Glastonbury 2025: has interest 'dipped' after complaints over this year's line-up?

• Two weeks removed from Glastonbury Festival’s first announcement and opinion is still divided.
• From fans happy with the line-up so far, to industry figures chiming in, almost everyone has had their say.
• But has interest over the last few years in the festival dropped, despite selling out once again?

It’s been two weeks since Glastonbury Festival released their first wave of artists set to perform at Worthy Farm later this year - and general opinion has, as always, been mixed.

Upon the announcement of the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975 and Charli XCX joining the previously announced Sir Rod Stewart, Neil Young and Nile Rodgers and Chic, social media was mixed with emotions and opinions regarding the line-up.

The comments on X have ranged from “I'm a Glastonbury Stan but this is genuinely the worst line-up I’ve ever seen” and “tragic line-up” to “great line-up” and “this year's Glastonbury line-up for all 3 nights is way too good bruh - times like this I wish I was born in the UK.”

More on that international comment shortly.

These sentiments were echoed by some in the music industry itself; Azaelia Banks questioned: “In what world are the 1975 billed higher than Franz Ferdinand & The Libertines in England? In what world is Charli XCX billed higher than the Deftones?? billed higher than Pink Pantheress? In the UK?”

While Lily Allen, on the contrary, asked questions why Charli XCX was not considered a headline act at this year's festival. Clearly, the line-up as always has generated a strong reaction from music fans and especially its fandom.

But has interest in the exploits at Worthy Farm waned after the announcement? Has interest in the festival, which almost feels harder to attain tickets to over the subsequent years, lost a little of its shine because of it?

Spin Genie sent over a comprehensive spreadsheet of Google search data to reveal the events that have experienced an increase or a decrease in popularity in the UK, to determine if the appeal of Glastonbury Festival has, despite selling out, declined over the years.

Has interest decreased in Glastonbury Festival?

While overall interest in Glastonbury remains significantly higher than in previous years, there has been a recent downturn.

The data provided by Spin Genie reveals a year-on-year decrease in global searches for Glastonbury by 18%. A similar drop is reflected specifically within the UK, also showing an 18% decrease in searches.

However, looking at the bigger picture, Glastonbury's popularity has seen substantial growth over the past three years. Global search interest has increased by an impressive 630% in that period, with the UK showing a similar surge of 648%.

This suggests that despite a potential dip following the 2025 announcement, the festival's long-term appeal remains strong. Interestingly, search interest from the US has actually increased by 22% in the past year, indicating growing interest from across the Atlantic.

While initial reactions to Glastonbury's 2025 line-up may have sparked debate and some disappointment, the data suggests that overall interest in the festival remains strong. The year-on-year dip in global and UK search interest is contrasted by a significant surge in searches over the past three years, indicating strong long-term appeal.

It's likely that the perceived decline reflects the typical ebb and flow of fan reactions to specific line-ups, rather than a fundamental decrease in Glastonbury's popularity.

What are your thoughts on the most recent Glastonbury Festival line-ups over the past three to five years, and are you happy with the additions or not happy with the artists currently being booked? Let us know your thoughts on this research by leaving a comment down below.