Glastonbury Festival is officially underway, with thousands of music fans flocking to Worthy Farm to bask in sunshine, cider, and five days of live music.
With headline sets from The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo, plus a Legends Slot courtesy of Rod Stewart, this year promises another classic.
But how does 2025 stack up against line-ups of the past? From cider-drenched counterculture roots to global pop mega-spectacles, Glastonbury’s greatest line-ups reflect the evolution of music itself.
Some years stand out not just for who played, but for how they changed everything – whether it was a surprise set that stole the weekend, or a headline moment that bent the cultural compass.
Here are five iconic editions, each from a different decade. Which one gets your vote as the best Glasto line-up ever?
Make your judgment using the poll at the bottom of this article, and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments.
1971
Still just the “Glastonbury Fair” in its early incarnation, 1971’s line-up was part folk dream, part psychedelic rite.
It was free to enter, with the stage built by members of the hippie group the Commune of the Rainbow, and paid for by a £1,000 donation from Andrew Kerr and Arabella Churchill.
Key acts: David Bowie (at dawn!), Traffic, Fairport Convention, Quintessence, Gong.
Talking point: A true dawn-of-an-era moment, captured on the Glastonbury Fayre documentary album and film.
1984
A chaotic, transitional year. Political overtones (CND, Miner’s Strike), anarchic energy, and the arrival of The Smiths, who crashed through the patchouli haze with razor-sharp pop and northern angst.
Key acts: The Smiths, Elvis Costello, Ian Drury, Weather Report, Black Uhuru.
Talking point: The first real clash between hippie idealism and indie rebellion. Glasto’s identity began to shift.
1997
The infamous “year of the mud” – biblical rain, ankle-deep sludge, and one of the most powerful headline sets ever seen. Despite power cuts and tech failures, Radiohead turned catastrophe into catharsis.
Key acts: Radiohead, The Prodigy, Ash, Beck, Foo Fighters, Massive Attack, Neneh Cherry.
Talking point: Radiohead’s OK Computer-era set, under apocalyptic skies, is still talked about today.
2008
The year Jay-Z silenced the doubters. After Noel Gallagher questioned whether rap belonged at Glasto, Jay-Z opened with a cheeky acoustic version of “Wonderwall” and then blew the crowd away.
Key acts: Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, The Verve, Kings of Leon, Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond, Dizzee Rascal.
Talking point: Glastonbury entered its modern phase – diverse, daring, and boundary-breaking.
2019
A line-up that blended nostalgia, showmanship and social energy. Stormzy became the first Black British solo artist to headline, while Kylie delivered one of the most joyful sets ever seen.
Key acts: Stormzy, The Cure, The Killers, Lizzo, Janelle Monáe, Billie Eilish, Kylie Minogue.
Talking point: A generation-defining weekend that managed to honour legends while launching new ones.
Now it’s time to cast your vote, which Glasto line-up is officially the greatest of all time?
Pick from our shortlist above, or vote ‘Other’ and share your favourite year in the comments.
