Your Glastonbury Years - Ranked!

[Hugh Jass II]

A lot of the mid-10’s blur together but roughly speaking:

 

GOAT tier: 2009, 2022

 

Good: 2004, 2010, 2013, 2016 (musically at any rate), 2017

 

Alright: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2023

 

Poor: 2005

 

WOAT: 2007

Edited May 27 by Hugh Jass II

[Led festivals]

Because of my profession I don’t get to go very often unfortunately.

 

2011: we had a big crew going and camped up near the Park after a few years in Big Ground. I was still in the midst of a PhD and on the tail end of lots of travelling for research and fun. Life just felt very carefree. I made some

bad choices (QOTSA instead of Beyonce), but this is a running theme of my Glastonbury experience. The Thursday just felt completely magical wandering around with an eclectic mix of friends.

 

2009: My first. After growing up in Leeds and making the annual rite of passage to the festival a few times Glasto just hit different. I was totally in awe of the place and had a great group of friends there. Neil was incredible and although I barely remember the evening I’m told we had a great time at Prodigy (it should have been Blur!).

 

2019: My first back after a long hiatus made a little harder because of some tough volunteering shifts in the heat. It was a good friend’s stag which made it special, if a little OiOi, although I missed some fun due to working. Still, walking over to Pyramid after the heat of a long shift while Vampire Weekend played into the sunset was a magical moment, and although I’m not much of a pop fan, I loved the Miley Kylie double header. Also, I finally got to see the Cure!

 

2010: we had the smallest crew this time. This was before I lived in Asia and the heat really killed me. The Flaming Lips had been my favourite band for years at that point and I was a bit bummed everyone else wanted to see Gorrilaz. I went solo and making friends with the people around me and singing along is an abiding festival memory and one of my all time favourite gigs. Missed Stevie Wonder and LCD and regretted both. I’ve still never seen the latter so I’m hoping for good things this year.

Edited May 28 by Led festivals

[DareToDibble]

On 5/26/2024 at 11:09 AM, Crazyfool01 said:

Absolutely impossible task … given the fact some of them might have been a little hazy . Sunshine is key for me 

 

Just the part in bold was my immediate thought. I kinda thought "they get better every year" but thinking about it more and boring my friends to death discussing it I think I'm going:

 

(I might be the only person ever who is putting my first ever Glasto bottom)

 

2019 - Won tickets a month before (22nd May from eFests!) and it was my now wifes first ever Glasto. 

2022 - My wifes 2nd - and only other - Glastonbury. I'm sure we all appreciate the festival means more when shared with the most important people in our lives.

2016 - Can't actually believe this is as high as it is given the state of the ground but that year I had 3 groups of friends all together. I still consider that Coldplay set as my favourite ever headliner. 

2023 - After years of me nagging my brother and his girlfriend finally gave in and tried for tickets. I got to enjoy watching the wonder on their faces experiencing the festival for the first time.

2015 - My second Glastonbury, I understood by this point what the festival was about and one of my best friends came. Doubly special because he was/is a huge Kayne fan so seeing my friend that happy at a headline set made my festival.

2017 - Hugely excited to go after how amazing I found the Coldplay set the year before. 

2014 - My first ever Glastonbury. I know I should have this a lot higher but honestly my friend got me tickets without me really knowing and I didn't know how much of a big deal it was. I just remember sitting in his house and him playing Clean Bandit and telling me why it would be so much fun to see them 😄 Imagine Dragons was my favourite set, please don't ban me from the forum.

[Chip Batch]

2010 - yeah it was too hot, but also my first dry one. Definitely take this and it was perfect after 7pm 😄

2009 - mainly dry(?) great line up. Blur.

2022 - dry again!

2008 - mainly dry except that Thursday. Elbow The Other Stage. I'll ignore KoL

2014 - Arcade Fire, had a good group

2004 - muddy, but first visit. Tiny tent with 2 of us in. Not very waterproof

2013 - Rolling Stones and other good stuff

2015 - SFA, can't remember much else without looking

2005 - Great Wednesday and Thursday. Tent got submerged, actually went home Sunday evening 😐

2011 - Radiohead at the park. Weather a bit crap? These last few are fairly interchangable until 2016. All good.

2016 - didn't really feel it. A bit miserable.

.

.

.

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2007 - The Other Stage, Sunday evening and The View being on. Also waking up Monday morning and it STILL hammering down with rain. Terrible.

 

 

 

 

 

[EMorgz92]

2019 - perfect weather, great group of friends some of whom hadn't been before so was really fun to share it all with them. 

2022 - first year volunteering with Oxfam, showers, quiet campsite etc. Weather boiling, and my usual friends got tickets too so could hang out between shifts. Best of both worlds. 

2017 - a close contender as again a great group of friends and weather was almost perfect

2023 - 2nd year volunteering, weather was perfect again. No friends got tickets though, but managed to get 1 close friend to volunteer with me which was good, but we often wanted to do different things so spent a fair bit of time alone.

2016 - horrendous mud and constant rain, bloody exhausting not being able to sit down all day! Only a group of 4 as well.

2014 - my first year, feels strange ranking this bottom because I still had a great time. As others have said though, I really didn't know what I had signed up for. While experienced with some other festivals this was another level. Noisy (camped right by John Peel), someone peed on my shoes in the tent porch, and weather was pretty shocking.

[fullfathom5]

On 5/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, TiZuff said:

2016 should be on another list 😄 the mud man facking hell. Every other glasto has been so special in its own way. feels wrong to even order them.

2007 was worse

[Little Andy]

Im so jealous of all these people who were able to enjoy 2019. Weather was torturous for me. 😞

[philipsteak]

10 hours ago, Led festivals said:

Because of my profession I don’t get to go very often unfortunately.

 

2011: we had a big crew going and camped up near the Park after a few years in Big Ground. I was still in the midst of a PhD and on the tail end of lots of travelling for research and fun. Life just felt very carefree. I made some

bad choices (QOTSA instead of Beyonce), but this is a running theme of my Glastonbury experience. The Thursday just felt completely magical wandering around with an eclectic mix of friends.

 

2009: My first. After growing up in Leeds and making the annual rite of passage to the festival a few times Glasto just hit different. I was totally in awe of the place and had a great group of friends there. Neil was incredible and although I barely remember the evening I’m told we had a great time at Prodigy (it should have been Blur!).

 

2019: My first back after a long hiatus made a little harder because of some tough volunteering shifts in the heat. It was a good friend’s stag which made it special, if a little OiOi, although I missed some fun due to working. Still, walking over to Pyramid after the heat of a long shift while Vampire Weekend played into the sunset was a magical moment, and although I’m not much of a pop fan, I loved the Miley Kylie double header. Also, I finally got to see the Cure!

 

2010: we had the smallest crew this time. This was before I lived in Asia and the heat really killed me. The Flaming Lips had been my favourite band for years at that point and I was a bit bummed everyone else wanted to see Gorrilaz. I went solo and making friends with the people around me and singing along is an abiding festival memory and one of my all time favourite gigs. Missed Stevie Wonder and LCD and regretted both. I’ve still never seen the latter so I’m hoping for good things this year.

 

There's something really special about finishing a shift (even better if it's your last shift, but also applies if not), heading straight out, meeting your mates, and all just really going for it

 

[Johnnyseven]

2000 then 1999 - both were amazing, I was young, the weather was great (after a very very wet one for my first time in 1998), I was there with a load of mates and the music was awesome - but 2000 edges it because Bowie.

 

2019 - I played 5 sets over the weekend, it was blazing hot and carrying a double bass around in that heat was hell. We had T&C wristbands so crew bars were accessible, I had a brilliant time.

 

Been lots of other times but my memories of them all tend to all meld together, which must mean I had a brilliant time - even at the muddy ones.

[LinvoyPrimus]

2022 – Euphoric return after Covid, perfect weather, line-up almost unbearably top-heavy (but in the best way possible.) Emotional. A reminder to never take experiences like this for granted. Pet Shop Boys... Macca... Khruangbin up on The Park as the sun set was definitely a moment.
 

2013 – Stones. AM doing AM. Second time round after a year off – learned a lot from 2011… did more… saw more… didn’t kill myself trying to see EVERY act. 
 

2016 – Unbearable weather but musically brilliant. Across all stages… all late-night areas… was killer across the board. Met my partner and all her mates there for the first time. Gives me hope that even bad-weather Glastonbury's can be great.
 

2019 – insane weather, Kylie, Idles on The Park, Lizzo on WH. Amazing group of mates there. The Saturday heat was a slog, but didn't get in the way of a good time and only adds to how memorable it was. 
 

2017 –  Near-perfect weather conditions. Had my wallet stolen on Day 2 but my partner / mates got me through. First full Glastonbury with my now-wife. Katy Perry, Killers on John Peel stage, Justice. A tonne of highlights.
 

2011 – First Glastonbury. Almost a 'dry run' (despite the weather...) as it was my first and didn't make the most of it (knowing what I know now). Didn’t have the best company. Spoiled rotten on the secret sets. Pulp on The Park and QOTSA/TV on the Radio on The Other were all-time sets for me though.
 

2015 – Emergency Libertines was fun. Lionel. Not the best line-up on the whole but that Sunday/Sunday night was a masterpiece. Good group of mates. But Kanye was maximum excitement and maximum disappointment all in one go. Went through a breakup at the festival…
 

2014 – From memory, it was just really cold, all of the time. And I don't think I've stood around watching music in the rain as much as I did that year. Arcade Fire and Metallica were dream bookings for me. Lana and Kelis were grand. Didn't get the Dolly hype. Bad times with narcotics on the first night had me in a bad way for all of Thursday. Maximum sleep depravation as my mates (who arrived ahead of me) decided to camp next to the main toilets at the bottom of Pennard / by the railway tracks. I genuinely napped through the whole of Jack White’s set.

Edited May 28 by LinvoyPrimus

[Led festivals]

1 hour ago, LinvoyPrimus said:

Pulp on The Park and QOTSA/TV on the Radio on The Other were all-time sets for me though.

I was dead on my feet that Sunday until TV on the Radio. Did they play Ghostbusters? They definitely did in my head. The set was a belter and really brought me back to life. 

[goldfishboy]

 

2007 - the one where it all clicked for me. pissed it down raining all weekend, but i was with a big group and everyone was determined to have the best week regardless. bjork and the stooges were both incredible. 

 

2010 - a lovely week of raving with friends. PSB and orbital were fantastic.

 

2009 - that blur set was the perfect glastonbury moment.

 

2023 - went solo as a steward so took it at my own pace and heard some great music. phoenix was unforgettable, fred again was lush, loved elkka into chems at the spider.

 

2014 - first sober year was a winner, arcade fire and dolly among the highlights.

 

2008 - don't think i saw anything on any of the main stages this year. went full-on shangri-la and had a great time, not that i can remember much of it.

 

2017 - first year volunteering, and it felt great to give and feel part of the festival that had given me so much over the years. also corbyn year [wistful sigh].

 

2015 - went solo, spent time with people who didn't seem that fussed to be hanging out with me. shed a tear to grant lee phillips (mighty joe moon was a teenage fav).

 

1997 - first G. it's a little overwhelming and we lost people for days on end. stood in puddles all weekend watching terrible britpop bands. talked about leaving early but didn't, and caught the end of daft punk.

 

1998 - enjoyed blur and pulp, got mugged, stood in puddles all weekend, was put off it for nine years.

 

2011 - got heatstroke and missed paul simon, spent a whole afternoon shopping for a hat.

2016 - brexit referendum. vibes were off.

[4AssedMonkey]

Of all the ones I've been to, only 2016 stands out as being significantly negative.  Ground conditions were awful.  Took an age to get on site. Putting tents up in the rain. Brexit result.  Plus it was the only one my ex ever attended and she was miserable as f**k, which put me on a downer.  Then our tent got slashed, let water in and soaked my clothes.  Then the airbed popped overnight Saturday morning and went down, none of the onsite camping shops had any.  Went to watch Adele, saw 4-5 songs, thought it was sh*t so packed up and left Saturday night.  Torrid stuff.

 

TBF if my ex hadn't been with me I'd have probably toughed it out to the end and would have had a better time.  She could be a real misery at times.

[goldfishboy]

just realised i somehow left out 2019 and that was a fun year as well. chems, miley and kylie. putting it just below 2023 i think.

[LinvoyPrimus]

19 hours ago, Led festivals said:

I was dead on my feet that Sunday until TV on the Radio. Did they play Ghostbusters? They definitely did in my head. The set was a belter and really brought me back to life. 

Well-remembered - they did indeed play Ghostbusters.

 

That year was a full-on emotional rollercoaster as far as weather conditions are concerned. Friday night had (to this day) some of the heaviest rain I’ve seen at Glasto and then by Sunday I had the worst sunburn ever. But that Sunday line-up did help me forget about all that.

[AtomsForPizza]

2017: great company, decent weather, just had a good laugh all weekend. Saying that, although Radiohead are probably my favourite band, I'm in the camp that didn't actually enjoy it that much at the time, something just didn't click 

2013: first time, loved it. 

2014: solid year 

2022: crashed my car on the way down on the Tuesday

2016: muddy and felt ill for most of it. As others have said, vibes were off after Brexit vote. 

 

Funny how in retrospect the bands you've seen are not that important, it's the 'macro' factors (weather, company etc.) you  remember most 

[gooner1990]

36 minutes ago, AtomsForPizza said:

2017: great company, decent weather, just had a good laugh all weekend. Saying that, although Radiohead are probably my favourite band, I'm in the camp that didn't actually enjoy it that much at the time, something just didn't click 

2013: first time, loved it. 

2014: solid year 

2022: crashed my car on the way down on the Tuesday

2016: muddy and felt ill for most of it. As others have said, vibes were off after Brexit vote. 

 

Funny how in retrospect the bands you've seen are not that important, it's the 'macro' factors (weather, company etc.) you  remember most 

 

Blimey, how did you work around that?!

[BlackZeppelin]

1995 - the first and the best, great line up, and I was young. Spent alot of time in the comedy tent stoned.

 

2022- Macca....there with my kids and two close mates, absolute belter

 

2017 - Radiohead, good weather, great drugs, shrooms everyday

 

2014 - worked it, but still good fun Metallica  and fabulously erratic Jack White set.

 

2016 - loved it despite Brexit/ weather....Weirdly saved by Barry Gibb putting in an incredible guest spot.

 

2019 - bit lonely, just me and teenage kids,: but The Cure and The Chems were bloody good.

Edited May 29 by BlackZeppelin

[gherkin8r]

On 5/28/2024 at 12:14 PM, Little Andy said:

Im so jealous of all these people who were able to enjoy 2019. Weather was torturous for me. 😞

Is that you @FuzzyDunlop??

[homesick]

2019
2017
2010
2023
2022

[Olshansky]

On 5/28/2024 at 7:14 AM, Little Andy said:

Im so jealous of all these people who were able to enjoy 2019. Weather was torturous for me. 😞

 

i hate hot weather and normally would find temps like that unbearable, but too many other good things cancelled that out for me.  I think it actually forced me to slow down a bit, not try and do too many things, and just concentrate on enjoying myself.  Also I had a T&C wristband that year just like @Johnnysevenso I got to experience crew bars for the first time. 

[goldfishboy]

 which year was the hailstorm? that was ridiculous 

[fred quimby]

Not going to rank as been going since 82 so kind of hard . (Missed 2009)

However 2019 has to rank as no 1. Lots of things just came together perfectly. 

[AtomsForPizza]

On 5/29/2024 at 2:55 PM, gooner1990 said:

Blimey, how did you work around that?!

AA came and towed the car to a safe space at Gloucester services. I then slept in the car (seeing as it was about 2am on Wednesday morning), woke up early and managed to hitchhike to the festival. I left my car keys with the garage at the service station and the car got recovered to home. 

 

Was all a bit of a nightmare and pretty stressful way to start the festival. But I was glad to still make it to the fest on the Weds! 

[kemosabe]

Forgive me, I've been reminising and going through the line ups and it's turned into an essay. 

 

 

1. 2019 - The best one by far for me. Love The Cure, Tame Impala, & The Killers, the weather was perfect and was with a cracking group of mates. Kylie stole the show on the Sunday. 

 

2. 2017 - Another banger. It was amazing weather (especially after 2016) & the line up was decent enough. Highlights was Kae Tempest. But then Chic and London Grammar on the Sunday, The XX on the Friday and RTJ on the Pyramid (after the Jeremy Corbyn speech) I spent a lot of time in leftfield that year and it was jsut a really optomistic festival. The only downsides was that I found the headliners a bit sh*t for me personally, the Sunday I didn't have one at all and ended up going to the Paino Bar. 

 

3. 2015 - First one I went to. So full of optomism and so young! Florance was great, as were the Libs playing the secret set role. The hype around Kanye is like nothing I've seen at the festival (even if he failed so badly in the end). Randomly seeing the Dali Lama. Going to see The Who over Chemical Brothers will forever be a mistake I have to live with. I wasn't really into electronic music, so I think some of the SE corner/ night stuff passed me by a little bit. Also I didn't really know what I was doing half the time! Weather was bang average I think, bit of mud on the Sunday. 

4. 2022 - Best weather I've seen at the festival I think? There was obviously a great line up for many people, but for me personally it wasn't the greatest line up. I didn't see a headliner on the Pyramid, which was unusual. The headliners were not for me and then Diana Ross' voice was gone. Wolf Alice were class, Bicep were spectacual, Foals were good (seen them plenty before though) and I liked Olivia Rodrigo. I found the overcrowding really put off my enjoyment of the festival, and I was going through some personal stuff as well that meant it wasn't the best festival ever for me. I ended up taking a year off afterwards, which was something I'd never of expected to do in the years previously. 

5. 2016 - Unreal line up imo. Just lots to love all the way through from top to bottom, but the mud made it a complete slog. Then Brexit absolutely crushed the place. Not being able to sit down was a complete game changer for me (in the worst possible sense). New Order left me a bit flat which didn't help. Earth Wind and Fire were amazing but I was so exhusted by that point (them LCD and Coldplay was the biggest clash I've ever had by the way). Chvches, Foals, Tame Impala, Discolure & Little Simz were all highlights. Got home and watched England lose to Iceland in the Euros - a low to end a tough one. 

Edited May 30 by kemosabe