Reading and Leeds festival 2016: Red Hot Chili Peppers first headliners announced

The 1975 and Slaves will also be hitting the festival.

Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at Super Bowl XLVII (AP)

Red Hot Chili Peppers will be headlining the Reading and Leeds Festival 2016, in what marks the first announcement of the festival's line-up. 

The slot comes off the back of the band's plans to release their 11th studio album, produced by Danger Mouse; it will also mark their first time at the festival in nine years, having previously headlined in 1994, 1999, and 2007. 

Also part of the announcement: The 1975, Courteeners, Twenty One Pilots, Boy Better Know, DJ EZ, Hinds, the Japenese rave-metal band Crossfaith, and the Mercury-nominated Slaves have all joined the bill. 

Slaves said of the news, "It's always a pleasure to play at Reading and Leeds and it's an honour to be invited back to play again in 2016. The crowds have been good to us and we are always very grateful. The lineup is always a good'un and we're looking forward to being part of it and taking things up another level this time."

There's no indication of when the next drop of acts will occur, but there have already been rumours of Biffy Clyro, Muse, and Florence and the Machine as potential headlining candidates. 

Weekend tickets are currently available to buy, priced at £213 (£205, including the £8 booking fee); though there is the option to pay the same price in a series of four £50-£58 installments. Day ticket prices have yet to be confirmed or released. 

This year's festivals will take place simultaneously over 26-28 August.