Which was your best year and why?

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

I noticed in somebody's signature that they've pretty much been to every Glastonbury since 1979 and I think that's amazing. The things they must have seen in that time! So it got me thinking, I wonder which year was everyone's best festival and why? Great weather? Perfect company? Amazing music? Not interested in the worst, because usually even the worst Glastonbury is still an incredible experience, right?! Let's keep this thread nice and positive in the run up to the greatest show on earth!

I'll get the ball rolling...

2013 was great but it's 2014 for me. My fifth. The best company, had a right laugh from Tuesday to Monday, made the poor weather from Thursday afternoon to Saturday afternoon irrelevant and that Saturday run of Robert Plant > Jack White > Metallica > Chase & Status secret set will take some beating. Plus I stumbled across some new music that I've really enjoyed ever since.

[Spindles]

Hard choice, '99 '10 and '13 were all great years for me, but I think I'd have to say that '13 pips it, simply because it was a fantastic week, with some great gigs, great weather, the punters that year were friendly and fun and I saw quite a few acts I'd wanted to see for a very long time. '13 had a great feeling about it, the only rain was Thursday evening when it didn't matter and by the time acts were playing on the Friday mud wasn't a concern for anyone...I bumped into ME just after PiL and thanked him fanboy style for "the best year ever" so I have to stick with that.

'99 also had a great, great atmosphere....that year everyone attending just seemed up for a good time (check almost ANY video of a performance from that year and modern crowds look crap by comparison).

'10....the weather man, the weather. I know some people hated it, but I'd take another week at Costa del Glasto any day.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Done 2009, 10, 11 and 14.

2011 is my favourite. Saw a lot of great acts, had the most mental experiences of all my visits. Saturday of Pulp - Chemical Brothers - SE Corner - A trippy walk around whilst most were in their tents, is my favourite 16 or so hours at glastonbury and probably my favourite ever night out anywhere.

[sedra]

Done 84,86,95,97,98,99,2000,02,03,05,07,09,10,11,13,14.

Best year for me was 2003- camped with a great group of people, had loads of fun, weather was ok, danced a lot, cried during Radiohead it was so emotional, atmosphere post super fence was chilled, sung round a camp fire, laughed, had a great time with great memories that year. Lots of great moments in the other years but that one I enjoyed from start to finish.

[Sofa]

1993 .The Orb played .That weekend and year was special .Won't forget that in a hurry.

[kellly]

2009 my best year. My first glastonbury after a friend and regular glastonbury goer convinced us to try it, we hadn't long been married, only a month or so. Being only 21 and skint when we got married, glastonbury was sort of a belated honeymoon as we didn't have one. Been every year since, easily one of the best things I've ever done. Amazing

Edited May 4, 2015 by kellly

[dccool]

1993 .The Orb played .That weekend and year was special .Won't forget that in a hurry.

Wish i was there for that one. The Orb in their full flow at'Old skool' glastonbury would be very special indeed.

[TomViolence]

2014 (my first). Soon to be replaced by 2015 (the year of the heat wave)

[bennyboi]

2010 for sure, I was just out of a pain in the ass relationship I was with a huge camp of 20odd of my nearest & dearest and the weather.

Even the football couldn't wreck my buzz that year

[FloorFiller]

aye 2010 for me too - my first Glastonbury, the weather was glorious, saw some amazing acts and generally just had an incredible weekend. after having only been to Leeds Festival previously, Glastonbury totally changed the game for me festival wise. went to my last Leeds Festival that August, and have been to Glastonbury ever since

[Spindles]

Keep 'em coming folks, great thread OP I love to read this stuff and will come back when my upvote bag is more full to liberally throw some around.

[elbongo]

Every one since 94, which is great, yet I struggle to distinguish particular years. 94 was memorable as the first, but we hoped over the fence on Friday night and left Sunday morning. 95 we did it in full, the weather was amazing, the participation of all things, the company, the new friends the love...

Which is probably why I can't now decipher the other years from each other.

Only mud and rain make it not a great year.

[eFestivals]

I've done every year since 1986.

And I'd have to say 1986 was the best, tho not (just) because it was my first, but because as each year has gone by the festival has got a little bit less wild. My memories of 1986 is like a scene from Mad Max.

Edited May 4, 2015 by eFestivals

[verrymerry]

I've only been going since 07 but last year was probably the best, everything just fell into place. Good group of laid back friends, I didn't arrive first so just rocked up to where they'd set up camp & pitched, didn't get hungover (woo!) and it was all topped off by an amazing set from London Grammar ☺

In contrast 13 was my least favourite, I genuinely wasn't sure if I wanted to go the following year

[Hugh Jass]

2004 has a special place in my heart because it was my first (this year will be my ninth), but my favourite is 2009. It was the perfect storm of good mates, good music (Blur!), weather, interesting substances and lots of hi-jinks. Never laughed so much as I did that year.

[Earthwindandfire2205]

2015 is my 6th in a row. 2009 Sunday Pyramid was amazing for me . Status Quo onwards was great fun.

2010 Sunday Faithless into Stevie and 2011 Elbow into The Chemical Brothers were my favourite 1-2s.

2013 Chic and The Stones were a life time dream of seeing and my wife's first Glastonbury.

Was disappointed with last year but it's 50 days to go lovely people. Let's hope for 2010s weather

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Great stuff so far guys, really enjoying the positivity!

[A Guy Called Matt]

I've done every year since 1886.

Impressed!

[A Guy Called Matt]

My best year was last year as it was my first - the first hopefully of many.

[russycarps]

Most likely I'd pick 94 because I was young enough to enjoy it to the full but I can barely remember a thing from back then...So I'd probably pick 2000 or 2003. 2003 edges it music wise but 2000 I have fond memories of because it was the end of an era for my original group of proper festival goers. We parted ways after bowie and some of them I've never seen again. It was the end of an era for the entire festival really.

The portishead/Nick cave/rolling stones trio of 2013 will probably never be beaten though.

[fatyeti24]

94 was my first and i remember that as being ace, and 99 was great too, but they were so long ago i don't remember the specifics. so i'll go with 10. great weather, company, persians, couldn't really tell you much about the music i saw/heard..

did i mention the weather?

[glasto-worker]

while I started going in 1979 and have not missed any yet for me it was 1983 because Marillion played and I am good mates with their lead singer { who has now left the band }

This is before I was working there so I had no access to the backstage area so I walked up to the gate and asked security if they could pass a note to Fish { even although I don't call him that } and amazingly he did and Derek { Fish } came out with a backstage pass for me - now at that time the backstage

area was far smaller than what it is now but it was still interesting seeing what was going on - they had been staying at Peter Gabriel's studio for a few days which was close to the site { how close I don't have a clue but it was some Manor House somewhere in that part of England }

Derek was well pleased to be there although it was a early afternoon spot but they were not as well knowing as they later became.

sure there has been other years but that stands out for me - I know that Derek has been back as a guest in the 90's but he has never played at it again.

[Icewulf]

Another vote for 2010 from me!

It was the first time I went with my now girlfriend, and the whole thing was a completely painless experience.

Plus the weather was actually pretty good! Unlike the previous 2 times I went.....

[Spindles]

I wish I'd gone to 94. A mate went with just a canvas satchel of snacks and the clothes he was wearing and bunked in, came back with a whole wardrobe of stuff he'd been given by randoms he'd met and a new missus. His magnificent enthusiasm was the encouragement our social group needed to get our asses to Phoenix up the road that year and the birth of my love for festival life.

I'm told '94 was something beyond brilliant.

I love Neil's comment about Mad max, that was how it felt to me, like bartertown grown wild and free with a hint of English eccentricity. Pennard hill today is like family camping compared to any part of the site way back when, would have loved to have seen it in the 80s.

[eFestivals]

Impressed!

Doh!

Corrected - 1986.