![16. The Rolling Stones - 2013: The icons that Glasto truly deserves, Jagger and co defied age and proved utterly timeless in a set packed with hits, fire-breathing birds and that so-bad-it-was-good improv track 'Glastonbury Girl']()
16. The Rolling Stones - 2013: The icons that Glasto truly deserves, Jagger and co defied age and proved utterly timeless in a set packed with hits, fire-breathing birds and that so-bad-it-was-good improv track 'Glastonbury Girl'
![15. Stevie Wonder - 2010: The man IS pop music. It was a relentless masterclass in pure genius, and singing 'Happy Birthday' to the festival with Michael Eavis has been etched into Glasto history.]()
15. Stevie Wonder - 2010: The man IS pop music. It was a relentless masterclass in pure genius, and singing 'Happy Birthday' to the festival with Michael Eavis has been etched into Glasto history.
![14. Kanye West - 2015: For every bystander with us last night losing their mind, there was another bored to tears - waiting for that 'Coldplay' eureka moment of unified musical epiphony, where Worthy Farm unites in at least one pure moment of bliss. There is no such thing as a 'casual' Kanye fan - he wants to mean everything to everyone, and if he can't then he'll leave you behind. Hence why so many feel more than a little bit cheated. Is that a very 'Glastonbury' way to feel? No, but whatever - hip-hop matters, Kanye matters and his cherry-picker assisted 2016 headline set mattered. Yeezy certainly played up to being 'the world's greatest living rockstar', even if the world didn't agree]()
14. Kanye West - 2015: For every bystander with us last night losing their mind, there was another bored to tears - waiting for that 'Coldplay' eureka moment of unified musical epiphony, where Worthy Farm unites in at least one pure moment of bliss. There is no such thing as a 'casual' Kanye fan - he wants to mean everything to everyone, and if he can't then he'll leave you behind. Hence why so many feel more than a little bit cheated. Is that a very 'Glastonbury' way to feel? No, but whatever - hip-hop matters, Kanye matters and his cherry-picker assisted 2016 headline set mattered. Yeezy certainly played up to being 'the world's greatest living rockstar', even if the world didn't agree
![13. Florence + The Machine - 2015: The noise of the call of disgust from a fair few Glasto-faithful when it was announced that Flo would be stepping up to headline in place of Foo Fighters was second only to those still frothing at the mouth from the furore of Kanye even being allowed to step foot in Somerset, but within moments she had silenced all critics. Welch had the vast, flare-waving crowd eating from the palm of her hand - as she stripped off, maniacally prowled and twirled the Pyramid Stage barefoot during 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' - it's hard to imagine her as anything but a headliner, and we daresay she'll ever be anything less from here on out.]()
13. Florence + The Machine - 2015: The noise of the call of disgust from a fair few Glasto-faithful when it was announced that Flo would be stepping up to headline in place of Foo Fighters was second only to those still frothing at the mouth from the furore of Kanye even being allowed to step foot in Somerset, but within moments she had silenced all critics. Welch had the vast, flare-waving crowd eating from the palm of her hand - as she stripped off, maniacally prowled and twirled the Pyramid Stage barefoot during 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' - it's hard to imagine her as anything but a headliner, and we daresay she'll ever be anything less from here on out.
![12. Metallica - 2014: Metallica faced their critics head on with a blistering headline set - pulling a relatively sparse crowd but absolutely dominating the Pyramid Stage. The hard rock icons faced much controversy when they were first announced as headliners - drawing criticism for their apparent support of bear hunting and with many arguing that heavy metal had no place on Worthy Farm.]()
12. Metallica - 2014: Metallica faced their critics head on with a blistering headline set - pulling a relatively sparse crowd but absolutely dominating the Pyramid Stage. The hard rock icons faced much controversy when they were first announced as headliners - drawing criticism for their apparent support of bear hunting and with many arguing that heavy metal had no place on Worthy Farm. "All music is represented here at Glastonbury," said a clearly moved James Hetfield, "so why not heavy metal?" Why not indeed. Let's have some more please.
![11. The White Stripes - 2005: It may have been at the height of what Noel Gallagher called Jack White's 'Zorro on doughnuts' phase, but the fervour with which he and Meg tore through 23 modern garage rock classics makes it all the more tragic that this was one of their final major UK festival shows together.]()
11. The White Stripes - 2005: It may have been at the height of what Noel Gallagher called Jack White's 'Zorro on doughnuts' phase, but the fervour with which he and Meg tore through 23 modern garage rock classics makes it all the more tragic that this was one of their final major UK festival shows together.
![11. Kings Of Leon - 2008: Off the back of the incredible Because Of The Times and before 'Sex On Fire' had even bothered the radio, KoL were on the brink of becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet - and this utterly flawless set was the launchpad for it all.]()
11. Kings Of Leon - 2008: Off the back of the incredible Because Of The Times and before 'Sex On Fire' had even bothered the radio, KoL were on the brink of becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet - and this utterly flawless set was the launchpad for it all.
![9. Coldplay - 2002: The first of three times that Chris Martin and co topped the Pyramid Stage was pretty special indeed. At their most consistent peak, the crowd responded in kind - bring a tear to Chris Martin's eye as he choked that Glasto were]()
9. Coldplay - 2002: The first of three times that Chris Martin and co topped the Pyramid Stage was pretty special indeed. At their most consistent peak, the crowd responded in kind - bring a tear to Chris Martin's eye as he choked that Glasto were "the best choir I've heard in my life."
![8. Blur - 2009: Britpop's comeback kings played everything you could have really wanted to hear - leaving us gagging for more. Memories of 'Tender' and 'The Universal' will stay with us forever.]()
8. Blur - 2009: Britpop's comeback kings played everything you could have really wanted to hear - leaving us gagging for more. Memories of 'Tender' and 'The Universal' will stay with us forever.
![7. Arctic Monkeys - 2013: Launching their most successful period of their career before the release of AM, Arctic Monkeys' headline set in 2013 has outlived the criticisms of Turner's new Elvis-esque bravado to be remembered as one for all time.]()
7. Arctic Monkeys - 2013: Launching their most successful period of their career before the release of AM, Arctic Monkeys' headline set in 2013 has outlived the criticisms of Turner's new Elvis-esque bravado to be remembered as one for all time.
![6. Beyonce - 2011: Like her husband Jay Z several years earlier, Beyonce defied her critics to pull off a truly historic headline performance on the Pyramid Stage. Queen Bey reigns supreme.]()
6. Beyonce - 2011: Like her husband Jay Z several years earlier, Beyonce defied her critics to pull off a truly historic headline performance on the Pyramid Stage. Queen Bey reigns supreme.
![5. Arcade Fire - 2014: You can always tell a truly great band by whether their fans sing their backing vocals as loud as the chorus - and that is exactly what you have in Arcade Fire. Opening with 'Reflektor', the Canadian indie heroes brought a real carnival atmosphere to Glasto, more than fulfilling the requirements of being a headliner to remember. Frequently taking photos of the crowd, frontman Win Butler was clearly humbled by the mass of fans that gathered - as wife Regine Chassagne proved a real spectacle in herself with stunning vocals and a bewitching stage presence. Pumped by the dance-fuelled elements of recent album Reflektor, the band played with an unmatched energy and sense of purpose.]()
5. Arcade Fire - 2014: You can always tell a truly great band by whether their fans sing their backing vocals as loud as the chorus - and that is exactly what you have in Arcade Fire. Opening with 'Reflektor', the Canadian indie heroes brought a real carnival atmosphere to Glasto, more than fulfilling the requirements of being a headliner to remember. Frequently taking photos of the crowd, frontman Win Butler was clearly humbled by the mass of fans that gathered - as wife Regine Chassagne proved a real spectacle in herself with stunning vocals and a bewitching stage presence. Pumped by the dance-fuelled elements of recent album Reflektor, the band played with an unmatched energy and sense of purpose.
![4. Muse - 2004: Their first major UK festival slot, Matt Bellamy and co proved to the world that it was their time to become Supermassive. Despite Muse stepping up to the major leagues to headline the Pyramid Stage for the first time, their glorious set was marred by tragedy when drummer Dom Howard's father passed away shortly after seeing them. Their set has been immortalised on a DVD, which you should definitely buy.]()
4. Muse - 2004: Their first major UK festival slot, Matt Bellamy and co proved to the world that it was their time to become Supermassive. Despite Muse stepping up to the major leagues to headline the Pyramid Stage for the first time, their glorious set was marred by tragedy when drummer Dom Howard's father passed away shortly after seeing them. Their set has been immortalised on a DVD, which you should definitely buy.
![3. Jay Z - 2008: A defining moment in hip hop culture, The Hov overcame the controversy of screams of big stars and Glasto fans protesting that 'rap didn't have a place at Glastonbury'. How wrong they were.]()
3. Jay Z - 2008: A defining moment in hip hop culture, The Hov overcame the controversy of screams of big stars and Glasto fans protesting that 'rap didn't have a place at Glastonbury'. How wrong they were.
![2. David Bowie - 2000: One of the few giants on the planet with a career that's longer and more essential than that of the festival itself, Bowie's legendary 2000 set is often cited as one of the best of all time - and with good reason too. At the end of his criminally underrated 90s period, many feared a set full of self-indulgent obscurities. What he gave the world instead was a relentless set of some of the best songs of all time, reminding the world of why we need Bowie. Just watch the footage of his performance of]()
2. David Bowie - 2000: One of the few giants on the planet with a career that's longer and more essential than that of the festival itself, Bowie's legendary 2000 set is often cited as one of the best of all time - and with good reason too. At the end of his criminally underrated 90s period, many feared a set full of self-indulgent obscurities. What he gave the world instead was a relentless set of some of the best songs of all time, reminding the world of why we need Bowie. Just watch the footage of his performance of "Heroes" to feel the electricity. We'll never see his kind again.
![1. Radiohead - 2003: Thom Yorke and co had one hell of a task on their hands to top their historic 1997 performance - but boy, did they bloody do it. From the menacing opening rumble of 'There There', to the maniacal schizophrenia of '2+2=5', aching beauty of 'Talk Show Host', twisted brilliance of 'Sit Down Stand Up', batshit crazy rendition of 'Idioteque' and awesome sing-along of 'Street Spirit', they set a bar that has yet to be beat. Flaming Lips described the set to NME, saying:]()
1. Radiohead - 2003: Thom Yorke and co had one hell of a task on their hands to top their historic 1997 performance - but boy, did they bloody do it. From the menacing opening rumble of 'There There', to the maniacal schizophrenia of '2+2=5', aching beauty of 'Talk Show Host', twisted brilliance of 'Sit Down Stand Up', batshit crazy rendition of 'Idioteque' and awesome sing-along of 'Street Spirit', they set a bar that has yet to be beat. Flaming Lips described the set to NME, saying: "I love Radiohead, and just seeing them embrace this huge mass of overflowing love and energy that as cascading down on them…it was amazing. It was probably one of the greatest shows I've ever seen". We can't help but agree.