Glastonbury organisers are facing backlash today after announcing an all-male headlining roster for the 2023 festival in June. Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Elton John are all confirmed for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday headlining spots on the Pyramid stage, while Lizzo will open for Guns N’Roses, Lil Nas X for Elton John and Lana Del Rey takes top billing at the Other stage.
Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis has defended the line-up, saying that festivals are struggling with viable female headliners because of an industry ‘pipeline’ problem. She has secured a female headliner for this year who pulled out due to changed touring plans, and while Eavis wouldn’t reveal who the performer was (although rumours are swirling it was Taylor Swift) she says Guns N’ Roses were booked in place of the female artist dropping out.
Guns N’ Roses – who does have one female member, keyboard player Melissa Reese - were discussed as prospective headliners pre-pandemic, said Eavis. ‘They’ll be brilliant and provide something totally different to the rest of the headliners,’ she told The Guardian. ‘[Lizzo] could totally headline, many of the artists could. But the headline slot had already been promised to someone else.’
This week’s partial line up announcement is 52% male (of the 54 names so far) but that the festival says it remains committed to balancing the bill. ‘It’s not just about gender, it’s about every aspect of diversity,’ she said. ‘We’re probably one of the only big shows that’s really focused on this.’ According to The Guardian, 46% of the 54 names announced are non-white, or feature non-white members.
Ultimately, Eavis says, lack of diversity is an industry wide problem. ‘We’re trying our best, so the pipeline needs to be developed,’ she said. ‘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.’
It’s personal for her, she says, as a woman in the music industry, and next year she hopes to secure two female headliners with one confirmed and one close to confirming. While she can’t reveal names, rumours are swirling that it could be Madonna and Rihanna, who have never played the festival before.
Despite the explanation, fans aren’t convinced. The festival line-up has received backlash on social media, with Nick Reilly of the Rolling Stone tweeting, ‘I love Glastonbury, but the fact that EE has done this rather defensive interview with The Guardian before line up even drops on their own channels feels like quite the admission of what a bizarre line-up this is.’
Others have been more understanding. ‘Situations like this year's Glastonbury line-up are a direct symptom of industry failures to support female artists from the ground up,’ Rosie O’Connor, Culture and Lifestyle News Editor at The Independent tweeted. ‘Getting them on the smaller stages, on radio, at live venues. For years, festivals have been booking the same tired headliners again and again out of fear that punters won't turn up. Labels signing up x100 identikit male singer-songwriters but only championing one female pop star at a time. It's like the UK industry doesn't get that you can have: Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey, Selena Gomez, Pink, Miley Cyrus, Halsey, Demi Lovato... all at once.’