Reflecting on the success of Glastonbury Festival 2025, the pressure to perform is certainly on for its future acts. With this past year having introduced up-and-coming artists as well as encouraged career comebacks, Glastonbury paid homage to some of music’s most recognisable talent. Including a star-studded line-up, surprise guests and even secret sets, Glastonbury 2025 has proven to be worth your time and money.
The public’s dedication to the festival is a tribute to its triumph. Glastonbury Festival came about when Michael Eavis decided to hold a music festival on his farm in Somerset way back in 1970. Worthy Farm had 1,500 attendees in its first year, having continued to grow and establish itself as the UK’s biggest music festival. There’s a sense of community and committed enthusiasm in pushing through the exhaustion of camping overnight and living off food stalls to support your favourite artists. Combining the relevancy of the popstars who perform alongside the classic throwback covers, it’s easy to see why people continue to scramble for tickets each year.
Performers at this year’s festival have made headlines with their controversial acts. Artists including Kneecap and Bob Vylan used their stage time to call for an end for the war in Gaza, using pro-Palestinian chants and flags to encourage the audience’s support. Despite facing inescapable criticism, artists bringing attention to the ongoing war encourages people with influential platforms to speak up about global issues.
A defining factor of Glastonbury 2025 has been its commitment to all things pop. Despite the throwback hits and surprise appearances, pop music reigned supreme over the entire weekend. On the Friday, Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi took the Pyramid Stage to make his return to music. His two-year hiatus was sparked by his unfinished Glastonbury performance in 2023, but his comeback introduced his new song Survive. Inspiring and emotional, Capaldi brought the crowd to tears. Dominating the Other Stage Saturday night was Charli XCX, and she certainly delivered the true festival experience. Following her successful run of her album brat, Charli’s electric performance incorporated both her past hits and current chart-toppers.
And of course, the unforgettable highlight of the weekend was Olivia Rodrigo’s performance headlining Sunday night. ‘Olivia Rodrigo is absolutely the one to do this job’ of closing out the festival, states Clara Amfo for the BBC. Her set filled with pure teenage angst in hit songs such as Driver’s License and Vampire provided the perfect outlet for the audience’s pent emotions on their final night. With headliners lacking in special guests this year, Rodrigo more than made up for it by bringing out The Cure’s Robert Smith, and their duets of Friday I’m in Love and Just Like Heaven ended the night on an unexpected high.
And with that, another year of the highly anticipated Glastonbury festival has come to a close. It has certainly been a year to remember, with stand-out performances and distinguishable, catchy chart-toppers ensuring the festival will be kept alive. With the festival going into its fallow year in 2026, the performances of 2025 undoubtedly prove why Glastonbury 2027 will be worth the wait.
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