Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, Lizzo, Arctic Monkeys to Headline 2023 Glastonbury Festival
The roster of headliners for this summer’s Glastonbury Festival is absurdly packed, with Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John and Lizzo slated to take the Pyramid Stage. And, in a bittersweet child ‘o mine twist, while Axl and the rest of the Gunners will be performing for the mud-caked masses at Worthy Farm for the first time, it will also mark John’s first, and last, time at Glasto, as the pop icon’s slot will come as he winds down his Farewell Yellow Brick road tour this summer.
“It gives me enormous pleasure to let you know that the one and only Elton John will be making his first ever Glastonbury appearance, headlining the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday night next year,” co-organizer Emily Eavis revealed in a December note. “This will be the final U.K. show of Elton’s last ever tour, so we will be closing the Festival and marking this huge moment in both of our histories with the mother of all send offs. We are so very happy to finally bring the Rocket Man to Worthy Farm.”
According to the Guardian, John’s Sunday festival-closing set will be immediately preceded by a performance from Lil Nas X, as Lana Del Rey and Wizkid headline on the Other Stage. Other acts making their Glasto debuts this year include “Supermodel” rockers Måneskin and country trio The Chicks.
The lineup also includes: Lewis Capaldi, The War on Drugs, Chvches, Alt-J, Blondie, Carly Rae Jepsen, Central Cee, Christine and the Queens, Fatboy Slim, Hot Chip, Joey Bada$$, Kelis, Maggie Rogers, Manic Street Preachers, Rina Sawayama, Phoenix, Royal Blood, Slowthai, Sparks, Sudan Archives, Thundercat and Weyes Blood, among many others.
After Eavis promised in 2019 that her goal was to ensure as close to a 50/50 gender split as possible, NME reported that 53% of the 54 names on the initial lineup are male this year. And while the majority of the headliners are male, Eavis told the Guardian that GNR were booked after a previously confirmed female headliner pulled out after she “changed her touring plans”; Eavis declined to say who the artist is, but added that she hoped they would headline sometime in the next five years. She also noted that Lizzo will serve as the opening acts for Guns, noting that “she could totally headline” in the future.
In addition, Eavis said as part of the ongoing effort to diversify the bill that 46% of the 54 names on the list are non-white or feature non-white members.
Check out the full announced lineup below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
