Dua Lipa (l), Coldplay and SZA are Glastonbury’s chosen ones this year (Picture: Getty)
This year’s Glastonbury Festival has music icons Coldplay, Dua Lipa and SZA headlining the Pyramid Stage – and it’s a line-up that just smells of money.
So, you might assume that festival organiser Emily Eavis is splashing out the big bucks to secure the biggest names in music each year.
However, an industry expert previously revealed that might not be the case, especially with the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the cost of living crisis creating all sorts of challenges for the world-renowned music event.
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Glastonbury 2024’s musical acts begin to take to the stage this Friday with pop princess Dua Lipa headlining on Friday followed by rock legends Coldplay on Saturday and American R&B superstar SZA closing the festival on Sunday.
Not to mention, tonnes of other acts have entertained the merry masses across a bevy of stages – so Glastonbury has to have pretty stretchy purse strings.
SZA will close this year’s festival on Sunday (Picture: WireImage)
Coldplay will headline Glasto for the fifth time (Picture: WireImage)
Is pop princess Dua Lipa commanding the big bucks? (Picture: Getty Images)
Emily previously confirmed that artists get paid less than 10% of what they are typically paid by other festivals, as Glasto prefers to donate £2 million to charities every year.
This might dispel past claims that Glastonbury headliners can rake in around £1m to perform on the Pyramid Stage and, according to a music industry insider, that figure is likely even lower.
Lyle Bignon, a music consultant specialising in live music venues and festivals, told Metro.co.uk in 2023: ‘Glastonbury headliners can expect to pick up performance fees of anywhere between £35,000 and £300,000 – depending on their profile.
‘The likes of Elton John and Guns N’ Roses [who performed in 2023], who have decades of global fame behind them, can likely command higher prices running into the £250,000+ range.’
Not too shabby but still much less than you’d expect and co. to command.
Bignon continued: ‘However, the costs of the huge production values that festival goers and viewers at home have become used to, along with transport, accommodation and other costs for the act and their crew, can often mean some artists and bands will leave Glastonbury having broken even or making a loss.
‘While some of the audio-visual elements of production will be shared with other acts over the course of a day, bespoke lighting and sound systems are often brought in by headliners at the cost of £10,000-£40,000.’
The expert, who is employed by Birmingham City University, noted that touring transport and accommodation can hike up the cost into the tens of thousands of pounds, plus lighting and sound engineers earn more than £400 a day.
Glasto performers might not be paid a huge fee for the privilege, but they do benefit from the ‘exposure’ of gracing the world’s biggest stage – much like the Super Bowl halftime show.
Bignon explained: ‘For many acts and their teams, Glastonbury is seen as a loss leader in the sense that given the heightened national and international focus on the festival, particularly through TV and radio coverage, it is worth taking the financial hit on.
The Glastonbury revellers have arrived at Worthy Farm and wasted no time in getting stuck into the festivities (Picture: Reuters)
‘Losses can be recouped throughout the year – from touring elsewhere where fees are higher, as well as merch sales, brand sponsorships and endorsements.
‘“Exposure” in the music industry is an often-over-used term.
‘But in the case of Glastonbury, most managers, agents, and artists will happily push to be booked – even if it means losing money – as the long-term benefits of playing a main stage outweigh any deficit incurred.’
Bignon highlighted the fact that Glastonbury donates ‘several million pounds’ to charities such as Greenpeace, Oxfam, and WaterAid each year.
‘Alongside the festival’s status as a must-play global music event, this charity factor also strengthens Emily Eavis and co’s negotiating position when dealing with artist agents and managers,’ he said.
Glastonbury runs until Sunday, June 30.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Glastonbury for comment.
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