Where Are Today's Music Festival Headliners?

Yoga sessions in the Healing Fields and group singing events near the Stone Circle were experiencing unprecedented popularity at Glastonbury This year, following criticism from headline writers and fans who called the musical lineup the worst ever.

The main performers are the priciest aspect of attending the festival, as securing top international stars can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Glastonbury has always said "They cannot provide individuals with large sums of money," and as attending festivals becomes more difficult going to festivals is increasingly challenging participating in festivals grows tougher festival attendance proves more complicated it's becoming harder to go to festivals managing festival visits is now more complex the process of attending festivals is getting more difficult experiencing festivals is becoming less straightforward getting involved in festivals is proving harder joining festivals has become more demanding Because of financial limitations, it's not only established musicians who are leaving lineups, but also emerging talents.

Artists must pay attention to the decline in festivals," states John Rostron from the Association of Independent Festivals, pointing out that 215 events were canceled within the last five years. "This means thousands of opportunities for performances have been lost.

Where are all the main stage performers from the music festivals?

Musical groups are similarly restricted by festivals that book them solely, an action that essentially prevents performers from appearing at different events.

However, festivals have consistently involved much more than just music. This is a point I've emphasized many times—if you're willing to search for my name online, particularly regarding Glastonbury, which offers numerous activities beyond music, such as yoga. to theatre and circus which served as the headline act on the opening night of the festival this year. However, an increasing number of events are moving away from the traditional headliner model. With streaming contributing to more diverse and scattered musical preferences, lineup selections are expanding into uncharted areas to appeal to specific audience segments.

That's not necessarily a negative. Although you might not be familiar with these performers, I would say that for events able to secure enough funding to succeed, avoiding well-known artists is adding much more excitement to the countryside. This approach resonates with Generation Z: there's already proof that younger people attend music festivals for the overall experience rather than just to see one or two specific acts.

The Secret Garden Party promised to eliminate top-billing acts last year. "They were protesting the rise in fees for headline artists, taking a stand," explains Rostron. The event, which has always focused on costume parties and wandering through the woods rather than following a strict schedule of performances, grew even more daring and innovative.

It inspired Grassroots Rising A fresh event set to occur in 2026 at the Cambridgeshire Secret Garden Party location, which will bring together several festivals. Hosted by Bristol's Chai Wallahs space and supported by the Music Venues Trust, this upcoming "festival of festivals" scheduled for June 18–21, 2026, aims to back gatherings that might not typically be feasible because of funding issues.

Creative director Si Chai stated, "By combining six festivals into a single setting, we can reduce infrastructure expenses and transport costs by approximately 30-40 percent. Additionally, there are savings in digital advertising since each of us has developed our own customer lists. We have prior attendees who purchased tickets before, allowing us to reach out to them directly for promotion." Funds will be collected via a Crowdfunder campaign set to begin later this year.

Maybe missing out on a Glastonbury ticket isn't such a downside after all. It allows you to discover the UK's other indie festivals, wonderful gatherings such as We Out Here in Dorset, Deershed in Yorkshire, and 2000 Trees in Gloucestershire, all of which deserve your backing—and provide a similar sense of community but on a more intimate level.

Adam serves as the deputy editor of City AM – The Magazine.

Read more: Glastonbury 2025: The Top Seven Highlights at Worthy Farm