Everyone loves Glastonbury. Those lucky enough to have been there know it’s the greatest party in the world. Those who have only seen the BBC’s lavish annual coverage know it as a true national institution. Its popularity means it can sell around 140,000 tickets, at £378.50 each, in minutes. It can charge vendors thousands and thousands for a pitch, as well as sell hospitality tickets for £780.
It also has the most pored-over lineup in the world. Its headliners are speculated on years in advance. If you wanted to know what the best live music was in a certain year, you’d have no better authority than looking at the festival’s lineup. It should be a great feeling, in short, to play Glastonbury. Yet, having talked to scores of people connected to Worthy Farm, it’s quite jaw-dropping to learn that pretty much every single act on the bill – from top to bottom – loses money from playing Glasto.
