2019 Headliners

[dentalplan]

4 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Stormzy is the big ‘curiosity’ headliners of this year, but more because he’s untested as a headliners of Glastonbury’s size more than anything else. It’s definitely a weird, uninspired and un-Glastonbury set of headliners if it’s what we get, but also unlike most years, there’s a big lack of ‘well *** is touring/headlining festivals so why haven’t they booked them?’ acts. As bland a trio as it may seem, I’m hard pressed to think who else they realistically could’ve/should’ve got once we remove Fleetwood Mac/Madonna/Gaga/acts who were always just pipe dreams. It’s just an unusually lacking year for headliner sized acts touring.

Not to bring doom and gloom... but can you see it getting much better? I can’t.

There are a very many headline acts who are at this point deemed to be ‘uninspiring’, half a handful of acts new to headlining Glastonbury that are agreeably big enough and will play eventually, then the rest have either already ticked it off their list, don’t wanna do it or ask for too much money.

Maybe the newfound apathy towards festival headliners is a result of an era of looking back without building for a future.

[K2SO]

11 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Stormzy is the big ‘curiosity’ headliners of this year, but more because he’s untested as a headliners of Glastonbury’s size more than anything else. It’s definitely a weird, uninspired and un-Glastonbury set of headliners if it’s what we get, but also unlike most years, there’s a big lack of ‘well *** is touring/headlining festivals so why haven’t they booked them?’ acts. As bland a trio as it may seem, I’m hard pressed to think who else they realistically could’ve/should’ve got once we remove Fleetwood Mac/Madonna/Gaga/acts who were always just pipe dreams. It’s just an unusually lacking year for headliner sized acts touring.

Totally get that mate. The only one that I think is someone that I feel like would be a missed opportunity is Ariana Grande... But even then, like you said, there's hardly anyone about this year so it's slim pickings

[K2SO]

1 minute ago, dentalplan said:

Not to bring doom and gloom... but can you see it getting much better? I can’t.

There are a very many headline acts who are at this point deemed to be ‘uninspiring’, half a handful of acts new to headlining Glastonbury that are agreeably big enough and will play eventually, then the rest have either already ticked it off their list, don’t wanna do it or ask for too much money.

Maybe the newfound apathy towards festival headliners is a result of an era of looking back without building for a future.

I feel like the only 'new' bands that could be lined up for next few years are Royal Blood and (although I can't stand them), The 1975.

[dentalplan]

3 minutes ago, K2SO said:

I feel like the only 'new' bands that could be lined up for next few years are Royal Blood and (although I can't stand them), The 1975.

Ok but I’m completely not on about that. I mean existing headline acts that people are hoping for. By and large, people don’t hope for bands to be bumped up to headline Glastonbury.

[K2SO]

4 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

Ok but I’m completely not on about that. I mean existing headline acts that people are hoping for. By and large, people don’t hope for bands to be bumped up to headline Glastonbury.

Yeah I guess you're right. Music is in a bit of a strange shape right now. There's an abundance of 'mid-card' acts around, but a severe lack of headliners. There's not been many artists around in the last decade that have become headliner material, and the well has run pretty dry, in terms of established acts.

[Phoenix Girl]

1 hour ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

There only human after all 

Oh gawd, and now I’m singing this ?. 

[Ayrshire Chris]

9 minutes ago, Phoenix Girl said:

Oh gawd, and now I’m singing this ?. 

And I’ve just put on a camouflage jacket 

[dentalplan]

4 minutes ago, K2SO said:

Yeah I guess you're right. Music is in a bit of a strange shape right now. There's an abundance of 'mid-card' acts around, but a severe lack of headliners. There's not been many artists around in the last decade that have become headliner material, and the well has run pretty dry, in terms of established acts.

The festivals have to give the acts a headline spot to make them headliner material though - I think it’s fairer to say that the festivals have dropped the ball rather than the performers. And, as I said, they’ve been kinda looking back for most of an era because of a purple patch of legends and one-offs which seems to be drying up, which has caused this problem for the future.

But yeah, I was scribbling down names for 2020 in notes and had ‘The 1975, REM, U2, Beyoncé, Blur, Arctic Monkeys’ as personal front runners; that’s like five repeats, two optimistic reunions, one’s all around the festivals this year, etc. Festivals aren’t about to look heavily inspired once again.

[fatyeti24]

11 minutes ago, Phoenix Girl said:

Oh gawd, and now I’m singing this ?. 

 

2 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

And I’ve just put on a camouflage jacket 

I've just tattooed my face. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Lorde will be back to headline in 2020

[K2SO]

11 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

The festivals have to give the acts a headline spot to make them headliner material though - I think it’s fairer to say that the festivals have dropped the ball rather than the performers. And, as I said, they’ve been kinda looking back for most of an era because of a purple patch of legends and one-offs which seems to be drying up, which has caused this problem for the future.

But yeah, I was scribbling down names for 2020 in notes and had ‘The 1975, REM, U2, Beyoncé, Blur, Arctic Monkeys’ as personal front runners; that’s like five repeats, two optimistic reunions, one’s all around the festivals this year, etc. Festivals aren’t about to look heavily inspired once again.

I don't even think it is necessarily the festivals either. I think it's the pushes that the artists get by the media, and the public reaction to the artists.

Personally, I think there are bands and artists out there that are good enough to headline, but don't have the crowd pull to justify the festival bumping them.

[dentalplan]

7 minutes ago, K2SO said:

I don't even think it is necessarily the festivals either. I think it's the pushes that the artists get by the media, and the public reaction to the artists.

Personally, I think there are bands and artists out there that are good enough to headline, but don't have the crowd pull to justify the festival bumping them.

If you like, I disagree personally but it’s getting away from the point about there being a distinct lack of ‘bucket list’ type headliners left in the pipeline that I wanted to make. I don’t think the festival is gonna get much better in that respect.

[Bradders]

I think the consumption of music through Spotify playlists rather than albums is meaning people have less attachment and loyalty to the artists they’re listening to, making it harder for many bands to rise to headliner size.

[yosoyyoberdi]

I'll give a few set of headliners for the ones that keep repeating there are no big inspiring acts around.

Ariana Grande / Arctic Monkeys / McCartney

Drake / Gaga / Muse

Troll set: The Carters / Daft Punk / FM

A couple more acts to fill: Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala or even Calvin Harris.

[RarerThanDandyB]

7 minutes ago, yosoyyoberdi said:

I'll give a few set of headliners for the ones that keep repeating there are no big inspiring acts around.

Ariana Grande / Arctic Monkeys / McCartney

Drake / Gaga / Muse

Troll set: The Carters / Daft Punk / FM

A couple more acts to fill: Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala or even Calvin Harris.

AM looking like nothings planned. Fleetwood Mac charge too much, Gaga is on a Vegas residency, Drake is touring and would charge too much based on what he has charged for the tour, Muse are playing there own gigs, Ariana is playing her own gigs likewise McCartney. Kendrick is making his own music, Impala are 99% headlining the Other Stage and Calvin Harris wouldn’t headline Glastonbury. 

That’s why they aren’t playing aside from Impala who are headlining the Other Stage.

EDIT: For the record, I’m all for Daft Punk

Edited February 24, 2019 by RarerThanDandyB

[yosoyyoberdi]

3 minutes ago, RarerThanDandyB said:

AM looking like nothings planned. Fleetwood Mac charge too much, Gaga is on a Vegas residency, Drake is touring and would charge too much based on what he has charged for the tour, Muse are playing there own gigs, Ariana is playing her own gigs likewise McCartney. Kendrick is making his own music, Impala are 99% headlining the Other Stage and Calvin Harris wouldn’t headline Glastonbury. 

That’s why they aren’t playing aside from Impala who are headlining the Other Stage.

EDIT: For the record, I’m all for Daft Punk

I know the rationality behind why they are not playing but it all comes down to money. I wouldn't say there is a problem of big inspiring acts being available but them being within glasto budget / attraction. 

[RarerThanDandyB]

1 minute ago, yosoyyoberdi said:

I know the rationality behind why they are not playing but it all comes down to money. I wouldn't say there is a problem of big inspiring acts being available but them being within glasto budget / attraction. 

I agree but Impala more than likely has been booked, I see that as a level headliner with a Stormzy. Seeing Impala, Killers and Cure would be too bad as headliners. Then Silver Hayes after the headliners. Better headliners could of been booked but I don’t find it that bad.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Rihanna / Swizzle / Elton / Guns'n'Roses / Queen

Though realistically in 2020 I think we're looking at Coldplay and a reformed Blur or Pulp

 

[dentalplan]

12 minutes ago, yosoyyoberdi said:

I know the rationality behind why they are not playing but it all comes down to money. I wouldn't say there is a problem of big inspiring acts being available but them being within glasto budget / attraction. 

So they're not available then.

[stuartbert two hats]

32 minutes ago, yosoyyoberdi said:

I'll give a few set of headliners for the ones that keep repeating there are no big inspiring acts around.

Ariana Grande / Arctic Monkeys / McCartney

Drake / Gaga / Muse

Troll set: The Carters / Daft Punk / FM

A couple more acts to fill: Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala or even Calvin Harris.

Wait, is that supposed to support the argument?

[CaledonianGonzo]

You may not care for them, but at least none of them are fronted by a Lego minifigure of George Osborne. 

[dentalplan]

17 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Rihanna / Swizzle / Elton / Guns'n'Roses / Queen

Though realistically in 2020 I think we're looking at Coldplay and a reformed Blur or Pulp

Forgot about Elton but then there's reason to not expect the rest, and even Elton there's one last chance to secure. I think Depeche Mode are in the festival's future, so is Gaga, but probably also Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Was gonna throw Kendrick in there too but forgot that he charges the GDP of a small country per show.

But, I think Emily has said again this year that she's looking to bring the focus away from the main stages, and with the site changes I think there might be something in it. So in a few years' time, it could easily not be a problem if the privilege of headlining the Pyramid is no longer the golden goose that it was.

[beau1]

If people think Glastonbury have an underwhelming m set of headliners then they need to look at the likes of R+L, IOW and TRNSMT.

[RarerThanDandyB]

1 minute ago, beau1 said:

If people think Glastonbury have an underwhelming m set of headliners then they need to look at the likes of R+L, IOW and TRNSMT.

How is Reading and Leeds bad? One of the biggest rock bands of the current period, a band that won two BRITS and sold out a arena tour which had nothing but dazzling reviews and a great set design and a co-headline of acts that have sold out arena tours, in demand. Post Malone sold £80 plus tickets and Twenty One Pilots are very popular amongst the current RandL crowd. For me and many others RandL have smashed it out the park with what they have compared to last year and is the best lineup released so far.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

25 minutes ago, RarerThanDandyB said:

How is Reading and Leeds bad? One of the biggest rock bands of the current period, a band that won two BRITS and sold out a arena tour which had nothing but dazzling reviews and a great set design and a co-headline of acts that have sold out arena tours, in demand. Post Malone sold £80 plus tickets and Twenty One Pilots are very popular amongst the current RandL crowd. For me and many others RandL have smashed it out the park with what they have compared to last year and is the best lineup released so far.

This is a fair argument.

I'm not sure you can say that it's the BEST lineup released so far but Reading & Leeds have definitely booked headliners that suit their current demographic. There's a lot of festivals out there not taking the same level of intelligence in identifying their audience and they will struggle long-term.