2025 Headliners

[Rose-Colored Boy]

Just now, FrogLobster said:

Well, she is bound to have some kind of material to intentionally kneecap Sabrina Carpenter and Chapell Roan's careers. 😏

She loves Sabrina.. although she hasn’t become a threat yet. 

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

1 hour ago, Rose-Colored Boy said:

Very IOW - would feel like an over correction after this year. and Fred Again and Noel Gallagher at the same time, popular as they are, would leave a lot of people with nothing to do.

 

Love the Saturday though. 

 

But why is the IOW being used as a pejorative here?

 

Their main stage this year has:

Prodigy - would be an awesome sub for the Pyramid

Pet Shop Boys - could very well have headlined Glastonbury the last time they played in 2022

Keane - already on the Pyramid this year

Greenday - could easily sub or even headline Glastonbury

Crowded House - played to a packed field in 2022 on the Pyramid

 

There are other names on the IOW line-up as well that could fill afternoon spots and would do just fine. Natalie Imbruglia, the Darkness, even S Club given how well Craig David went down in 2017, and clearly how well Sugababes did this year; they had to close the field at WH for Sugababes?!!?

 

It's not like I enjoy a lot of these artists, but if you're not going to put these popular groups on the Pyramid, what's the point of having something more "cutting edge" on there but playing to a smaller crowd?

 

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

3 hours ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t saying they shouldn’t be ambitious, just that they should have more robust back up plans when it doesn’t come through. 
 

Absolutely agree with your points, this year more than ever looked like 4 or 5 different festivals booked in isolation without any crossover thought to the process. For example Sugababes & Avril both should have been on the Pyramid, whereas PJ Harvey & Janelle Monae would have benefited being on a smaller stage.  

 

Yeah, definitely. Sugarbabes and Avril should've been on Pyramid. PJH and Janelle somewhere else. Barry Can't Swim on the Other. Kasabian headlining Other or subbing Pyramid. Just all feels a bit odd with the planning, like they're in competition with each other instead of doing what's best for the overall festival.

[fraybentos1]

1 minute ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Kasabian

That was a secret set, the whole point is them being on a smaller stage than they're meant to be 

[Rose-Colored Boy]

9 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

 

But why is the IOW being used as a pejorative here?

 

Their main stage this year has:

Prodigy - would be an awesome sub for the Pyramid

Pet Shop Boys - could very well have headlined Glastonbury the last time they played in 2022

Keane - already on the Pyramid this year

Greenday - could easily sub or even headline Glastonbury

Crowded House - played to a packed field in 2022 on the Pyramid

 

There are other names on the IOW line-up as well that could fill afternoon spots and would do just fine. Natalie Imbruglia, the Darkness, even S Club given how well Craig David went down in 2017, and clearly how well Sugababes did this year; they had to close the field at WH for Sugababes?!!?

 

It's not like I enjoy a lot of these artists, but if you're not going to put these popular groups on the Pyramid, what's the point of having something more "cutting edge" on there but playing to a smaller crowd?

 

Yeah it was just a turn of phrase sorry. Obviously the fests have a lot of crossover. 

[doogie]

4 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

That was a secret set, the whole point is them being on a smaller stage than they're meant to be 

Normally yes.  But Foo Fighters worked well as a 'secret' set on the Pyramid last year.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Just now, fraybentos1 said:

That was a secret set, the whole point is them being on a smaller stage than they're meant to be 

 

Foos were also a secret set, but they still put them on the biggest stage possible. 

 

And, not that I want to reopen that discussion, but how secret was that gig exactly? We'd heard strong rumours on here about it for months. And I know not everyone at Glasto reads eFestivals, but with the speed of information these days, secret sets haven't been secret for over a decade.

 

It's great for the people who sacrifice other parts of their day to get there early, but wouldn't it be even greater if no one had to sacrifice the hours before the set and even more people got to see them too?

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Just now, Rose-Colored Boy said:

Yeah it was just a turn of phrase sorry. Obviously the fests have a lot of crossover. 

 

Hahaha, it's all good, I didn't want to come across as annoyed 😅

[Rose-Colored Boy]

1 minute ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

 

Hahaha, it's all good, I didn't want to come across as annoyed 😅

No worries 🙂 

[MEGABOWL]

1 hour ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

They had to get the Who to cancel a show in Paris to play, lack of forward planning. 
 

Beyoncé in 2011 was not the same level as Beyoncé today. She was subbing festivals at that time. Yes it paid off, but it was a risk at the time. 
 

Metallica & GnR are huge acts, but they’re not the ones you think of when you think Glastonbury demographics are they. They were risks that paid off. 
 

None of that negates my point though. I wasn’t saying those examples were terrible headliners, I was saying that Emily in particular goes all in on trying to get one huge act & then scrambles around last minute when that falls through. Hence a more professional booking team would be better (and arguably balance the lineup across the site better as well, which is a separate issue altogether). 

Until they pay millions of pounds there’s always going to be the odd challenge getting a booking over the line. In fact that may not even work as other festivals have to change plans sometimes too.

[onemoresolo]

How come David Gilmour is never in the frame? The ship has possibly sailed now he’s said he’s not doing the 70s Floyd stuff again but he would be an amazing Sunday headliner if they could convince him to pull out those songs one more time.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

5 minutes ago, onemoresolo said:

How come David Gilmour is never in the frame? The ship has possibly sailed now he’s said he’s not doing the 70s Floyd stuff again but he would be an amazing Sunday headliner if they could convince him to pull out those songs one more time.

Last full setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/david-gilmour/2016/royal-albert-hall-london-england-3fdcd1f.html
 

Would probably do alright as the Legend. Headliner would be a stretch. 

Edited July 1 by Rose-Colored Boy

[Andre91]

Fred again..

 

Olivia Rodrigo 

 

Green Day 

[NotAnInsider]

Caught up with a friend who has been working on the production of a decent sized American band this summer whilst they are over in Europe and asked about the handy GSH in their schedule that allowed him to come to the festival.

 

Turns out the band he's doing work for were in advanced talks for a high slot and had pencilled it in, and even thought about the staging, but they couldn't make it work commercially. The fee Glastonbury offer wouldn't cover their transport or production costs for the festival let alone paying their crew.

 

Their record label decided that the BBC coverage isn't as valuable as it once was so wouldn't take the hit on the show. Apparently that happening more and more to Glastonbury - bands and labels are less willing to take the hit on cost for the coverage.

[fraybentos1]

24 minutes ago, NotAnInsider said:

Caught up with a friend who has been working on the production of a decent sized American band this summer whilst they are over in Europe and asked about the handy GSH in their schedule that allowed him to come to the festival.

 

Turns out the band he's doing work for were in advanced talks for a high slot and had pencilled it in, and even thought about the staging, but they couldn't make it work commercially. The fee Glastonbury offer wouldn't cover their transport or production costs for the festival let alone paying their crew.

 

Their record label decided that the BBC coverage isn't as valuable as it once was so wouldn't take the hit on the show. Apparently that happening more and more to Glastonbury - bands and labels are less willing to take the hit on cost for the coverage.

Name the band my man!

[Rose-Colored Boy]

45 minutes ago, NotAnInsider said:

Caught up with a friend who has been working on the production of a decent sized American band this summer whilst they are over in Europe and asked about the handy GSH in their schedule that allowed him to come to the festival.

 

Turns out the band he's doing work for were in advanced talks for a high slot and had pencilled it in, and even thought about the staging, but they couldn't make it work commercially. The fee Glastonbury offer wouldn't cover their transport or production costs for the festival let alone paying their crew.

 

Their record label decided that the BBC coverage isn't as valuable as it once was so wouldn't take the hit on the show. Apparently that happening more and more to Glastonbury - bands and labels are less willing to take the hit on cost for the coverage.

 

[Johndenis]

5 hours ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

 

I guess they still have to be ambitious with their bookings. Glasto is still the premier festival in the UK and it should always aim for the absolute best, but I get your point.

 

What I don't understand with the booking system across the whole site is that each area/stage book their own lineup, isn't that right?

 

If West Holts lands Sugababes and it's known that the thirst for nostalgia is huge these days and the growing pop-focused/accepted line-ups, why can't they just switch them to the Pyramid? They had to shut the field for them. Why not just say, "You did well there WH landing them, but we want as many people to see them as possible, so we're giving them a bigger stage."?

 

Perhaps I'm missing something, but there were a number of strange bookings or placements this year. 

 

 

I'm confused by how the collaboration between the stages works too.  Landing Sugababes can't have been a particular coup for the WH team (the Sugababes recent tours have involved some fairly modest venues), or a WH-specific booking.  But a glance at the Friday afternoon schedule indicates to even a fairly casual music fan that they will likely pull vs the other acts scheduled.  So why not swap them with (for example) Bombay Bicycle Club on the Other?  How much input do the acts get?  IDLES vs Fontaines DC was pretty weird too.  And Janelle Monae - Burna Boy - SZA appeared to stack the risk of a modest crowd.

[fraybentos1]

6 minutes ago, Johndenis said:

So why not swap them with (for example) Bombay Bicycle Club on the Other? 

Because Bombay don't fit in on West Holts 

 

7 minutes ago, Johndenis said:

IDLES vs Fontaines DC was pretty weird too.

Apparently this was because SZA was meant to be Friday other headliner. Makes sense when you consider that.

[Johndenis]

11 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

Because Bombay don't fit in on West Holts 

 

Apparently this was because SZA was meant to be Friday other headliner. Makes sense when you consider that.

 

Could Arlo Parks have played WH?  And BBC played Woodsies? 

 

And does that mean IDLES would have subbed ... Madonna?  That doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

[fraybentos1]

1 minute ago, Johndenis said:

Could Arlo Parks have played WH?  And BBC played Woodsies? 

Probably 

 

1 minute ago, Johndenis said:

And does that mean IDLES would have subbed ... Madonna?  That doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

Dunno, maybe they were meant to sub the other stage but got the bump up. It's clear SZA was a bump up regardless

[FrogLobster]

8 minutes ago, Johndenis said:

 

Could Arlo Parks have played WH?  And BBC played Woodsies? 

 

And does that mean IDLES would have subbed ... Madonna?  That doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

I don't think Idles were due to play at all before the SZA promotion; IIRC they were originally labelled for some other fest as 'only fest date in UK in 2024'.

[fraybentos1]

Let's get the ball rolling with some rumours for 2025, coming from the other place... obviously to be taken with a pinch of salt but not much else to go on.

 

Matt42 of former efests fame saying Fred Again... to do either 2027 or 2025 if a slot becomes available. And also Stevie Wonder to do 2025 after trying to get him this year. Just throwing it out there...

[Nobody Interesting]

2 hours ago, NotAnInsider said:

Caught up with a friend who has been working on the production of a decent sized American band this summer whilst they are over in Europe and asked about the handy GSH in their schedule that allowed him to come to the festival.

 

Turns out the band he's doing work for were in advanced talks for a high slot and had pencilled it in, and even thought about the staging, but they couldn't make it work commercially. The fee Glastonbury offer wouldn't cover their transport or production costs for the festival let alone paying their crew.

 

Their record label decided that the BBC coverage isn't as valuable as it once was so wouldn't take the hit on the show. Apparently that happening more and more to Glastonbury - bands and labels are less willing to take the hit on cost for the coverage.

 

Likely part of why the BBC is now broadcasting headliners globally on BBC.com live to add even more exposure to them and hopefully sway some more to sign up for a lower fee.

[OllieMadd]

I find it mad on here that people talk about Green Day as a sub. They are one of the biggest bands in the world. Pyramid headliner or nowt - but I probably think the festival couldn't afford them

[ewan88]

Dave, Foos, Rhianna...legend Alanis Morissette, would prefer Eminem over Foo's for originality but Foo's an easy booking 

Edited July 1 by ewan88