2025 Headliners

[Badlands]

The banded three feels anticlimactic when compared to a lineup with Gaga in. 

[NorthernSoul52]

Lady Gaga is a useful get for Coachella, but ultimately, if she doesn't tour beyond North America at all next year, we can't really feel like it is an anticlimax. Know some make the trip especially, but got to be in the geographical frame to do it to boot.

 

My two pence? An excellent trio of headliners for variety there, and played with a significantly straighter bat than this year's bunch of options. A lot of the press releases have been keen to play up Scott second among all acts, fascinatingly, despite the fact he'll not be playing more an hour in the event.

 

There are some very nice names on the undercard. But any suggestion it's putting Glastonbury on notice seems unfounded; there's a lot more work to be done there.

[Badlands]

I’ve read the arguments and I’m mindful that you can only book what is available, however still feels like a weak three to me. No issues with any of them headlining individually but as a trio it lacks that oomph.

[NorthernSoul52]

Obviously, there are a lot of cards around in play, and Glastonbury has got a bit of a reputation for nabbing a big one-off in the last few years - Paul McCartney, Elton John, Coldplay.

 

But conversely, all three of those had additional reasons to play rather than being sweet-talked from across the Atlantic. I'm under no illusion that, despite doing it before, Stevie Wonder would want a chunk of cheddar. Ditto Bruce Springsteen, ditto Lady Gaga.

 

In a way, I think the festival could consider Olivia Rodrigo - even with only two records - as their "big" headliner this year.

[Stokesy10]

42 minutes ago, Badlands said:

The banded three feels anticlimactic when compared to a lineup with Gaga in. 

Yeh just a tad

[NorthernSoul52]

I'll say this, if the G does somehow snare Gaga, there will be no complaints in the slightest.

[FloopFiller]

54 minutes ago, Badlands said:

The banded three feels anticlimactic when compared to a lineup with Gaga in. 

Yeah Coachella continues to have the benefit of being able to throw the bag at whoever they want to make things happen which I’m sure is what happened with Gaga.

[Justcalledtosay]

11 hours ago, charlierc said:

I genuinely don't think this is a bad headline trio tbf - even if I'm not arsed by the three, it's still three acts with popular songs and who'd draw a crowd.

 

I guess it's part of the conversation about what people want this slot to be and whether topping El Pointo should be for up and coming acts breaking into the truly big shows, arena/stadium borderline acts or the creme de la creme who have mega-hits and could play anywhere they want.

Objectively speaking you're right. It's not a terrible set of headliners but similar to last year, it lacks the wow factor that hasn't been there since 2023. I agree with @henry bear i think Glastonbury's pull for 'top of class' acts is dwindling.

[JonSnow]

14 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

Objectively speaking you're right. It's not a terrible set of headliners but similar to last year, it lacks the wow factor that hasn't been there since 2023. I agree with @henry bear i think Glastonbury's pull for 'top of class' acts is dwindling.

 

I honestly really don't mind this at all.

 

I actually think its much healthier for the festival in the long run to be having acts like The 1975 and Sam Fender (I wouldn't be at either) headlining than every year having a situation where a mega star is playing in front of a jam packed Pyramid stage and other brilliant acts are playing to a 10% crowd on the other main stages. 

 

Those sort of acts will then just stop playing.

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by JonSnow

[FloopFiller]

12 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

Objectively speaking you're right. It's not a terrible set of headliners but similar to last year, it lacks the wow factor that hasn't been there since 2023. I agree with @henry bear i think Glastonbury's pull for 'top of class' acts is dwindling.

Glastonbury spent the last 15 or so years ticking off every big legendary headliner they could and have basically gone through the entire A tier (who were willing to do it) and are now resorting to the B tier. Obviously still able of pulling something huge like Elton or Coldplay on an exclusive, but it’s less of a given than it was a few years back for sure. 

[Ben7amin_]

The people who have not listened to any new music since 2006 are gonna scream the place down on social media -   But at some point they will just have to try something new. 

[Justcalledtosay]

9 minutes ago, FloopFiller said:

Glastonbury spent the last 15 or so years ticking off every big legendary headliner they could and have basically gone through the entire A tier (who were willing to do it) and are now resorting to the B tier. Obviously still able of pulling something huge like Elton or Coldplay on an exclusive, but it’s less of a given than it was a few years back for sure. 

I don't think what i said was wrong. I do think their pull is dwindling. There are still plenty of world class performers they haven't signed up and i think that's going to become harder and harder for them.

[FloopFiller]

Just now, Justcalledtosay said:

I don't think what i said was wrong. I do think their pull is dwindling. There are still plenty of world class performers they haven't signed up and i think that's going to become harder and harder for them.

Oh yeah I agree, that smaller paycheck but with the added ‘esteem’ means a lot less than it did a decade or so ago. Artists want the bag and Glastonbury just can’t deliver on that and i think expectations are gonna have to be lowered a bit for future additions, or at least on a year on year basis.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

7 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

I don't think what i said was wrong. I do think their pull is dwindling. There are still plenty of world class performers they haven't signed up and i think that's going to become harder and harder for them.

Yes and that’s true of any festival which traditionally pays in ‘exposure’ rather than cold hard cash. Big Weekend and the Capital Ball events are the same, their lineups are pathetic now compared to what they used to be able to pull together when there was a mass media monoculture. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Rose-Colored Boy

[Rose-Colored Boy]

In some ways it’s an unfortunate consequence of Glastonbury waiting as long as they possibly could to push the ticket price over £300. If people had gotten used to the ticket prices being extortionate when they headliner trios like they had in 2017, for example, it would’ve seemed a lot less galling than paying £370 for The 1975 and Sam Fender. 

[MichaelsBeard]

Fender teasing an announcement tomorrow on socials… stadium tour? 

[NorthernSoul52]

Imagine if he was self-confirming.

 

But I'd assume Come Together in Newcastle factors in somehow. Either that or he's announcing the second single very fast from the record.

[Goer190]

6 minutes ago, MichaelsBeard said:

Fender teasing an announcement tomorrow on socials… stadium tour? 

Hopefully full stadium tour but the instagram post is by SF & NUFC, so could potentially just be St James again

[fullfathom5]

1 hour ago, Ben7amin_ said:

The people who have not listened to any new music since 2006 are gonna scream the place down on social media -   But at some point they will just have to try something new. 

You know it, and 90% of them don’t attend the festival either.

[fullfathom5]

1 hour ago, MichaelsBeard said:

Fender teasing an announcement tomorrow on socials… stadium tour? 

If it’s a stadium run (ie not just Newcastle) then he’s surely going to want to headline if he plays the festival.

[itsfomas]

The more I think about it, I feel not having Charli on the pyramid is a huge miss. I feel like it would be a moment. Charli is British, she has the back catalogue, she is a household name, she really gets a crowd worked up, she is at a huge peak of her career and you could say she has been influencing pop music for years whilst not getting the recognition. 

 

I feel like putting her on the Other stage would be good but I feel the year Charli has had is the epitome of what makes a good headliner. (Plus she wouldn't be short of some amazing guests)

[The_Fish]

I wonder if the last year before the fallow year makes it harder for them too. Fender, 1975 and Rodrigo would be an underwhelming set of headliners for me personally, but the great thing about Glastonbury is that it's so much more than the music, and there's enough stages for me to find something I want to see instead. 

[Rose-Colored Boy]

1 minute ago, The_Fish said:

I wonder if the last year before the fallow year makes it harder for them too. 

If anything it seemed to have the opposite effect in 2011 and 2017. Think it’s just a weak year, combined with the fest having a reduced pull in general. 

[Ben7amin_]

32 minutes ago, fullfathom5 said:

You know it, and 90% of them don’t attend the festival either.

 Probably fair - went in 2002 an stayed in the Facebook group to spread misery for the next 2 decades!!!!

 

 

Honestly when they write "Who" -  it literally kills me - 

 

Edited 51 minutes ago by Ben7amin_

[NorthernSoul52]

Oh, I didn't see the NUFC tags for Fender. Yeah, seems safe he does two nights there after Magic Weekend has been and gone.