2024 Headliners

[VCK]

Wait, are people now questioning the idea of booking older headliners? At Glastonbury?

[Colorblindjames]

It's kinda funny people saying that because the pyramid stage was rammed for McCartney and Elton this proves they were the right bookings. The pyramid stage is always pretty busy. If it isn't the other acts on the other stages will get a bigger crowd.

Should the festival not be encouraging attendance at the other stages rather than attempting to ram out the pyramid?

[nikkic]

Just now, Colorblindjames said:

It's kinda funny people saying that because the pyramid stage was rammed for McCartney and Elton this proves they were the right bookings. The pyramid stage is always pretty busy. If it isn't the other acts on the other stages will get a bigger crowd.

Should the festival not be encouraging attendance at the other stages rather than attempting to ram out the pyramid?

Yeah Emily definitely looked out at The Pyramid field at 10pm Sunday and said….

“We’ve got 120k people signing, dancing and having the time of their life here, maybe we’ve booked the wrong act?”

[VCK]

9 minutes ago, american idiot said:

Pop music is great, not sure what that has to do with it.

The simple fact is Madonna has no songs with over 400 million streams on Spotify. Elton has 7. Paul has 2 as a solo artist and another 6 with the Beatles. These are timeless classics, which Madonna does not have.

Madonna still doesn't even have as many monthly listeners as Elton despite having a song with one of the biggest artists on the planet in The Weeknd propping up her streaming numbers. Anyone who thinks she's going to be packing the Pyramid stage the way Elton did is in for a surprise. She's just not as culturally relevant, whether you like it or not. She might be the OG pop star, but her stardom has faded now that others have come along and improved on the foundation she laid for pop music. For most young people, Madonna's more known for being "that woman with bad plastic surgery" and being weird on Tik Tok than she is for her music.

Come on mate, you know that's not true. She has tonnes of bangers.

If you look at the list of the most streamed artists on Spotify, how many of these artists released their debut single/album before this century? Spotify is a Millennial/Gen Z phenomenon and doesn't always accurately reflect the popularity of older artists. Yes, the Beatles have had over 400 million streams, but it's the Beatles! Why not look for streams for other older Glasto headliners down the years, such as Springsteen, GNR, Rolling Stones, The Cure, The Who, Metallica, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, et al and draw a comparison there?

Also you're right, she laid the foundations for pop music. She is arguably the most influential artist in the genre. No Madonna, no Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Rihanna, I could go on. That's like saying The Stone Roses shouldn't headline because Britpop artists took what they did and made it bigger and more successful.

Edited November 3, 2023 by VCK

[CaledonianGonzo]

 

7 minutes ago, american idiot said:

Pop music is great, not sure what that has to do with it.

The simple fact is Madonna has no songs with over 400 million streams on Spotify. Elton has 7. Paul has 2 as a solo artist and another 6 with the Beatles. These are timeless classics, which Madonna does not have.

Madonna still doesn't even have as many monthly listeners as Elton despite having a song with one of the biggest artists on the planet in The Weeknd propping up her streaming numbers. Anyone who thinks she's going to be packing the Pyramid stage the way Elton did is in for a surprise. She's just not as culturally relevant, whether you like it or not. She might be the OG pop star, but her stardom has faded now that others have come along and improved on the foundation she laid for pop music. For most young people, Madonna's more known for being "that woman with bad plastic surgery" and being weird on Tik Tok than she is for her music.

Every Pyramid headliner other than Reg was quieter than Reg - and maybe always will be.  But the field will still be jumping nevertheless. 

Not sure that it really matters if its not a record breaker.

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by CaledonianGonzo

[Wooderson]

Reg's show was billed as his final gig in the UK was it not? Total outlier.

Madonna is the biggest artist yet to play the festival. Its that simple.

[Colorblindjames]

9 minutes ago, VCK said:

Wait, are people now questioning the idea of booking older headliners? At Glastonbury?

Yes. Is any move away from the groupthink to be banned?

[Colorblindjames]

3 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

Reg's show was billed as his final gig in the UK was it not? Total outlier.

Madonna is the biggest artist yet to play the festival. Its that simple.

You should check out Taylor Swift. Hear she's pretty popular. 

[VCK]

1 minute ago, Colorblindjames said:

Yes. Is any move away from the groupthink to be banned?

Not really, just an unusual take given the festival has always catered to an older crowd much more so than the other major UK fests.

[Colorblindjames]

18 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

So everyone's doing it off the back of their latest record and not their career as a whole?  Pyramid Headliners who only have 40 minutes of material, that sort of thing?

Nope, at least in the last decade. Madonna hasn't done anything in years. 

[Colorblindjames]

13 minutes ago, nikkic said:

Yeah Emily definitely looked out at The Pyramid field at 10pm Sunday and said….

“We’ve got 120k people signing, dancing and having the time of their life here, maybe we’ve booked the wrong act?”

I'm sure the organisers of Hyde park say the same thing. 

[Wooderson]

1 minute ago, Colorblindjames said:

You should check out Taylor Swift. Hear she's pretty popular. 

Madonna is the 5th or 6th biggest selling artist of all time. She got bored with global cultural dominance before Swift's career got out of 1st gear.

[K2SO]

13 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

Reg's show was billed as his final gig in the UK was it not? Total outlier.

Madonna is the biggest artist yet to play the festival. Its that simple.

Ever heard of The Rolling Stones?

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, american idiot said:

The simple fact is Madonna has no songs with over 400 million streams on Spotify.

Madonna flopped. Only 300,000,000 streams is so embarrassing for her!

[stuie]

30 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

9 minutes ago, Colorblindjames said:

Nope, at least in the last decade. Madonna hasn't done anything in years. 

And in this case that's a good thing, cos she's finally taken stock and is giving people what they want rather than just trying to flog her latest clunker with Like A Prayer tacked on at the end.

[american idiot]

24 minutes ago, VCK said:

Come on mate, you know that's not true. She has tonnes of bangers.

If you look at the list of the most streamed artists on Spotify, how many of these artists released their debut single/album before this century? Spotify is a Millennial/Gen Z phenomenon and doesn't always accurately reflect the popularity of older artists. Yes, the Beatles have had over 400 million streams, but it's the Beatles! Why not look for streams for other older Glasto headliners down the years, such as Springsteen, GNR, Rolling Stones, The Cure, The Who, Metallica, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, et al and draw a comparison there?

Actually, I'm glad you brought those artists up. GnR have 6 songs that meet that threshold. Metallica also has 6. The Stones have 5. Springsteen has 3. The Cure have 3. Stevie Wonder has 2. Even The Who have 1. Again, Madonna has 0. Each one of those artists have music that has stood the test of time better than Madonna's music has. It's just a fact.

Of course, streaming numbers aren't the end all be all. But for the point I'm trying to make — that young people don't care about Madonna's music — the evidence is pretty damning. Sure, she sold a lot of records. Sold. They aren't selling anymore. Walk into your local Rough Trade or HMV and you'll see Bowie, Elton, Fleetwood Mac, etc. still on the shelves. You won't see Madonna. There's a reason for that.

Edited November 3, 2023 by american idiot

[Wooderson]

7 minutes ago, K2SO said:

Ever heard of The Rolling Stones?

?

[Wooderson]

Righto so Spotify data analysts won't be at Madonna now confirmed.

This is statistical win for all of us.

[Colorblindjames]

2 minutes ago, american idiot said:

Actually, I'm glad you brought those artists up. GnR have 6 songs that meet that threshold. Metallica also has 6. The Stones have 5. Springsteen has 3. The Cure have 3. Stevie Wonder has 2. Even The Who have 1. Again, Madonna has 0. Each one of those artists have music that has stood the test of time better than Madonna's music has. It's just a fact.

Of course, streaming numbers aren't the end all be all. But for the point I'm trying to make — that young people don't care about Madonna's music — the evidence is pretty damning. Sure, she sold a lot of records. Sold. They aren't selling anymore. Walk into your local Rough Trade or HMV and you'll see Bowie, Elton, Fleetwood Mac, etc. still on the shelves. You won't see Madonna. There's a reason for that.

Add to this her voice has gone and she uses autotune. Glastonbury shouldn't be a last big payday or promotion of over the hill artists. 

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, american idiot said:

Actually, I'm glad you brought those artists up. GnR have 6 songs that meet that threshold. Metallica also has 6. The Stones have 5. Springsteen has 3. The Cure have 3. Stevie Wonder has 2. Even The Who have 1. Again, Madonna has 0. Each one of those artists have music that has stood the test of time better than Madonna's music has. It's just a fact.

Of course, streaming numbers aren't the end all be all. But for the point I'm trying to make — that young people don't care about Madonna's music — the evidence is pretty damning. Sure, she sold a lot of records. Sold. They aren't selling anymore. Walk into your local Rough Trade or HMV and you'll see Bowie, Elton, Fleetwood Mac, etc. still on the shelves. You won't see Madonna. There's a reason for that.

If you're right, 'young people' can go to any of the other stages at the festival.  There's no rule that a Pyramid headliner has to appeal to all age groups. I expect that you're wrong though, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. 

 

[Watergirl]

On 11/1/2023 at 8:21 AM, northernangel said:

So is Cork and Dublin which also has a 3 days gap, it's up the road in comparison.

I reckon for Glastonbury even Bruce Springsteen will be prepared to get out of his comfort zone.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Watergirl
Typo

[CaledonianGonzo]

2 minutes ago, american idiot said:

Actually, I'm glad you brought those artists up. GnR have 6 songs that meet that threshold. Metallica also has 6. The Stones have 5. Springsteen has 3. The Cure have 3. Stevie Wonder has 2. Even The Who have 1. Again, Madonna has 0. Each one of those artists have music that has stood the test of time better than Madonna's music has. It's just a fact.

Of course, streaming numbers aren't the end all be all. But for the point I'm trying to make — that young people don't care about Madonna's music — the evidence is pretty damning. Sure, she sold a lot of records. Sold. They aren't selling anymore. Walk into your local Rough Trade or HMV and you'll see Bowie, Elton, Fleetwood Mac, etc. still on the shelves. You won't see Madonna. There's a reason for that.

One of the reasons for it is cos she's not previously played ball and done the sort of groundwork required.  But it seems that she's now aware of this, hence this new (for her) approach of doing the hits and (seemingly) playing festivals.  

Which plays in our favour as previously Madonna playing the Pyramid looked like a pipe dream.

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

3 minutes ago, Colorblindjames said:

Add to this her voice has gone and she uses autotune. Glastonbury shouldn't be a last big payday or promotion of over the hill artists. 

She never had the strongest voice, so it's not a deal-breaker now.

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, Colorblindjames said:

Add to this her voice has gone and she uses autotune. Glastonbury shouldn't be a last big payday or promotion of over the hill artists. 

People should let Glastonbury be what it wants to be rather than tell it what it should be. 

I don't mean this to sound rude, but if it's not ticking your boxes then you should go elsewhere.