“There aren’t a lot of new rock acts to choose from if I’m honest. Hopefully that will emerge again, my heyday was 1995 with Pulp and Oasis and Radiohead... and that was great but music changes all the time and right now this is where we’re at.” These were the words shared by Glastonbury organiser and booker Emily Eavis in a recent interview with The Telegraph when discussing the criticism the all-conquering UK mega-festival has received for a perceived lack of rock acts on its latest bill, topped by pop superstar Dua Lipa, modern r’n’b queen SZA and perennial Glasto darlings, Coldplay.
The criticism itself has been, to be frank, a little misguided; Glastonbury’s 2024 incarnation boasted plenty of great rock music for those willing to peak past the Pyramid Stage, the likes of Idles, The Last Dinner Party, Fontaines D.C., Soft Play, Nothing But Thieves, Yard Act, High Vis, Skindred and Voice Of Baceprot just some of the names bringing the riffs to Worthy Farm this year. Eavis’ words will, however, raise alarm bells for rock fans, not least because they paint a somewhat inaccurate picture of the state of rock music in 2024.
