Ryan Cormier

The News Journal

When Firefly Music Festival announced its 2016 lineup two to three months earlier than years past, it was an out-of-the-blue shocker.

It came a year after leaks upended the big 2015 Paul McCartney announcement, and it had then-Firefly director Greg Bostrom declaring, "No room for speculation this year, I guess."

Because no one really knows when Firefly will announce its 100-plus-act lineup, The News Journal decided to bump up its annual Fantasy Firefly poll of festival-goers even though we're still seven months away. (The festival is in Dover from June 15 to 18 in 2017.)

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We put out a call asking fans for their top three choices to perform at Firefly, which is entering its sixth year in the shadow of Dover International Speedway.

There were a record 287 votes cast through email, Facebook and Twitter from both News Journal readers and the hardcore festival fans that populate the 9,300-person Firefly Music Festival Fan Page on Facebook.

After back-to-back jaw-dropping headliners in 2014 (Foo Fighters) and 2015 (Paul McCartney), last summer's Firefly seemed to lack the wow factor of previous years, leaning on four headliners instead of three for the first time – Mumford & Sons, Kings of Leon, Florence & the Machine and Deadmau5.

What do Firefly's schedulers have up their sleeve this year? We will have to wait and see.

In the meantime, let's dig into our not-so-diverse Fantasy Firefly '17 results, which found English alternative rockers Muse as the band with the most mojo.

Muse (44 votes): Demand has been running high for Muse to headline Firefly for years. Singer Matt Bellamy and the rest of the thunderous, Grammy Award-winning group certainly know how to close out a festival, having headlined plenty over the years, including England's Glastonbury Festival in February. Known for shows filled with bombast and elaborate stage setups, Muse would wow, even if the group may not be a household name. Chances: Pretty strong. While no 2017 tour dates have been announced, Bellamy told an interviewer at the Q Awards earlier this month that “we’re going to do some festivals in the U.S. maybe because we kind of missed that out last summer."

Gorillaz (37 votes): It's hard to believe, but it's been 18 years since Blur frontman Damon Albarn teamed up with comic book artist Jamie Hewlett to create the "virtual" band Gorillaz. In the early days, when the single "Clint Eastwood" became a hit, the alternative rock/hip hop/electronica mashup act would perform behind a screen depicting the bands' animated characters. More recently, Albarn and a rotating crop of musicians have been front and center for live shows. Chances: Very good. The band is expected to release its fifth album soon – its first in five years. And members have hinted that a supporting tour could accompany it.

Pearl Jam (27 votes): Pearl Jam is another act that has been high on the wishlists of Firefliers – the band won the Fantasy Firefly '15 poll. Could this be the year Eddie Vedder unleashes his growl in Delaware for the first time? It would be a particularly sweet moment because the guardians of grunge are expected to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April – about two months before Firefly. Chances: The band toured in 2016, including a pair of shows at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia in April and headlining sets at Bonnaroo and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. And while there are no dates currently scheduled for 2017, it's not a stretch to think that the guys could take a summertime victory lap that included a few festivals.

Green Day (18 votes): It's been a little more than a month since Green Day released its 12th album, "Revolution Radio," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. In a modern music world lacking many big-time rock bands, Green Day joins Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters as some of rock's remaining major draws that aren't over the age of 60. Chances: The band has a large-scale tour scheduled for 2017 in support of "Revolution Radio," taking the group through the United States, Europe and Australia starting at the beginning of the year. With festival appearances on Firefly weekend in Italy and Austria, we won't be seeing Billy Joe Armstrong in Dover this summer.

Twenty One Pilots (17 votes): This rap/pop/rock hybrid has owned Firefly ever since the duo's electrifying back-to-back performances in the Woodlands in 2013 and 2014. Both rapper/vocalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun are shameless crowd-surfing performers that can light up a festival after only a few minutes on stage. After a year off from Dover, fans want to see more of their musical stunts. Chances: Still touring behind last year's "Blurryface," the band's Emotional Roadshow World Tour is closing down in April after running across the United States, Europe and Australia for a full year. Is it possible for the band to do a few festivals? Sure. Is it probable following the grind the group has been on? Most likely not.

Eminem (15 votes): Slim Shady in the First State? The enigmatic rapper hasn't released an album since 2013 – "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" – and there are strong signs that a follow-up could be coming. But like Bob Dylan, Eminem's moves are mysterious and unpredictable. Last month he dropped a surprise track, "Campaign Speech," name-checking everyone from President-elect Donald Trump and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Chances: With no tour dates on his docket and only rumors of a new album, it's unclear if Delaware has any chance of snagging the Detroit hit-maker.

Arcade Fire (13 votes): Enthralling live shows have helped make Arcade Fire an in-demand festival act over the years. Sure, the Canadian rockers aren't quite as unpredictable as their earlier years, but the six-piece led by Win Butler can still shrink a field and make it feel like you're in a club. Chances: In September, Butler told NME, "We're all itching to play music together and start recording things." With a new album possibly in the works, don't write off Arcade Fire. But without new tunes, it's hard to see the act firing up an elaborate tour this summer.

Dave Matthews Band (12 votes): Twenty-two years after playing the Stone Balloon in Newark, could the Dave Matthews Band return to Delaware? The festival favorites may not have the juice they had back in the '90s, but they still draw major crowds with their annual summer tours. Chances: When announcing this year's tour, the band also made clear that it would go on a touring hiatus in 2017. So while there will be some fans tripping in the Woodlands this June, Dave won't be there "Tripping Billies."

Honorable mention with 11 votes each: The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, 2013 Firefly headliner Red Hot Chili Peppers and 2014 Firefly performer Chance the Rapper.

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).