Future headliners

[gfa]

10 hours ago, MaxPower said:

Rogue shout, I think if he continues on current trajectory, Fred Again could do it. 

I think dance wise Fred Again is an interesting bet. I think Bicep would be my best bet to do it with their current trajectory

I'm also wishing chemical brothers into headlining again in the same style as fatboy's 2020 other headline slot. Go on hiatus till 2030 then get given the pyramid 🙂 

Probably not a headliner shout but Easy Life are becoming the next wombats i think.

[Matt42]

10 hours ago, MaxPower said:

Yeah I think Dua Lipa, Sam Fender and Dave are all extremely likely/nailed on unless something weird happens.

I think Little Simz is likely too, and another album on the level of SIMBI will get her there (for various reasons, even if she isn’t as well known as the others). 
I also think Phoebe Bridgers is as likely as Simz and I could see them both doing it.

Another big release for Olivia Rodrigo could have her there.

I think it’s still possible for Wolf Alice and could be possible for Fontaines DC, but perhaps unlikely for both.

Rogue shout, I think if he continues on current trajectory, Fred Again could do it. 
 

Virtually no chance an act like BTS headlined, and I think the 1975 are shite so hopefully the opportunity has passed them by also.

If Phoebe has a slightly more mainstream release I can see the US festivals pulling the trigger pretty soon. She’s a solid 3rd down MainStage/sub at a push at US festivals already. I can see them giving her a leg up.

Olivia Rodrigo I think is destined. Sour has been absolutely gigantic and she’s being cautious with what dates she plays. I think she’s (a) creating demand, and (b) saving some bigger shows until she has a second album. It’s like her team looked at what happened with Billie and drew inspiration. Whether Glastonbury give her the call will probably depend on her reception this year, but if her second album is as big as Sour, she will shoot to the top.

As you said, Dua and Dave it’s more about when it works next for their schedules rather than whether Glastonbury will give them the call or not. 

I don’t doubt Sam’s next album will be massive. He’s one album away from being right up there too.

To me, the future headliner pool is looking extremely healthy. Healthier than it’s looked in ages. Which is why I can’t see them taking the chance on a 1975 or anything like that - if they were stuck they have 4/5 solid options that I reckon would do it in a heartbeat. 

[Matt42]

Replying separately but not sure about Fred Again, think unfortunately the bar for a dance act to headline is much higher than other genres. The last act to reach the heights required was Calvin Harris and they never pulled that trigger. 

[gfa]

5 hours ago, Matt42 said:

Replying separately but not sure about Fred Again, think unfortunately the bar for a dance act to headline is much higher than other genres. The last act to reach the heights required was Calvin Harris and they never pulled that trigger. 

Its more the genre i think for Fred Again - it has to be super generic / accessible to have a shot i think. Dance isn't in the mainstream as much as it was when they used to fairly regularly have a dance headliner to be honest.

[Matt42]

Tbh pre-astroworld disaster I would have thrown Travis Scott’s name in there.

He’s coming back onto lineups but I can’t see Glastonbury jumping on him tbh.

[Wilcosican]

Could definitely see bicep doing it if their next release hits big

[Tommy Dickfingers]

On 5/2/2022 at 10:09 AM, Wilcosican said:

Could definitely see bicep doing it if their next release hits big

Don’t see it. If it’s any electronic artist next I’d say it’s Calvo but not even sure that ever happens.

As mentioned it’s Dua and Dave who looked most nailed on. Sam Fender maybe but if you’d have asked me a few years ago I’d have said that George Ezra. These lads with guitars seem to be churned out at a pretty constant rate, they seem a bit replaceable. 

Tame, XX, 1975 I feel have all peaked. Little Simz I’m a big fan of but no chance surely? She’s just pulled out of an American tour due to being an independent artist.

[northernringo]

I was at a work event in Chicago over the weekend and Bruno Mars played at it. I would never go out of my way to listen to him regularly but he was incredible and had a fantastic setlist. Would be great on the Pyramid stage (although probably not everyone here's cup of tea!)

[Tommy Dickfingers]

3 hours ago, northernringo said:

I was at a work event in Chicago over the weekend and Bruno Mars played at it. I would never go out of my way to listen to him regularly but he was incredible and had a fantastic setlist. Would be great on the Pyramid stage (although probably not everyone here's cup of tea!)

Silk Sonic for West Holts 23 mate. With Bootsy.

[Matt42]

On 5/1/2022 at 5:17 PM, Matt42 said:

Replying separately but not sure about Fred Again, think unfortunately the bar for a dance act to headline is much higher than other genres. The last act to reach the heights required was Calvin Harris and they never pulled that trigger. 

 

On 5/1/2022 at 10:32 PM, gfa said:

Its more the genre i think for Fred Again - it has to be super generic / accessible to have a shot i think. Dance isn't in the mainstream as much as it was when they used to fairly regularly have a dance headliner to be honest.

I’ve come back to disagree with one of my older posts.

The more I think about it the more this just feels inevitable tbh. I really think Fred Again is on the Glastonbury headline track.

Why? Because he feels like the most realistic future “Stormzy style” booking at the moment. I often think where is the next Stormzy-like booking going to come from? Giving it to someone who is rather premature for the slot, and it would be a “first” or “rarity” for the festival. Booking a dance headliner feels like a hard task for Glastonbury as very few acts get big enough to do it, but Fred really is the first act in a long time that I think stands a chance. 

Imagine how big it would be with the current electronic scene and what DJs would think about the booking. I’m looking at the response to the Brixton gigs and the surprise ones recently and there’s an energy around him that just can’t be matched at the moment. He really is exactly what’s big at the moment in the UK.

I’ve been jokingly part of the “stop Fred again movement”, half in jest. But I think deep down we all have a hunch where this is going. Heck, when Taylor fobs them off again in 2025 maybe he will get the call?

I dread to think how inevitable this is going to feel when his next album is a massive massive success…

[SwallowOrSleepOnTheWetSpot]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:45 AM, Matt42 said:

I just think their time as passed and they’ve not done enough to make them a must have for the festival. They’ve just stalled. I don’t doubt they will release another album their fans will love, but I don’t think it will be more than that. 

The difference between them and Muse is Muse were playing stadiums already by the time people considered their frontman a complete joke. Matt Healy seems to annoy more people than he appeals to.

Well, the new 1975 album is very much beloved and has provided them all sorts of new fans, so definitely a contender.

As for the discussion on page 1 about Bad Bunny and BTS and needing to internationalize: that's a very American way of looking at festivals. I'd reckon that Glasto could survive with fresh blood without needing to book acts like that.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

5 hours ago, Matt42 said:

I dread to think how inevitable this is going to feel when his next album is a massive massive success…

The more popular the output, the higher the calibre of future collaborations, resulting in greater crossover appeal. And so it perpetuates. I think he's well on course to become a household name and as such, I tend to agree with you with your potential future headliner shout. It might just happen. 

[gfa]

10 hours ago, Matt42 said:

 

I’ve come back to disagree with one of my older posts.

The more I think about it the more this just feels inevitable tbh. I really think Fred Again is on the Glastonbury headline track.

Why? Because he feels like the most realistic future “Stormzy style” booking at the moment. I often think where is the next Stormzy-like booking going to come from? Giving it to someone who is rather premature for the slot, and it would be a “first” or “rarity” for the festival. Booking a dance headliner feels like a hard task for Glastonbury as very few acts get big enough to do it, but Fred really is the first act in a long time that I think stands a chance. 

Imagine how big it would be with the current electronic scene and what DJs would think about the booking. I’m looking at the response to the Brixton gigs and the surprise ones recently and there’s an energy around him that just can’t be matched at the moment. He really is exactly what’s big at the moment in the UK.

I’ve been jokingly part of the “stop Fred again movement”, half in jest. But I think deep down we all have a hunch where this is going. Heck, when Taylor fobs them off again in 2025 maybe he will get the call?

I dread to think how inevitable this is going to feel when his next album is a massive massive success…

He has such good connections working on other artists tracks before etc to get crazy collabs too. Dua Lipa was at his show last night for instance

[chazwwe]

I think it all depends on if he can ride the hype after what ever he releases next. As people have been saying, a couple of big colabs, both on his own albums and others. Then needs to ride that hype into the next album, then I think there's a possibility.

The thing with dance music, which can be very similar to pop music, but on a shorter lifespan for dance/DJs, is that things move very quickly, the next 'big' act is always round the corner. Who knows, it'll be very cool if it did happen.

He does need to up his production though, majorly, but he's not short of money or contacts to do that. 

[sadimmock]

10 hours ago, Matt42 said:

Why? Because he feels like the most realistic future “Stormzy style” booking at the moment. I often think where is the next Stormzy-like booking going to come from? Giving it to someone who is rather premature for the slot, and it would be a “first” or “rarity” for the festival. Booking a dance headliner feels like a hard task for Glastonbury as very few acts get big enough to do it, but Fred really is the first act in a long time that I think stands a chance. 

Hmmm. I’m not so sure about this. Stormzy had had genuine breakout when he headlined. I don’t just mean musical crossover I mean genuine cultural breakout; his other interests had been discussed on Radio 4/Broadsheet press and the news. He had both high social and cultural cache. Nothing against Fred Again but I just can’t see him doing that so it will have to be driven by the commercial success (and cross-over)of his music.

On that note… most of the dance acts thst have gotten big Glastonbury slots have either had a massive breakout hit (s) or have had something different about them. Perhaps I’m just old but Fred just seems a bit background dance. The kind of stuff that ends up on playlists for shops or something. Happy to be proven wrong! 

 

[chazwwe]

2 minutes ago, sadimmock said:

Hmmm. I’m not so sure about this. Stormzy had had genuine breakout when he headlined. I don’t just mean musical crossover I mean genuine cultural breakout; his other interests had been discussed on Radio 4/Broadsheet press and the news. He had both high social and cultural cache. Nothing against Fred Again but I just can’t see him doing that so it will have to be driven by the commercial success (and cross-over)of his music.

On that note… most of the dance acts thst have gotten big Glastonbury slots have either had a massive breakout hit (s) or have had something different about them. Perhaps I’m just old but Fred just seems a bit background dance. The kind of stuff that ends up on playlists for shops or something. Happy to be proven wrong! 

 

I think the thing with Fred, there's an excitement around him, the Coachella set, the Boiler Room DJ set (12 million views) He is already at Brixton Academy level, sold out 3 shows, which is bigger than Bicep have done. As people are saying, he's making the right friends and contacts, if he gets a big single or two/appears on some other artists albums, then I think the possibility is there. 

There's a lot of people saying Fred will headline West Holtz, that's still 5-6 months away, his stock is only going to increase. If he is there, it'll be a huge booking. 

[Muppetmark]

34 minutes ago, chazwwe said:

I think the thing with Fred, there's an excitement around him, the Coachella set, the Boiler Room DJ set (12 million views) He is already at Brixton Academy level, sold out 3 shows, which is bigger than Bicep have done. As people are saying, he's making the right friends and contacts, if he gets a big single or two/appears on some other artists albums, then I think the possibility is there. 

There's a lot of people saying Fred will headline West Holtz, that's still 5-6 months away, his stock is only going to increase. If he is there, it'll be a huge booking. 

2 ally pally for Bicep is 4 Brixtons worth of tickets

Edited January 8, 2023 by Muppetmark

[chazwwe]

2 minutes ago, Muppetmark said:

2 ally pally for Bicep is way 4 Brixtons worth of tickets

Sorry, I'm tired. What I was comparing it to was that Bicep did Brixton 2x before they played Glastonbury on West Holtz. Biceps stock has increased since their Glastonbury performance. Just worded it horribly. 

[Matt42]

48 minutes ago, sadimmock said:

Hmmm. I’m not so sure about this. Stormzy had had genuine breakout when he headlined. I don’t just mean musical crossover I mean genuine cultural breakout; his other interests had been discussed on Radio 4/Broadsheet press and the news. He had both high social and cultural cache. Nothing against Fred Again but I just can’t see him doing that so it will have to be driven by the commercial success (and cross-over)of his music.

On that note… most of the dance acts thst have gotten big Glastonbury slots have either had a massive breakout hit (s) or have had something different about them. Perhaps I’m just old but Fred just seems a bit background dance. The kind of stuff that ends up on playlists for shops or something. Happy to be proven wrong! 

 

I’d say Fred is absolutely everywhere right now in the same way. All the big artists trying to work with him. Selling out hype shows in Brixton in a flash. I’ve just not seen anything like this for a dance act in ages. I think you need to delve a bit more into his records and look and how popular he’s already become on a global scale.

Far from background music.

When they played a Fred again song at my work Christmas party (and I work with a bunch of oldies) I had a moment of realisation where I noticed exactly where this is going. If you were there you’d realise how mad that is.

What I’m trying to say is what happens when his next release is even bigger. With even bigger collabs and radio friendly songs. If this trend continues I can only see it going one way…

[Riggins]

It's nigh on impossible to get a ticket for this 1975 tour, absolutely nothing on twickets. Think their popularity is underrated.

 

Could blink 182 do it?

 

And yeah people are massive underestimating Fred again at the moment, he's massive. Could've probably done a week at Brixton and he's probably the number one act with all the rah 20 somethings that make up most of the festival these days 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Riggins

[Matt42]

1 minute ago, Riggins said:

Could blink 182 do it?

This thread is about bump up headliners I think, or first time / new headliners. Not for acts on the way down.

[Matt42]

I really don’t classify the 1975 as a bump up or Stormzy-like booking anymore. They have headlined reading twice, played successful tours, have done outdoor shows and have global appeal.

I think they don’t fit this category anymore. I think what they really are is a headline level act glastonbury just haven’t booked. Nothing bump up about it.

[jannybruck]

I'm already personally completely sick of reading and hearing about Fred everywhere (even as someone that adores electronic music), but I don't remember an artist in the entire history of this forum where someone has been mentioned on literally every page of multiple threads for months on end like he has. It's just a completely wild and ridiculous level of hype I've not seen before, regardless of what I think of the tunes.

I think maybe in a couple of years if there's a couple more genuine crossover hits and Emily fancies a punt he'll be able to do it, maybe up with Sam Fender and Dua Lipa on their next albums as a new blood trio. Bicep to me feel like they will reach Other headline level and be totally happy with that.

[Matt42]

2 minutes ago, jannybruck said:

I'm already personally completely sick of reading and hearing about Fred everywhere (even as someone that adores electronic music), but I don't remember an artist in the entire history of this forum where someone has been mentioned on literally every page of multiple threads for months on end like he has. It's just a completely wild and ridiculous level of hype I've not seen before, regardless of what I think of the tunes.

I think maybe in a couple of years if there's a couple more genuine crossover hits and Emily fancies a punt he'll be able to do it, maybe up with Sam Fender and Dua Lipa on their next albums as a new blood trio. Bicep to me feel like they will reach Other headline level and be totally happy with that.

Bicep don’t make tunes that people can sing along to. Fred does.

Sorry to be so pessimistic but it makes a massive difference in what crowd you can draw in. Think it played a big part in Disclosures and the Chemical Brothers successes. 

But I’d say Fred is more poppy than all of them, which really leans in his favour. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Matt42

[Matt42]

@jannybruckmissed the last bit but I honestly wonder how ppl would react to Fred Again, Dua Lipa, Sam Fender as headliners. To me it would be Glasto taking a leaf out of Coachella’s book and going all in on what is big right now.

I also think all three would smash it.

But I don’t think attendees are quite there yet for Glasto to book no heritage headliners.

Perhaps in a few years time when many of those who would go religiously in the 90s, 00’s and early 10’s hang their wellies up.