Much like last year, the festival seems to be going for younger headliners. Friday and Sunday see The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo taking to the iconic Pyramid Stage for the last set of the night, in a similar way to how last year saw Dua Lipa and SZA headlining those respective days in 2024. But of course, we’ve got to have someone for those of us with our parents’ music tastes - the Saturday night sees the return to Glastonbury of the legendary Neil Young with his band The Chrome Hearts, having previously performed in 2009, and Sunday will also see Rod Stewart come to the stage to entertain the crowds who by then should be drunk enough for Maggie May.
The festival is also recruiting from the pool of young talent when it comes to the bands as well - Wet Leg, Wunderhorse, English Teacher and Amyl and the Sniffers are just a select few on the ticket for us indie heads, while the reliable national treasures of Franz Ferdinand and The Libertines will be there to pump out the classics.
However, I can’t help but feel like the line-up isn’t quite as stacked as it has been in the last few years, and there’s a lot of repeat names here. Ever since the festival lost two years because of the pandemic, it’s come back to remind us how important live music can be - 2022 saw Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Paul bloody McCartney headlining, while 2023’s festival culminated in a two-hour extravaganza by Elton John. Even last year saw Coldplay use their star power for a varied set filled with too many special guests to name - they performed 'Fix You' with Michael J. Fox, for crying out loud.
By contrast, acts like Olivia Rodrigo and the 1975 don’t strike me as being as good live as the other acts I've mentioned - they’re definitely good, but I’m used to Glastonbury headliners putting on more of a show, relying on something more than just the strength of the songs. That, and I simply couldn’t watch a full set from the 1975 because Matty Healy annoys the hell out of me.
Genre-wise, it also doesn’t seem as diverse at a glance. There’s a lot of rock, alternative and pop this year and the spectrum of musical styles and cultures isn’t as wide. Then again, some of these names I don’t know much so I’m ready to be surprised by Glastonbury 2025. My first impressions just aren’t quite as excited as they normally are.