1. A Sky Full of Surprise Guests
This year’s Glastonbury proved that the festival isn’t just about the music, but about the moments that catch you off-guard. Whether it was Michael J. Fox joining Coldplay to shred guitar on ‘Fix You’, or Tilda Swinton introducing Orbital with an ethereal spoken-word performance, Glasto 2024 was a masterclass in unpredictable guests.
Celebrities didn’t just stay on stage, either: Louis Tomlinson turned a campsite into a Euros watch party, and Stormzy joined the crowd to dance during Coldplay’s set. In every corner of Worthy Farm, you could feel the possibility of a star appearance – but with everyone on the same level, sharing the same human joys.
2. The Nostalgia Renaissance
From the Sugababes shutting down West Holts to Avril Lavigne’s Other Stage chaos, nostalgia reigned supreme. The festival tapped into millennials’ soft spot for early 2000s icons, giving acts a chance to remind us why we loved them in the first place.
Crowds packed in for Sugababes’ harmonies and Avril’s pop-punk hits, giving the people what they really wanted. Bloc Party’s slot, meanwhile, also on the Other Stage, proved there was some throwback magic for the indie-rockers amongst us too. With every singalong, the audience wasn’t just looking back, they were re-living their youth.
3. Flags, Fashion, and Festival Flair
What’s Glastonbury without a sea of flags and festival fashion? This year’s banners ranged from classic puns (“Flagatha Christie”) to chaotic (a Hetty vacuum strapped to a pole), while outfits featured bright colors and a lot of cowboy hats, thanks to Shania Twain’s influence. Charli XCX’s lime-green BRAT aesthetic also dominated the crowds, ensuring “BRAT summer” was alive and well on Worthy Farm.
4. Pyramid Stage Firsts and Festival History
The Pyramid Stage had its share of historic moments. SEVENTEEN made K-pop history as the stage’s first South Korean act. If they were the flagbearers for this global phenomenon, they showed why, with near-faultless choreography and plenty of frontstage action. Meanwhile, Coldplay proved their enduring power, by claiming the record for most Pyramid headliner slots. And Little Simz, in her first-ever Pyramid appearance, brought raw power and commanding bars, no doubt marking herself as a future headliner.
5. Secret Sets – and Not-So-Secret Fandom
Glastonbury thrives on whispers of secret sets, and 2024 delivered in spades. Kasabian stormed the Woodsies Stage, Fred Again.. captivated Strummerville, and Charli XCX turned The Levels into a BRAT-filled rave. But not every secret stayed quiet: crowds flocked to these “impromptu” moments with the energy of fully advertised headline gigs. (Although, to be fair, this reporter was gutted to have entirely missed Fred Again..).
@soundofhousemusic Actually can’t believe how lucky we were to see this 🙏 #fredagain #glastonbury #glastonburyfestival #glastonbury2024 #housemusic #electronicmusic #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Sound of House Music
6. SZA’s Soaring Finale
SZA’s headline set at Glastonbury 2024 was a bold gamble that reflected her artistry: complex, layered, and unapologetically authentic. Despite mic issues and a smaller crowd, her performance unfolded as a theatrical journey through futuristic and mythical worlds, complete with stunning visuals and genre-spanning music. Though purists may have missed traditional crowd interaction and surprise guests, SZA’s set symbolized Glastonbury’s willingness to take risks and amplify fresh voices, offering an intimate, personal finale to the festival’s eclectic lineup.
7. A Global Stage for Community Voices
Worthy Farm leaned further into inclusivity this year, highlighting underrepresented voices with spaces like the South Asian Arrivals stage. From Romany murals in the Theatre & Circus fields to Rachel Chinouriri dedicating her cover of ‘American Boy’ (which she changed to ‘Glastonbury Boy’) to Black women artists who inspired her, including Joan Armatrading, Skin from Skunk Anansie, Keisha from Sugababes, Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes and Estelle herself.
Coldplay’s set, meanwhile, was noted for its diverse range of features, including Victoria Canal (who has never let her amniotic band syndrome get in the way of her artistry), as well as Michael J. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, playing guitar.
8. Dancing in the Daylight
Some of the most unforgettable moments at Glastonbury happened long before sunset – that point in the day where you’d all consider clambering up the hill to watch the sun go down, before realising just how long it would take.
Confidence Man’s afternoon set turned the Other Stage into a rave, with inflatable props and kaleidoscopic visuals. Sophie Ellis-Bextor joined Peggy Gou for a daytime disco masterclass, and even the kids got in on the disco action with circus clowns entertaining families (giving mum and dad respite to have a boogie elsewhere).
9. Beyond the Noise
Amid the chaos, Glastonbury 2024 found space for quiet reflection. Marina Abramović stunned the Pyramid Stage crowd into seven minutes of silence – a rare pause during the cacophony of the weekend. Idris Elba used the West Holts Stage to deliver a powerful speech on knife crime, using his platform to great effect.
These moments fed into the full spirit of Glastonbury, which is about something far bigger than ourselves, and far bigger than just one weekend. It’s an experience and a feeling that lingers long after the final chord fades.
