- Daft Punk — Electronic legends whose pyramid-set, full-visual spectacle would’ve been mind-bending. They split before a proper late-career headline run could land.
- Fleetwood Mac — Imagine the singalongs and nostalgia. Lineup fragility and age have made a full-on headline moment harder to pull off in recent years.
- The Beatles — The ultimate “would’ve been insane.” Obviously impossible now, but a reminder of how different peak eras change festival history.
- Taylor Swift — A real case of timing: she was potentially in that early-stratosphere sweet spot in 2020. Post-Eras Tour, she’s arguably too big (and complicated for Glastonbury politics) to slot in now.
- Pink Floyd — Picture “Comfortably Numb” echoing across Worthy Farm. Lineup changes and the band’s shifting status make it unlikely today.
- Depeche Mode — Their Violator-era quartet was peak festival-material. They still tour, but it’s a different beast compared to the early days.
- Red Hot Chili Peppers — Fans argue they could still do it; their massive tours show they haven’t completely lost the pull, but their prime Glasto-moment might’ve been earlier.
- Foals & Biffy Clyro — Two modern British bands that looked festival-ready in the 2010s. Timing and ever-shifting headliner priorities nudged them off that top slot.
- Prince — One of the saddest misses. Rumours swirled for years; a Pyramid-set of “Purple Rain” would’ve been historic.
- Stone Roses & Rage Against the Machine — Both have that iconic-era energy fans wanted on the Pyramid. RATM still has some life in them, so never say never.
- Madonna — At one point a likely candidate. Aging, changing public appetite and mixed recent reception make a late-career headline less certain.
- The Clash — Punk royalty. Lineup realities and the passage of time mean their Glastonbury headline is squarely in the realm of “if only.”