It’s no secret that Glastonbury festival has played host to some of the most legendary performances the music world has ever seen. There really is no other crowning glory in a musician’s career like headlining the world-renowned ‘Pyramid Stage’ and here are just a few of the most noteworthy acts that we think deserve a special mention…
1. David Bowie, 1971 and 2000
It’s hard to imagine a time when it was free to attend Glastonbury festival, let alone be treated to a headline performance from none other than David Bowie. But we are honestly not joking about this and his flamboyant performance – along with a second in 2000 (albeit a bit more expensive to watch) – was one of the most unforgettable in Glastonbury history.
Image source: telegraph.co.uk
2. Radiohead, 1997
Hot on the back of the release of their platinum-selling album ‘OK Computer’, Radiohead took the music world by storm with a stunningly atmospheric headline performance at Glastonbury in 1997, including hits such as ‘Paranoid Android’ and ‘No Surprises’. Their fans will also be ecstatic to hear that they are headlining the festival again this year, 20 years later.
Image source: mtv.co.uk
3. Coldplay, 2005 and 2016
All of us know by now that Coldplay aren’t the sort of band to put on a reserved performance. But they most certainly outdid themselves on both the occasions that they headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. 2016’s show even included light-up wristbands for the crowd and a guest appearance from the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb.
Image source: twimg.com
4. The Who, 2007 and 2015
Being the closing band for Glastonbury festival is no easy feat but unsurprisingly The Who have managed to pull it off magnificently, not once but twice (in 2007 and 2015). This is probably thanks to their back-catalogue of gargantuan hits such as ‘My Generation’ and ‘Who Are You?’.
Image source: huffpost.com
5. Blur, 2009
If ever there is a place to launch the reformation of a world-famous band it is the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. This was very much the case for legendary British ensemble Blur who got back together to give an emotional reunion performance. Luckily this culminated in more sell-out shows across the world after their huge Glastonbury success so it’s safe to say they must have enjoyed themselves!
Image source: express.co.uk
6. Beyoncé, 2011
Always one to prove the naysayers wrong, Beyoncé defied all odds by giving the performance of a lifetime on the Pyramid Stage in 2011. She even belted out the tunes whilst laying on her back so she must have some pretty strong lungs on her.
Image source: bbc.co.uk
7. Chemical Brothers, 2011 and 2015
When it comes to spectacular lightshows, nobody does it better than the Chemical Brothers. Throw the backdrop of Glastonbury festival in to the mix and you undeniably have one of the most remarkable dance music spectacles in history on your hands – very much the case both in 2011 and 2015.
Image source: bbci.co.uk
8. Rolling Stones, 2013
After years of waiting for the Glastonbury organisers and fans alike, The Rolling Stones finally decided to grace the Pyramid Stage with their presence in 2013. Thank goodness it was worth the wait and the crowd were left in awe at finally being treated to a once-in-a-lifetime performance from these 1970s idols.
Image source: 20minutes.fr
9. Dolly Parton, 2014
Nobody could have foreseen just how amazingly well Dolly Parton was going to go down for her nostalgic performance in 2014. Busting out hits such as ‘Jolene’ and ‘9 to 5’, Dolly got all of the crowd up on their feet and of course was donning an unforgettable country outfit whilst doing so.
Image source: forthecountryrecord.com
10. Lionel Richie, 2015
If you think that Dolly Parton’s popularity was a surprise then you won’t be able to imagine how well Lionel Richie went down for the legends slot on the Pyramid Stage in 2015. Apparently he drew Glastonbury’s largest crowd to date, with an estimated 100,000 people standing shoulder-to-shoulder to watch the celebrated hit maker bust out hits such as ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Hello’.
Image source: huffpost.com
