The Halo Effect
April 24th caddee313 Arch Enemy
April 25th DeadPoet Testament
May 2nd MMatti Wintersun
May 9th Jabberwock Dimmu Borgir
June 16th metalforever Insomnium
June 29th Metaltrout Havukruunu
January 28th BoltThrower

editor's note: it's disappointing the strikethrough code isn't enabled on this forum. first world problems.
If we're going by PIR rules, which we agreed we were, March 28 is still in the game. It's the closest without going OVER.
March 28 would be eliminated on April 4th at Midnight, if there are no bands between now and then.

This happens every year, with the stakes so high it's understandable that we want to get it right...

I'm cool with whatever the collective decides, but if the first announcement is April 3rd that sure seems like a date over March 28th, no?

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