Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis has spoken out in defence of the ‘boring’ line-up of all male acts after Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses were announced as the final two headliners, joining Sir at the top of the bill.
The line-up was announced on Friday and includes Lizzo, Lewis Capaldi, The War On Drugs, Christine And The Queens, Thundercat, Lil Nas X, Lana Del Rey, Carly Rae Jepsen and Manic Street Preachers.
Yet fans were quick to remark at the lack of female talent booked.
Out of the 30 headline acts announced since 2010 only four have been women – Beyonce, Adele, planet88 Billie Eilish, Florence and the Machine – with Emily claiming it’s due to a ‘problem in the pipeline.’
She told : ‘We’re trying our best so the pipeline needs to be developed.This starts way back with the record companies, radio. I can shout as loud as I like but we need to get everyone on board.’
Full line-up: Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses have been announced as Glastonbury’s final two headliners, joining Sir Elton John at the top of the bill
Speaking out: Out of the 30 headline acts announced since 2010 only four have been women – with Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis claiming it’s due to a ‘problem in the pipeline’
She added that they remain ‘entirely focused on balancing our bill.It’s not just about gender, it’s about every aspect of diversity.’
Emily went on to commit to having two female headliners next year and said Lizzo – who will perform just before Guns N’ Roses – would have been booked to headline this year but the positions had already been locked in by the male acts.
Yet fans were unimpressed, taking to Twitter to share: ‘@glastonbury do better!!!All male headliners? You can’t even blame lack of talent, there is a overwhelming WEALTH of amazing women to choose from’;
‘Always brilliant but that’s not the best line up. Elton should be Saturday night. Would be great to see ACDC headline one year.Eminem. Madonna. Phil Collins for the legend slot.’; ‘Absolutely shocking compared to other years’;
‘@glastonbury @ArcticMonkeys and @gunsnroses Worst Glastonbury line up in years if ever’; ‘Situations like this year’s Glastonbury lineup are a direct symptom of industry failures to support female artists from the ground up.Getting them on the smaller stages, on radio, at live venues.’
‘No guys you don’t understand, Glastonbury HAD to book Guns N Roses to headline a festival in 2023 because there are simply no women whatsoever in music’; ‘During Women’s History Month, Glastonbury Festival announced an all-male headline bill.In 2023. Tell me why we don’t need this month one more time.’;
‘Stormzy wasn’t at big festival headliner status when he did Glastonbury and look what he did with the platform. Seems unusually backwards to not allow that same opportunity to literally any women.’; ‘Just a bit boring’;
‘During Women’s History Month, Glastonbury Festival announced an all-male headline bill.In 2023. Tell me why we don’t need this month one more time.’
Line-up: Arctic Monkeys (pictured in 2019) and Guns N’ Roses have been announced as Glastonbury’s final two headliners, joining Sir Elton John at the top of the bill
New act: Guns N’ Roses will make their Worthy Farm debut on Saturday, June 24 (Singer Axl Rose (L) and guitarist Slash pictured)
Star-studded: It comes after it was previously announced that Sir Elton John will be bringing the event to a close, headlining the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday night
Elsewhere in the interview, Emily revealed that the John Peel Stage has been renamed after almost 20 years.
