Looking at the Reading and Leeds festival lineups today, you couldn't imagine an artist like 50 Cent getting a rough reception. Nowadays, the festivals offer two of the most diverse lineups in the modern UK music scene, packing everything from rap heavyweights and pop icons to superstar DJs and pit-worthy rock and metal mainstays.
In times gone by, however, it was quite a different story. Through the 80s and 90s, before its Northern cousin was introduced, Reading was considered a rock festival first and foremost. Sure, the likes of Cypress Hill, Ice-T, Björk, Underworld and The Chemical Brothers provided some memorable exceptions over the years, but for the most part, the festival's stages were overwhelmingly dominated by rock, punk, grunge and metal acts.
