The 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival concluded after a weekend filled with memorable performances, both celebrated and controversial.
Avon and Somerset Police are reviewing the Saturday sets of punk duo Bob Vylan and Irish rap trio Kneecap to determine if any offenses were committed during their performances.
During Bob Vylan’s set on the West Holts Stage, Bobby Vylan led the crowd in chants of “death, death to the IDF”. Meanwhile, a member of Kneecap encouraged fans to “start a riot” outside his bandmate’s upcoming court appearance, and subsequently led the audience in chants of “f*** Keir Starmer.”
This followed Starmer’s pre-festival statement that Kneecap’s performance was “not appropriate” for Glastonbury.
Friday brought surprise appearances, including alternative pop sensation Lorde, who performed her new album in its entirety. Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi also made a welcomed return, performing two years after a Glastonbury set where he faced challenges managing his Tourette syndrome.
The 1975 headlined the Pyramid Stage that night. Lead singer Matty Healy jokingly declared himself his generation’s “best songwriter,” before the band played popular tracks like , and .
Pulp took to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday as Patchwork, performing against a backdrop that paid tribute to their iconic 1995 headline substitution.
The Jarvis Cocker-fronted band captivated the audience with some of their most beloved songs, including , , and .
Their appearance marked 30 years since their breakthrough performance when they filled in for The Stone Roses, after guitarist John Squire was injured in a cycling accident.
Previously, keyboard player Candida Doyle seemed to dismiss any possibility of the band playing at the festival as she told BBC Radio 6 Music “they (Glastonbury) weren’t interested”.
Haim surprised fans with an appearance on the Park Stage on Saturday. They opened with the well-known song The Wire, followed by a blend of older tracks like , and newer singles including .
Saturday also saw rock veteran Neil Young headline, delighting the crowd with hits such as , and . At one point, he performed with Hank Williams’ guitar.
Charli XCX, known as the “Brat” star, headlined the Other Stage on Saturday, delivering tracks from last year’s popular album, including , , and .
US singer Gracie Abrams, who performed on the same stage a day earlier, recreated the viral dance during the song of the same name.
Rod Stewart took on the Sunday legends slot, sharing the stage with former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood on , featuring Lulu on , and collaborating with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall for a rendition of his band’s .
The festival’s founder, Michael Eavis, was also welcomed onto the stage by his daughter and organizer, Emily Eavis.
Stewart’s arrival was heralded by bagpipes, kicking off his afternoon performance with the 1981 single, .
His set also included hits such as , and .
Olivia Rodrigo headlined the Pyramid Stage on Sunday evening, bringing out The Cure frontman Robert Smith to perform his band’s songs and .
As the indie-goth icon (66 years old) took the stage, Rodrigo exclaimed: “Glastonbury, please welcome Robert Smith, give him a big welcome, come on.”
At the end of , the pair embraced. Rodrigo then said “give it up for Robert Smith you guys” as she added “she was so honoured to play with him tonight”.
Numerous acts used the weekend to voice their support for Palestine. Ellie Rowsell of indie band Wolf Alice declared: “We want to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine, and we shouldn’t be afraid to do that.”
Their Other Stage set culminated in their well known song , after they’d played elements of The White Stripes’ and Black Sabbath’s .
Irish country star CMAT, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, chanted “free Palestine” during her set, which included , from her upcoming third studio album .
During their Woodsies set Gurriers frontman Dan Hoff said: “Free Palestine, unlike other bands we know where we stand politically.”
Following performances across the festival’s numerous stages all night, a large-scale clean-up operation began in the early hours of the morning.
