2025 Headliners

[CaledonianGonzo]

1 minute ago, ac123 said:

I called the festival's booking poor over the course of 2025 and 2024, I never said he was a poor booking. Take your Neil Young hat off for one second and be objective please. I am aware music is subjective and you may love someone I do not, but he is being set up for the "Macca/Elton/Madonna or Stevie (oof)" slot but hasn't got anywhere near the same level of popularity because he doesn't write pop songs. They are seemingly country rock/folk from what I've listened to so far. He has about 700k more monthly streams than KSI, so I think it's safe to say most under a certain age haven't got a scooby who he is.

 

But on the other hand he's successfully headlined Glastonbury before.

[efcfanwirral]

So if there is indeed an act after Rod Stewart then Chic and before Neil Young, I'm very interested in who they might choose for that slot considering the general theme of the day so far

[Physical_graffiti]

2 minutes ago, ac123 said:

He has about 700k more monthly streams than KSI, so I think it's safe to say most under a certain age haven't got a scooby who he is.

I don't get the argument here, KSI is exclusively popular with young people, you're saying NY has loads more streams than him even in that demographic and thats evidence he's not popular?!

Regardless of whether you like him or not, if you don't class him as headliner level you're fishing from an extremely small headliner pool

[CaledonianGonzo]

Just now, efcfanwirral said:

So if there is indeed an act after Rod Stewart then Chic and before Neil Young, I'm very interested in who they might choose for that slot considering the general theme of the day so 

 

Neil Young is the Saturday.

 

Or Braturday as its now been renamed due to Charli XCX's unprecedented popularity causing the calendar to be rewritten.

[Acid_Haze]

As much as I hate this clash, Charli is the perfect person to put up against Neil Young. There will be very little crossover between them in terms of audience (i'm probably a minority).

I don't believe either will get a ridiculous crowd. I think Charli will get a big one but not to the level of Avril last year, Neil Young will get a moderately big crowd I think but not McCartney or Elton level, more like Dua Lipa 2024 or Arctics 2023.

[ac123]

Just now, Physical_graffiti said:

I don't get the argument here, KSI is exclusively popular with young people, you're saying NY has loads more streams than him even in that demographic and thats evidence he's not popular?!

Regardless of whether you like him or not, if you don't class him as headliner level you're fishing from an extremely small headliner pool

No, my point was the company he keeps with his tangible music relevancy numbers. Elton/Macca/Stevie/Madonna all VASTLY out perform him and are from similar eras. In 2025 he is not relevant enough to headline Glastonbury Festival. Rod Stewart headlined and is now back in the Legends slot, more than fair. 

[Jamm]

Honestly I think even The Beatles would struggle in a crowd battle with Charli XCX.

 

Ive heard there’s going to be around 600K at the Other Stage when she’s on. It’s going to be historic.

[matrainertje]

2 minutes ago, Acid_Haze said:

As much as I hate this clash, Charli is the perfect person to put up against Neil Young. There will be very little crossover between them in terms of audience (i'm probably a minority).

I don't believe either will get a ridiculous crowd. I think Charli will get a big one but not to the level of Avril last year, Neil Young will get a moderately big crowd I think but not McCartney or Elton level, more like Dua Lipa 2024 or Arctics 2023.

What's this weird obsession with crowd sizes here on Efestivals?  

Edited January 3 by matrainertje

[Acid_Haze]

5 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

So if there is indeed an act after Rod Stewart then Chic and before Neil Young, I'm very interested in who they might choose for that slot considering the general theme of the day so far

Isn't Sunday going to be Rod Stewart - Chic - Chappell Roan then Olivia Rodrigo?

[CaledonianGonzo]

Just now, Acid_Haze said:

Isn't Sunday going to be Rod Stewart - Chic - Chappell Roan then Olivia Rodrigo?

 

Seems to be the case, yes.

[ac123]

Just now, Acid_Haze said:

Isn't Sunday going to be Rod Stewart - Chic - Chappell Roan then Olivia Rodrigo?

Lizzo subbed for Guns and Roses a couple years ago so I wouldn't rule it out

[efcfanwirral]

1 minute ago, Acid_Haze said:

Isn't Sunday going to be Rod Stewart - Chic - Chappell Roan then Olivia Rodrigo?

Ah I missed all the info about Olivia being Sunday. Got to be off volunteering as the gf wants to see Olivia over almost anyone else, but I'd hope to avoid the Pyramid until later on...

[CaledonianGonzo]

2 minutes ago, ac123 said:

No, my point was the company he keeps with his tangible music relevancy numbers. Elton/Macca/Stevie/Madonna all VASTLY out perform him and are from similar eras. In 2025 he is not relevant enough to headline Glastonbury Festival. Rod Stewart headlined and is now back in the Legends slot, more than fair. 

 

Having never really been a mainstream artist he's exactly as relevant to a 2025 headline slot as he was to a 2009 headline slot.

[efcfanwirral]

4 minutes ago, Acid_Haze said:

As much as I hate this clash, Charli is the perfect person to put up against Neil Young. There will be very little crossover between them in terms of audience (i'm probably a minority).

I don't believe either will get a ridiculous crowd. I think Charli will get a big one but not to the level of Avril last year, Neil Young will get a moderately big crowd I think but not McCartney or Elton level, more like Dua Lipa 2024 or Arctics 2023.

The biggest thing is to make sure they don't have someone the Charli XCX fans would want to all see on the Pyramid before Neil Young, as the biggest issue for Avril was the movement of everyone at once.

[ac123]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

Having never really been a mainstream artist he's exactly as relevant to a 2025 headline slot as he was to a 2009 headline slot.

Totally, and if this was 2009 I'd make the same argument, as some did at the time so I am told by friends who were there, and massive fans of Neil Young. 

[itsfomas]

11 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

But on the other hand he's successfully headlined Glastonbury before.

On the other other hand, many past headliners would pull a poor crowd in 2025.

[wro_lap]

1 hour ago, jparx said:

I absolutely love this. I really love the idea that the festival is in an era where they can quite happily have the likes of Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo (presumably) sharing the bill. Truly multigenerational event at this stage. The music world is a better place if fans of Rodrigo are being exposed to Shakey and vice versa. It’s all just good sh*t.

Gutted not to be going this year!

This is one of many, many things that makes Glastonbury the best festival in the world. If you view music quite objectively and have a broad taste you can be hyped a legend like Neil Young & Rod Stewart and big artists of the future like Olivia & Chappell. What other festival is looking likely to have all of these plus Smokey Robinson, Charli xcx and Kneecap?

[CaledonianGonzo]

Just now, itsfomas said:

On the other other hand, many past headliners would pull a poor crowd in 2025.

 

While this is true, see the other point regarding how he's never really been part of the mainstream so his audience in 2009 won't be markedly different to 2025.

[Physical_graffiti]

4 minutes ago, ac123 said:

No, my point was the company he keeps with his tangible music relevancy numbers. Elton/Macca/Stevie/Madonna all VASTLY out perform him and are from similar eras. In 2025 he is not relevant enough to headline Glastonbury Festival. Rod Stewart headlined and is now back in the Legends slot, more than fair. 

Well yeah, the four most legendary artists in the world are all bigger than him, I agree, but he's bigger than the rest of the pool.

What does relevance mean? When has Neil Young ever been particularly relevant? It's all very intangible and difficult to quantify how big someone is - streams, sales, ticket sales, column inches, pure vibes? But I'd argue Neil Young is a legendary headliner level act. Tbf I reckon Rod could get away with headlining too (the other headliners would ideally be very strong).

[lefthandedopener]

From rumour to slagging the festival off to confirmed in little over a day. Shakey doing Shakey things. Absolutely made up. I've got a few ITKs in the business and I'm being told he's changed his mind as St Charli has agreed his set can be a complete run through of BRATTTTTTT covers. 

 

He blew the socks off Springsteen last time. The 1975 should be shitting their pants. 

[ac123]

Just now, Physical_graffiti said:

Well yeah, the four most legendary artists in the world are all bigger than him, I agree, but he's bigger than the rest of the pool.

What does relevance mean? When has Neil Young ever been particularly relevant? It's all very intangible and difficult to quantify how big someone is - streams, sales, ticket sales, column inches, pure vibes? But I'd argue Neil Young is a legendary headliner level act. Tbf I reckon Rod could get away with headlining too (the other headliners would ideally be very strong).

Your last sentence encapsulates it perfectly, IF the other headliners were strong. Your argument is perfect but you're applying it to the wrong person. I get it, he isn't a mainstream artist. Cool. I think a lot of you will be very surprised at the crowd size.

[Quark]

4 minutes ago, matrainertje said:

What's this weird obsession with crowd sizes here on Efestivals?  

 

It's partly down to some of the issues seen with scheduling and the impact it has on crowd sizes & perceived (or actual) safety and comfort.  Anecdotally more issues over recent years where acts have been put on a stage that's either too small for them or have had no decent competition elsewhere to thin the crowds out, leading to stage closures and traffic control measures.

 

The other part is the equivalent of using spotify streaming stats to judge popularity. Musical d*ck swinging, as it were. Although you can probably actually see that somewhere in Shangri La tbh.

[jonnytee1]

16 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

But on the other hand he's successfully headlined Glastonbury before.

As have skunk Anansie 🤷‍♂️

[Quark]

Just now, jonnytee1 said:

As have skunk Anansie 🤷‍♂️

You better not be coming for Skunk Anansie!

[RosaAG]

Not gonna lie this is a terrible way to start announcing the lineup. Luckily there’ll be plenty other options.