2022 Headliners

[Mattymooz]

7 minutes ago, jparx said:

I really, really want to see them book a new/newish act for the Friday night that, by traditional standards, wouldn’t be at a headline level. Foals a few years ago, Wolf Alice now, Sam Fender etc. Stick with your huge names the other two nights, but specifically give a huge leg up to an act on the Friday and establish that as the star making slot. Over the last few years you could have given it to Florence (before the bump up), Foals, The XX, Ezra, and Wolf Alice this year. The thing sells out in minutes anyway, and it’d be really exciting trying to guess who gets the big slot each year, forces them to pick something out of left field and adds some extra anticipation and unpredictability.

Hell, I'm down to start a campaign for a PinkPantheress Friday headline slot in 2023

Edited February 15, 2022 by Mattymooz

[The Martini Police]

Pierce O'Brien - 23/06/2023. Let's make that young lad's dream come true. Spicehead will be one for the ages.

[balthazarstarbuck]

14 minutes ago, jparx said:

I really, really want to see them book a new/newish act for the Friday night that, by traditional standards, wouldn’t be at a headline level. Foals a few years ago, Wolf Alice now, Sam Fender etc. Stick with your huge names the other two nights, but specifically give a huge leg up to an act on the Friday and establish that as the star making slot. Over the last few years you could have given it to Florence (before the bump up), Foals, The XX, Ezra, and Wolf Alice this year. The thing sells out in minutes anyway, and it’d be really exciting trying to guess who gets the big slot each year, forces them to pick something out of left field and adds some extra anticipation and unpredictability.

I think this is an overlooked Glastonbury tradition of booking people as headliners maybe before others think they’re ready (and before other major festivals do so). It’s not simply a case of getting the largest acts possible. Coldplay*, Muse*, KOL, Florence and Stormzy all had questions as to whether they were big enough or had enough songs to headline.

On this years I’m in the weird spot of thinking it’s a high quality set, maybe the most balanced in the festivals history, and yet I’d say I’m more than likely not gonna see any of them (clashes permitting obviously) There’s something for everyone, just not for me!

* the first time.

[CaledonianGonzo]

27 minutes ago, jparx said:

I really, really want to see them book a new/newish act for the Friday night that, by traditional standards, wouldn’t be at a headline level. Foals a few years ago, Wolf Alice now, Sam Fender etc. Stick with your huge names the other two nights, but specifically give a huge leg up to an act on the Friday and establish that as the star making slot. Over the last few years you could have given it to Florence (before the bump up), Foals, The XX, Ezra, and Wolf Alice this year. The thing sells out in minutes anyway, and it’d be really exciting trying to guess who gets the big slot each year, forces them to pick something out of left field and adds some extra anticipation and unpredictability.

What are the criteria, though, if size and popularity are removed as factors?  

[Gilgamesh69]

With Macca being old and not as popular with the younger generations, could he possibly be in a lower slot? He's going to be 80 when he plays so may not have the energy to do a full headline set. Leonard Cohen - another music legend - didn't headline when he played, and nobody looked down on him for that.  Although he is a prick for not letting them record it tbh

[CaledonianGonzo]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

What are the criteria, though, if size and popularity are removed as factors?  

Essentially, you're short-changing ticket-holders by removing a big name from the line up to give a pat on the back to someone who's flavour of the month. 

Someone who would be playing anyway.

[the wonderwhy]

3 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

What are the criteria, though, if size and popularity are removed as factors?  

How many of their songs can a seventeen year old name? 

[Smeble]

3 hours ago, SighMo said:

Macca will be 80. I caught the 80 year old Kris Kristofferson set in 2017 and it was grim. Will Macca be relying on the crowd to get him through? 

To be fair to KK he was in the midst of undiagnosed Lime disease. At the time my wife and I thought who has allowed this old man with dementia on stage? Now we know what the issue was.

I think PM is in a much healthier state than KK was.

[CaledonianGonzo]

7 minutes ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

With Macca being old and not as popular with the younger generations, could he possibly be in a lower slot? He's going to be 80 when he plays so may not have the energy to do a full headline set. Leonard Cohen - another music legend - didn't headline when he played, and nobody looked down on him for that.  Although he is a prick for not letting them record it tbh

It wasn't planned like this for 2020, so no reason it would be for this year.

[Matt42]

Glastonbury doesn’t have a set criteria but I think the #1 is whether they can actually pull a pyramid headliner crowd, and the acts on at the same time won’t leave the pyramid paper thin.

I think that’s the big thing that we often miss out. Not whether they are popular but whether they would be the most competitive option of the night. 

All of the other stages are trying to take crowd away FROM Macca… not vice versa.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Matt42

[Smeble]

10 minutes ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

With Macca being old and not as popular with the younger generations, could he possibly be in a lower slot? He's going to be 80 when he plays so may not have the energy to do a full headline set. Leonard Cohen - another music legend - didn't headline when he played, and nobody looked down on him for that.  Although he is a prick for not letting them record it tbh

You are joking right? 

[Hugh Jass]

10 minutes ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

With Macca being old and not as popular with the younger generations, could he possibly be in a lower slot? He's going to be 80 when he plays so may not have the energy to do a full headline set. Leonard Cohen - another music legend - didn't headline when he played, and nobody looked down on him for that.  Although he is a prick for not letting them record it tbh

Ladies and Gentlemen… I present the worst suggestion since “Adele will sub because she hates crowds”.

[MEGABOWL]

53 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

There should always be, IMO, a first time headliner, and it should be as diverse a trio as possible in terms of genre/gender/race. The days of three lots of white lads with guitars is coming to an end, it's good to see the festival embracing rap and pop at the top end of the lineup.

In terms of balance they should really be striving for a first timer, a currently huge act and a heritage act each year. I think they've got it spot on this year. You've got a pop megastar headlining her first UK festival, one of the hottest hip hop stars on the scene (if he gets an album out before the festival he could be even bigger) and a Beatle to round things off.

You don't get much more balanced than that.

Great post. Hard agree.

[balthazarstarbuck]

12 minutes ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

He's going to be 80 when he plays so may not have the energy to do a full headline set.

Saw him 3 years ago and he played 3 hours straight without so much as stopping for a sip of water. 

I can’t see how he’d be unable to do 90 minutes.

 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

5 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Glastonbury doesn’t have a set criteria but I think the #1 is whether they can actually pull a pyramid headliner crowd, and the acts on at the same time won’t leave the pyramid paper thin.

I think that’s the big thing that we often miss out. Not whether they are popular but whether they would be the most competitive option of the night. 

All of the other stages are trying to take crowd away FROM Macca… not vice versa.

The BBC coverage is what sells tickets to future customers which keeps the festival popular and oversold, the Pyramid headliners are central to this so certainly you need an act that is going to fill the field and go down well on TV, like it or not. 

[Hugh Jass]

1 minute ago, balthazarstarbuck said:

Saw him 3 years ago and he played 3 hours straight without so much as stopping for a sip of water. 

I can’t see how he’d be unable to do 90 minutes.

 

He has to be back at the home by four.

[willd255]

52 minutes ago, jparx said:

I really, really want to see them book a new/newish act for the Friday night that, by traditional standards, wouldn’t be at a headline level. Foals a few years ago, Wolf Alice now, Sam Fender etc. Stick with your huge names the other two nights, but specifically give a huge leg up to an act on the Friday and establish that as the star making slot. Over the last few years you could have given it to Florence (before the bump up), Foals, The XX, Ezra, and Wolf Alice this year. The thing sells out in minutes anyway, and it’d be really exciting trying to guess who gets the big slot each year, forces them to pick something out of left field and adds some extra anticipation and unpredictability.

Totally agree - although I would say the Stormzy booking was given a leg up. I'm not sure people thought of him on that scale beforehand. The Eavis' make headliners and this is one of the things that makes Glastonbury so special - they give UK artists huge opportunities and have traditionally been very good in using that power. There have been some missed tricks though - Foals and the 1975 should undoubtedly have been given a go.  In my opinion, Wolf Alice have also done enough to warrant a headline slot. If they don't headline on their next album, I think it'll be a real shame. Sam Fender, George Ezra and Dua Lipa should all headline in the next few years. 

Edited February 15, 2022 by willd255
-

[EFC1996]

Macca has just been a question on the chase. Looks like it’s confirmed then. 

[Andy0808 v5]

3 minutes ago, EFC1996 said:

Macca has just been a question on the chase. Looks like it’s confirmed then. 

‘Who were the band the Beatles could have been?’

[EFC1996]

2 minutes ago, Andy0808 v5 said:

‘Who were the band the Beatles could have been?’

I think it was ‘Which member of the beatles has a headline slot at Glastonbury 22’

[westholtschic]

3 hours ago, Stokesy10 said:

I'm gonna be a fucking mess the whole set

Snap 

[Crazyfool01]

So is MCCartney now subbing Harry Styles on the Thursday ? 

[jannybruck]

Just in case anyone's dropping in after work and considering catching up on the past 10 pages like I did: don't bother. You're welcome.

Edited February 15, 2022 by jannybruck

[squirrelarmy]

10 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

So is MCCartney now subbing Harry Styles on the Thursday ? 

On the bandstand 

[Stokesy10]

2 hours ago, Suprefan said:

How about just enjoying finding new music and not being stuck with the old tried and true stuff. Thats all a lot of people ever want. There really is a lot of gatekeeping at the festival  when it comes to the headliners. Emily has surely been trying to knock those walls down. But she hasnt been able to just put on a take it or leave it  kind of top 3 yet. If the festival is always sold out then it doesnt matter who the headliners really are due to the other choices, so why not push the limits. People will always find something to complain about anyway. Hopefully one year Emily says "fuck it" and books Bad Bunny, BTS and Sheeran. Would be incredible to see how uncomfortable people got. You can always return your ticket, but the chance you ever did is slim to none. There has to come a point when you cant keep looking back and you just move forward. 

How about appreciating both? 

And I'm guessing Emily wouldn't do that because, funnily enough, the festival is pretty good at catering for those that like older music/acts and newer music/acts, and those that like both...

Talk me through your last sentence and what that would look like? It's 2040... and the 1000s of acts across the weekend were formed in 2038 earliest and onwards?

Sounds class mate.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Stokesy10