2025 Headliners

[stuie]

3 hours ago, nikkic said:

As it stands I’d say….

 

Liv on lock.

 

They’re aiming for a big fish such as Stevie W or Rihanna.

 

One of Fender or Fred for the final slot, or both if they can’t reel the big fish.

 

 

 

I always wonder in these situations, how it actually plays out... would they say to Fred's agent, "well... you're literally our second choice and we think it'd be great and all that, but we're just holding out to see if we can get someone with a few more miles on the clock" 🙂 

[Skip997]

It’s not about the lineup 

 

And even if it is, there will always be enough on over the 5 days for everyone. 
 

What would happen if they announced that the line wouldn’t be revealed and only available in the program on site. 

[Ben7amin_]

28 minutes ago, Sasperella2 said:

I would usually say "it's not about the headliners", but when tickets are nearly £400 it does feel like big hitters are needed (even if they're not necessarily ones I would choose to see)

 

 

 

I dunno its £30-40 to see academy size bands these days - so if you see 10 £40 sized acts - the you are quids in - and I could do that at Glastonbury in one day

 

£400 For Glastonbury is still incredible value regardless of if you watch headliners or not

[Skip997]

14 minutes ago, stuie said:

 

 

I always wonder in these situations, how it actually plays out... would they say to Fred's agent, "well... you're literally our second choice and we think it'd be great and all that, but we're just holding out to see if we can get someone with a few more miles on the clock" 🙂 

If I were Fred in that case, I’d tell them to do one

[MEGABOWL]

3 minutes ago, Ben7amin_ said:

 

 

 

I dunno its £30-40 to see academy size bands these days - so if you see 10 £40 sized acts - the you are quids in - and I could do that at Glastonbury in one day

 

£400 For Glastonbury is still incredible value regardless of if you watch headliners or not

It really is. Even if they finish up going for Rodrigo, Fender and Again, tickets for those 3 in Arenas would comfortably set you back £200+

[Memory Man]

38 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

It’s not about the lineup 

 

And even if it is, there will always be enough on over the 5 days for everyone. 
 

What would happen if they announced that the line wouldn’t be revealed and only available in the program on site. 

They should genuinely do this

 

they never would but it would be ace

 

you could argue that at £380 it is about the lineup but glastonbury has never provided a bad lineup

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, Memory Man said:

They should genuinely do this

 

they never would but it would be ace

 

you could argue that at £380 it is about the lineup but glastonbury has never provided a bad lineup

I’d love it. 
 

With round about 100 stages and around 19 hours of music in 24, It’s actually impossible for Glastonbury to provide a bad lineup 

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, matrainertje said:

 

Not for RW though.

 

 

My bad. Saw the guitar photo was used by NOS Alive and that O-Rod was confirmed for Werchter so did 2+2=5

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, Ben7amin_ said:

 

 

 

I dunno its £30-40 to see academy size bands these days - so if you see 10 £40 sized acts - the you are quids in - and I could do that at Glastonbury in one day

 

£400 For Glastonbury is still incredible value regardless of if you watch headliners or not

 

I would probably do 2, maybe 3 a day

2 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

It really is. Even if they finish up going for Rodrigo, Fender and Again, tickets for those 3 in Arenas would comfortably set you back £200+

 

For me nowadays it's getting very lineup dependent as the acts are changing. If you don't want any of those 3 either then you can discount that cost. I've done a lot of the areas now multiple times whereby I'm not finding new areas 

 

Firstly, I think you'd be very lucky to get most academy bands for £30 to £40 these days and the show you get at the academy will be much different. You can be closer, indoor, more intimate etc. Glastonbury for many will have a lot of acts that are like I can see them I guess vs one's they might actually choose to watch elsewhere. I've had it be worth it for me many times but I can also see how if you don't have that where those acts are for you then it's not just a case of any array of bands is worth it for everyone. Personally I doubt there are loads of people who go to say Bloodstock, Download, Arctangent and the likes that would instantly see Glastonbury as worthwhile.

 

[Toilet Duck]

If it’s only about the lineup and whether it’s better value compared to catching individual gigs, then you probably get more from seeing the artists involved at their own show. Invariably festival sets are short, usually tailored to an audience less familiar with their work and are often outdoors in the daylight, so they aren’t really equivalent. But, there’s a lot more to the festival that makes it great value (albeit still expensive). I’ve never left the festival though and mentally calculated what it would have cost to see the acts I did elsewhere, it’s just not why I attend. Other festivals I’ve frequented over the years have been more music focussed, so when the lineups drifted towards acts I wasn’t interested in, I did too and found other festivals to go to that were more aligned with my taste. So far, there’s still way too much for me to see at any one Glasto, but if it ever gets to the stage where I am at a loss to find something interesting, I’ll move on to a different festival (it’s highly unlikely, given the breadth of what is on offer across the site…even now I spend less time at stages that were mainstays when I was younger). 
 

edit: I should add though that a great festival set, even if shorter, can be an all timer with a crowd many times bigger than the act usually commands, so swings and roundabouts! One of the special things about a great festival!

Edited Monday at 08:17 PM by Toilet Duck

[northernangel]

3 minutes ago, Toilet Duck said:

If it’s only about the lineup and whether it’s better value compared to catching individual gigs, then you probably get more from seeing the artists involved at their own show. Invariably festival sets are short, usually tailored to an audience less familiar with their work and are often outdoors in the daylight, so they aren’t really equivalent. But, there’s a lot more to the festival that makes it great value (albeit still expensive). I’ve never left the festival though and mentally calculated what it would have cost to see the acts I did elsewhere, it’s just not why I attend. Other festivals I’ve frequented over the years have been more music focussed, so when the lineups drifted towards acts I wasn’t interested in, I did too and found other festivals to go to that were more aligned with my taste. So far, there’s still way too much for me to see at any one Glasto, but if it ever gets to the stage where I am at a loss to find something interesting, I’ll move on to a different festival (it’s highly unlikely, given the breadth of what is on offer across the site…even now I spend less time at stages that were mainstays when I was younger). 

As a sum up of that, I've never left and calculated it but I have left and thought have I enjoyed that as much as some other years. I genuinely didn't know how I was feeling everything with the festival and the heat took so much out of me etc on day 1 that before the bands even started on Friday properly I was questioning returning. 

To be honest there are a fair few acts that I've thought I'd have gathered just wait for their own gigs so it's a bit catch 22. I get value is there compared to gigs...which are way over priced these days it kinda just comes down to when I feel I'm done.

[Avalon_Fields]

I probably value the experiences I’ve had at the festival with friends etc. much more than the acts I’ve seen, and those experiences remain priceless and unforgettable

[Toilet Duck]

2 minutes ago, northernangel said:

As a sum up of that, I've never left and calculated it but I have left and thought have I enjoyed that as much as some other years. I genuinely didn't know how I was feeling everything with the festival and the heat took so much out of me etc on day 1 that before the bands even started on Friday properly I was questioning returning. 

To be honest there are a fair few acts that I've thought I'd have gathered just wait for their own gigs so it's a bit catch 22. I get value is there compared to gigs...which are way over priced these days it kinda just comes down to when I feel I'm done.

Oh I definitely compare to previous years, not in terms of cost, but certainly enjoyment. Generally weather and company are the two principal determinants though rather than who I have seen (it’s a factor alright, but not the main one). 

[charlierc]

1 minute ago, Avalon_Fields said:

I probably value the experiences I’ve had at the festival with friends etc. much more than the acts I’ve seen, and those experiences remain priceless and unforgettable

It's as much what you're looking to get from it, right?

 

Moreso than other festivals, where a lot of it is just oriented about who's on the bill and if they're any good or not, Glastonbury attracts those who see it as a social opportunity with a gang of chums or people who go a lot because they love the fact it has a lot on top of just being any old festival. Even if tbf I know some Download Festival every-year attendees for that similar reason.

[mungo57]

3 hours ago, Sasperella2 said:

I would usually say "it's not about the headliners", but when tickets are nearly £400 it does feel like big hitters are needed (even if they're not necessarily ones I would choose to see)

Definitely not about the headliners, but assuming NCATBS sub, not do other, there wouldn't be anything for me to watch at all on the 2 main stages at least as a headliner. I'm aware there are many stages, but for £400 a ticket I'd want there to be a bigger name to see in the evenings nowadays. I agree with other posters that if not, you still get value. It's just a sad state to me when these pop acts keep coming through and headlining (not my cup of tea at all).

 

3 hours ago, CR77 said:

 

I think you can't get more old school than AM-GnR-Elton in 2023... last year should have been Dua-Coldplay-Madonna... losing the biggest of those three and replacing with SZA was unfortunate.  Being in my 40s, I'm personally happy as long as there's one Pyramid headliner I want to see... didn't see any last year (can't stand Coldplay, so the obligatory legend-act didn't work for me!), but had a great time elsewhere.  Madonna would have been amazing though!  Rihanna - Fender - Rodrigo doesn't sound good to me at all, and I'd have to hope for great stuff elsewhere again!  I'm sure there'll be an older act though - just hope it's someone I like this time!  I don't think the current speculated line-up is an indication of Glasto's direction though.  I'm sure they'd be booking Oasis, Queen+Adam Lambert, Madonna, Pulp (!) etc if they were available!

 

PS - I want Erasure to headline the Park one year please!! 😄

 

Just so happens I'm into all 3 of the headliners, AM probably biggest British band when they're active other than Coldplay maybe, and literally everyone (well almost) saw Elton. The rest of the lineup that year was very strong for my tastes too, we saw some great bands.

 

 

I'm sure I'll find stuff to watch or do, but with all the extra people on site, it being impossible to get into anywhere in the night areas that isn't playing drum n bass (this was our experience on the Saturday night 22) that takes away a lot of the value. As the price goes up, your average person will think the same. 

 

It's also quite sad I'm saying this as I genuinely love the place but money is money, my wages aren't going up and £400 give or take is a big chunk.

[northernangel]

9 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

I probably value the experiences I’ve had at the festival with friends etc. much more than the acts I’ve seen, and those experiences remain priceless and unforgettable

I also get that but I've felt my time coming for a while. Mentally I can't do it and the cost of it all much longer. A lot of my favourite acts just don't play it anymore.

 

7 minutes ago, Toilet Duck said:

Oh I definitely compare to previous years, not in terms of cost, but certainly enjoyment. Generally weather and company are the two principal determinants though rather than who I have seen (it’s a factor alright, but not the main one). 

 

Yeah I think that's probably what I mean more. Like how much I'm paying for how much I'm enjoying the festival. It's getting much more something I do because I've doen it for years and I'll see bands but the overall vibe, excitement, festival feel is not there like it was.

 

6 minutes ago, mungo57 said:

Definitely not about the headliners, but assuming NCATBS sub, not do other, there wouldn't be anything for me to watch at all on the 2 main stages at least as a headliner. I'm aware there are many stages, but for £400 a ticket I'd want there to be a bigger name to see in the evenings nowadays. I agree with other posters that if not, you still get value. It's just a sad state to me when these pop acts keep coming through and headlining (not my cup of tea at all).

 

 

Just so happens I'm into all 3 of the headliners, AM probably biggest British band when they're active other than Coldplay maybe, and literally everyone (well almost) saw Elton. The rest of the lineup that year was very strong for my tastes too, we saw some great bands.

 

 

I'm sure I'll find stuff to watch or do, but with all the extra people on site, it being impossible to get into anywhere in the night areas that isn't playing drum n bass (this was our experience on the Saturday night 22) that takes away a lot of the value. As the price goes up, your average person will think the same. 

 

It's also quite sad I'm saying this as I genuinely love the place but money is money, my wages aren't going up and £400 give or take is a big chunk.

 

I think a lot of this sums it up. 2023 was a year when I saw some great acts and new options. Not a stellar year but acts I enjoyed a lot.

[Suprefan]

4 hours ago, Sasperella2 said:

I would usually say "it's not about the headliners", but when tickets are nearly £400 it does feel like big hitters are needed (even if they're not necessarily ones I would choose to see)

welcome to the Coachella conundrum. $550 ( base price ) and youre expecting A listed every year. Its def getting there with Glasto cause if the price point. Doesnt matter if its about the "experience". 90% of everyone there wants those top 4 to matter. Its all optics.

 

Ac/Dc tour tomorrow so thatll clear something up

[Superscally]

39 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

welcome to the Coachella conundrum. $550 ( base price ) and youre expecting A listed every year. Its def getting there with Glasto cause if the price point. Doesnt matter if its about the "experience". 90% of everyone there wants those top 4 to matter. Its all optics.

 

Ac/Dc tour tomorrow so thatll clear something up

I'll clear it up for you now. ACDC aren't playing.

[charlierc]

7 minutes ago, Superscally said:

I'll clear it up for you now. ACDC aren't playing.

Said before but they're far more likely to be a "do own stadium shows" band.

[Skip997]

2 hours ago, mungo57 said:

. As the price goes up, your average person will think the same. 

 

Maybe be the price will become the filter but in a more positive way than I imagined 

[thatTFBguy]

5 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

It really is. Even if they finish up going for Rodrigo, Fender and Again, tickets for those 3 in Arenas would comfortably set you back £200+

£200+ underselling it really. Rodrigo £120 at BST, Fender £80 on December tour, that's your £200 there. Dunno Fred Again prices (not my speed) but £250+ much closer. 

[northernangel]

12 minutes ago, thatTFBguy said:

£200+ underselling it really. Rodrigo £120 at BST, Fender £80 on December tour, that's your £200 there. Dunno Fred Again prices (not my speed) but £250+ much closer. 

Is that how we really sum it all up though. I've never got that logic.

[Skip997]

5 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Is that how we really sum it all up though. I've never got that logic.

With you there

[Wildglastotheo]

O-Rod playing BST on Friday is the first evidence proving that ‘The Post’ is/was not correct…. 

Edited yesterday at 12:16 AM by Wildglastotheo

[northernangel]

15 minutes ago, Wildglastotheo said:

O-Rod playing BST on Friday is the first evidence proving that ‘The Post’ is/was not correct…. 

It is, every chance though that photo was correct at some point though with BST not in the frame or something. I'm absolutely sure that Fred, Olivia and one of Rihanna, Stevie and if not Fender would have been in the frame. I messaged my friend ages ago when the odds first appeared saying I think Fender might do it hence I put a bet on at 6s. 

 

Also, even Mcfcok believed originally although not totally solid that Olivia was the Friday. I would hazard a guess that she was the Friday and with Fred pulling out probably she could move to the Saturday which was an option anyway and more so with the BST booking. That's the theory. I think Fred would make more sense on the Saturday for the festival if they got Rihanna to split then up but I guess it comes down to more than that.