2025 Headliners

[jonnytee1]

Neil young is a headliner of any festival he plays - that's a fact. 

If Neil Young plays Glastonbury next year he headlines  -  that's a fact

 

I would not dispute either of the above, 

 

However, whilst appreciating his status as an artist and in stating I am quite a fan myself. He is a bit Niche

 

Fans of his will flock in their droves to see him and defend his back catalogue ( and rightly so as its full of beautiful songs) but outside of his fanbase I am not sure most people would be able to name 1 song by him and certainly not a handful of songs. I think other than Ring of Fire Johnny Cash falls in to the same bracket. 

 

That's the difference between Neil Young and many of the other artists mentioned above (Stevie, Bowie, Elton etc). 

 

It doesn't make NY less worthy of headlining, nor does it mean he's any less of an artist or performer, it simply means that (rightly or wrongly) his songs are not as universally well known. 

[Avalon_Fields]

100 Greatest Artists of All Time (Rolling Stone 2012). There’s only about 5 ahead of Neil still potentially available, and maybe Smokey R will be there too!:

1. The Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Elvis Presley
4. Rolling Stones
5. Chuck Berry
6. Jimi Hendrix
7. James Brown
8. Little Richard
9. Aretha Franklin
10. Ray Charles
11. Bob Marley
12. The Beach Boys
13. Buddy Holly
14. Led Zeppelin
15. Stevie Wonder
16. Sam Cooke
17. Muddy Waters
18. Marvin Gaye
19. The Velvet Underground
20. Bo Diddley
21. Otis Redding
22. U2
23. Bruce Springsteen
24. Jerry Lee Lewis
25. Fats Domino
26. The Ramones
27. Nirvana
28. Prince
29. The Who
30. The Clash
31. Johnny Cash
32. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
33. The Everly Brothers
34. Neil Young
35. Michael Jackson
36. Madonna
37. Roy Orbison
38. John Lennon
39. David Bowie
40. Simon and Garfunkel
 

Edited December 9, 2024 by Avalon_Fields

[NorthernSoul52]

2 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

100 Greatest Artists of All Time (Rolling Stone 2012). There’s only about 5 ahead of Neil still potentially available, and maybe Smokey R will be there too!:

1. The Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Elvis Presley
4. Rolling Stones
5. Chuck Berry
6. Jimi Hendrix
7. James Brown
8. Little Richard
9. Aretha Franklin
10. Ray Charles
11. Bob Marley
12. The Beach Boys
13. Buddy Holly
14. Led Zeppelin
15. Stevie Wonder
16. Sam Cooke
17. Muddy Waters
18. Marvin Gaye
19. The Velvet Underground
20. Bo Diddley
21. Otis Redding
22. U2
23. Bruce Springsteen
24. Jerry Lee Lewis
25. Fats Domino
26. The Ramones
27. Nirvana
28. Prince
29. The Who
30. The Clash
31. Johnny Cash
32. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
33. The Everly Brothers
34. Neil Young
35. Michael Jackson
36. Madonna
37. Roy Orbison
38. John Lennon
39. David Bowie
40. Simon and Garfunkel
 

There are some wild shouts on that list. Lennon's solo work at 38 ahead of Bowie?!

[kalifire]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Elsewhere, Banks wants a million from Healy.

 

 

I’ve no idea why presumably highly skilled and experienced attorneys write things like “I am legal counsel to superstar Azealia Banks”. It comes off as so sycophantic to their client, and the tone instantly gives the impression of delegitimising their position. Almost as if the letter is being dictated by them directly. Like when Trump’s physician’s report claimed he was in “perfect health”.  

[kalifire]

1 hour ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

If someone is big enough to headline the G and I'm not really familiar with their music I would usually assume that that's a skill issue on my side and boot up Spotify.

100%. Doesn’t mean I’m going to personally enjoy them or be pleased with their headline position, but at least I’ll have more appreciation.

 

I wasn’t that familiar with Neil Young, for example. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve heard so far. Took the advice to start with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, and moved on to Harvest. Can’t say I’ll be in his crowd (depends on clashes) but I’m sure he’ll entertain everyone who’s there. 

[Avalon_Fields]

43 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

There are some wild shouts on that list. Lennon's solo work at 38 ahead of Bowie?!

Yes, that was the clear anomaly for me, I’m sure a British list would have Bowie much higher. 

[Justcalledtosay]

2 hours ago, Punksnotdead said:

Imagine living in a world where Neil Young is considered unworthy of a headline slot but The 1975 are!

 

It's like living in a world where Trump and Farage get voted in! 😲

They're shite as well....unfortunately they'll attract a larger crowd than Neil Young.

[NorthernSoul52]

37 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Yes, that was the clear anomaly for me, I’m sure a British list would have Bowie much higher. 

If it's the NME or The Guardian that write that, Bowie comes top. That's a 2012 list though too - imagine he'd rank higher now, having since stuck out two acclaimed albums and passed on.

[steviewevie]

Is Trump headlining a rumour? 

[steviewevie]

[steviewevie]

Neil Young on the Other.

[Havors]

3 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, written by Neil), a massively important political song written about the police killing 4 in a Vietnam war protest, easily one of the most influential songs of that era and I’m guessing every American would have known of the song. 

You just proved my point there tbh.

[gfa]

5 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, written by Neil), a massively important political song written about the police killing 4 in a Vietnam war protest, easily one of the most influential songs of that era and I’m guessing every American would have known of the song. 

Festivals in the UK though - point doesn't really hold up!

 

Bad Bunny is a headliner in the US but not over here etc

[judyblue110]

Bold statement:

 

Other than dedicated fans of the individual artists, your average festival goer could not name 5 songs by any of Olivia, The 1975, or Neil Young. Further to that, they could not name 5 songs between them.

 

I really don't know what naming songs has to do with whether an act could or should headline Glastonbury or not.

 

Most attendees couldn't name 5 Cure songs, 5 Springsteen songs, 5 Radiohead songs, 5 Kendrick Lamar songs, 5 Billie Eilish songs or 1 SZA song - the list goes on. It doesn't matter.

 

He is who he is, and he has the status he has. 

[fakeplastictrees2000]

2 hours ago, steviewevie said:

Neil Young on the Other.

is this info or a guess?

 

[steviewevie]

9 minutes ago, fakeplastictrees2000 said:

is this info or a guess?

 

neither really. 

[jonnytee1]

51 minutes ago, judyblue110 said:

Bold statement:

 

Other than dedicated fans of the individual artists, your average festival goer could not name 5 songs by any of Olivia, The 1975, or Neil Young. Further to that, they could not name 5 songs between them.

 

I really don't know what naming songs has to do with whether an act could or should headline Glastonbury or not.

 

Most attendees couldn't name 5 Cure songs, 5 Springsteen songs, 5 Radiohead songs, 5 Kendrick Lamar songs, 5 Billie Eilish songs or 1 SZA song - the list goes on. It doesn't matter.

 

He is who he is, and he has the status he has. 

Although i fully agree with a majority of the above, he has been mentioned in the same breath as Bowie and Elton John over the past 10 pages or so,

 

I'm pretty sure most people could name multiple songs by Bowie and Elton. You only have to go through the list of acts on the top 40 list above (in terms of "Legendary acts") and Neil Young is likely to be close to the bottom in terms of "well known songs" despite his rightful "Legendary" status.

 

It doesn't change the fact he will and should headline if he is there..........its just simple facts that people generally do not know his back catalogue or "hits" as much as other "legendary acts" or current artists. 

 

Hopefully if he does headline  -  it gets people listening to his albums which are all pretty much superb. 

[doogie]

6 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Elsewhere, Banks wants a million from Healy.

 

 

 

Has Azealia Banks hired Dr Evil as her lawyer?

[henry bear]

5 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

There are some wild shouts on that list. Lennon's solo work at 38 ahead of Bowie?!

Very US-centric too, 30 of that lot from over the pond. 

[charlierc]

11 minutes ago, henry bear said:

Very US-centric too, 30 of that lot from over the pond. 

It's an American magazine so that makes sense tbf.

[NorthernSoul52]

41 minutes ago, doogie said:

 

Has Azealia Banks hired Dr Evil as her lawyer?

Let's see what numbers stack up in yen.

[Olshansky]

6 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

There are some wild shouts on that list. Lennon's solo work at 38 ahead of Bowie?!

 

i know! I Nirvana is probably my favorite band, but in no way are they better than Bowie.  

I suppose these lists are made to generate conversation and clicks 

[Olshansky]

4 hours ago, steviewevie said:

Is Trump headlining a rumour? 

 

please don't make us look at him more than we already have to 

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, steviewevie said:

Is Trump headlining a rumour? 

Bad enough I get a celebrity gossip video widget on this site that repeatedly includes things about that arse and his family, including one today from his visit to the Notre Dame re-opening over the weekend.

[steviewevie]

7 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Bad enough I get a celebrity gossip video widget on this site that repeatedly includes things about that arse and his family, including one today from his visit to the Notre Dame re-opening over the weekend.

yeah, but if he did headline you'd be there right? I know I would. I'd have to see him doing weird sh*t dance rather than that brat charli person gyrating and smoking under a shower. If it's Neil Young then I might have to go with Ms xcx.