Heartbreaking tales of these fleeting stars
While touring his 81st studio album, 'American Recordings,' Johnny Cash graced the fields of Pilton, Somerset, to droves of country, blues, and rock music enthusiasts in 1994.
American folk singer-songwriter Joan Baez performed at the festival in 1971, during a period of touring Europe.
'Brown Eyed Girl' singer Van Morrison brought his unique folk and blues music to the festival in 1982.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Lou Reed blessed fans with a performance in 1982.
Lenny Kravitz played the festival in 1993 following the success of his high energy rock and roll single 'Are You Gonna Go My Way.'
Former Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page reunited in 1994 and played Glastonbury in June under the alias Page and Plant.
While working on his album, ‘Grace,’ Jeff Buckley performed at Glastonbury in 1993.
This image shows the first version of the Pyramid Stage at the festival in 1971. The Pyramid Stage is still the main stage at the festival today.
Five years after Bob Marley’s death, his former band, The Wailers, played the festival in 1986.
Irish musician Sinéad O’Connor gave a spirited performance in Glastonbury in 1990.
Festival fans coined Glastonbury of 1997 as the "Year of the Mud." Heavy rain turned the entire campsite into a mud bath. Some acts had to be canceled, but the adverse weather didn't stop some of the biggest musicians from showing up and putting on a show.
Suit-wearing legendary jazz vocalist Tony Bennett brought class and style to the festival in 1998.
After releasing their single 'Shiver' in March 2000, Coldplay played the main stage at the summer festival. They performed 'Yellow,' which was then released as a single two days later. The rest is history!
Country music icon Willie Nelson appeared for the first time at the festival in 2000 to sing and play his famous guitar that he named Trigger.
The White Stripes burst onto the music scene in the early 2000s wearing their red, white, and black, and played their guitar-heavy songs for the audience of Glastonbury Festival in 2002.
Gwen Stefani performed with her band No Doubt in 2002, two years before releasing her debut solo album.
Kings of Leon played at Glastonbury at the very start of their career, soon after releasing their first album ‘Youth and Young Manhood’ in 2003.
The Rolling Stones brought their ramshackle raw energy to the festival for the very first time in 2013.
Paul McCartney’s show in 2004 is considered the most memorable of the weekend. He played many of his songs, and some Beatles songs too, like ‘Hey Jude.’
In 2008, Noel Gallagher from Oasis commented to the media that he felt that Glastonbury was not a place for hip-hop music in response to Jay-Z headlining the festival. Jay-Z responded by opening his set with a tongue-in-cheek cover of Oasis' iconic song 'Wonderwall.'
Country music legend Dolly Parton had crowds singing along at the festival in 2014 and said it was "one of the best things (she) has ever done."
The Killers played the festival to a smaller audience in 2004 before returning to headline in 2019 and producing over 106 decibels of sound, making it the loudest performance ever recorded at the festival.
One of the most iconic moments in the festival's history was when Patti Smith brought out the Dalai Lama during her performance to read a poem she had written for him and lead the crowd in singing 'Happy Birthday' ahead of his 80th birthday.
The wind and rain didn't stop fans of the Police flocking to watch Sting play Glastonbury in 1997.
Kanye West arrived by helicopter with his then-wife Kim Kardashian in 2015 to headline the festival.
Sources: (NME) (Cosmopolitan)(Dazed)
American singer-songwriter Debbie Harry also performed to thousands of fans who were up to their ankles in mud in 1997.
When the Smashing Pumpkins were one of the world’s biggest bands, they played Glastonbury in 1997. The band split up three years later because of internal fighting and drug use.
A mere eight months before David Bowie became spaceman Ziggy Stardust, he played the festival off of the back of his fourth studio album, 'Hunky Dory.'
Members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club were accidentally booked as security for the festival in 1981. They stole an ox and burnt a hay wagon! Naturally, the festival organizers didn't make the same mistake twice.
The first year of the Glastonbury Festival was in the summer of 1970. In the past five decades-plus, it has become one of the most renowned festivals in the world. It is also one of the most expensive globally to attend, yet 200,000 people still show up every year in Pilton, Somerset, England to enjoy the lineup the festival has to offer.
Are you feeling nostalgic for the days of years' past? Click through this gallery to look back at the most iconic moments and performances in Glastonbury Festival's history.
Glastonbury Festival's most iconic moments and performances
A look back at over 50 years of the festival
MUSIC Arts
The first year of the Glastonbury Festival was in the summer of 1970. In the past five decades-plus, it has become one of the most renowned festivals in the world. It is also one of the most expensive globally to attend, yet 200,000 people still show up every year in Pilton, Somerset, England to enjoy the lineup the festival has to offer.
Are you feeling nostalgic for the days of years' past? Click through this gallery to look back at the most iconic moments and performances in Glastonbury Festival's history.