Shoulda, coulda, woulda... headliners

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

I was having a discussion with my other half and we were talking about artists who have been relatively big and could have had their chance to shine as Pyramid headliners, which I googled and found this article about Dizzee Rascal... who about ten years ago was absolutely massive. Given other bands have been given the nod like Mumford and Sons, Kasabian etc, I wondered if there was anyone else who was pretty big, riding a wave, could have had a chance to boost/expand their fame, but never made the grade? And where else to ask but the knowledge on here. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/concerts/dizzee-rascal-should-headlining-glastonbury/

Incidentally, I saw Dizzee in 2017 on WH and it was absolutely mental, loved every minute of it.

[Chrisp1986]

Art Brut

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Primal Scream, sometime between 1997 - 2000. Fucking ferocious live band back then. 

[dentalplan]

Limp Bizkit 2002

[dentalplan]

Just now, dentalplan said:

Limp Bizkit 2002

*2020

[Guy Incognito]

Kendrick should have headlined instead of Foo Fighters in 2017.

[Andy0808 v5]

Ask me in July when Foals haven’t headlined. ?

[Matt42]

2012 would have been the perfect time to book Gaga.

Biffy came close but it will never happen now.

2012 also would have been a great time to get the stone roses

I think the fallow year in 2012 meant that Glasto missed out on booking some new headliners.

[CJTM]

5 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Biffy came close but it will never happen now.

Biffy will headline Glastonbury in the 20s IMO

[priest17]

Foals should have in 2016, jury's out on whether they will in the future.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

2 hours ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Primal Scream, sometime between 1997 - 2000. Fucking ferocious live band back then. 

I thought they had headlined actually in the 90s but you're right, they would have smashed it. 

Also, New Order should have done it in the late 80s, or 90s.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

5 minutes ago, CJTM said:

Biffy will headline Glastonbury in the 20s IMO

Surely, Biffy are huge nearly-men?

[Matt42]

After 2017 I’m confident Biffy will never do it.

[jparx]

Weird one, but I think Flo should have been booked to headline in the first place back in 2015. They nailed the headline set regardless, but should have been booked instead of The Who from the get go. 

My main one would be GnR. I was really skeptical of the comeback but they actually seemed to smash it. Would have LOVED to see them tear up the Pyramid.

[FloorFiller]

1 minute ago, jparx said:

Weird one, but I think Flo should have been booked to headline in the first place back in 2015. They nailed the headline set regardless, but should have been booked instead of The Who from the get go. 

Pretty sure we were all expecting her to headline that year and her being rumoured but not as a headliner caused a lot of confusion.

 

As for Biffy, they peaked commercially ten years ago now so the Pyramid sub slot they got in '17 is as high as they're ever gonna go. There was a small window where they might've been able to top the bill, but there were seemingly always better options for Glastonbury.

[wro_lap]

13 minutes ago, CJTM said:

Biffy will headline Glastonbury in the 20s IMO

Biffy are one of my favourite bands, but sadly I think they fluffed their chances by taking a sub spot in 2017. If they held out and headlined Reading outright again, they could've been in the conversation.

[jparx]

Biffy need a massive hit record or for Glastonbury to be particularly struggling for options one year to headline the thing. They're more likely to get there through the second option, but I don't see it happening.

[Slugworth]

Daft Punk - 2007

[zero000]

The Libertines in the early noughties. See also The Strokes. Both absolutely past it now.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

4 minutes ago, Slugworth said:

Daft Punk - 2007

Great shout, but in place of who? The bands headlining in 2007 were massive and hugely relevant for the time

[tullux]

The Hives

"First time in History Glastonburys the Headliner play today at first." (Pele)

?

 

[Slugworth]

7 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Great shout, but in place of who? The bands headlining in 2007 were massive and hugely relevant for the time

Were The Who relevant at the time? A great booking for sure but maybe they could have played the year after. 

2007 was the only chance to book DP

[Ayrshire Chris]

Prince,  any year! 

[Slugworth]

16 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Prince,  any year! 

That was arguably the biggest coulda/shoulda

[Rumblestripe]

29 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Prince,  any year! 

Surprised it took so long to mention His Royal Purpleness.

Simple Minds subbed The Cure in 95. Not sure when they might have been bigger but I feel they could have Headlined at some point?