Sir Paul McCartney has been confirmed to headline Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary in 2020. The former Beatle is scheduled to top the bill on the Pyramid Stage, on Saturday 27 June 2020, which will come a week after his 78th birthday.
Emily Eavis, Glastonbury organiser, confirmed the news of November 18 2019 by taking to social media to say: “IT’S REAL!! So excited.. Having Paul McCartney coming back to headline the Pyramid next year is an absolute dream come true. There really was no one that we wanted more for the 50th anniversary.”
The news comes just hours after the Beatles icon seemingly confirmed that he will headline the festival next year, after sharing a cryptic clue on his Twitter account. McCartney has now also confirmed the news, writing: “Hey Glasto – excited to be part of your Anniversary celebrations. See ya next summer!” McCartney apparently confirmed the news a few days before the official announcement by sharing an image of American composer Philip Glass, actress Emma Stone and rock legend Chuck Berry. When the surnames of all three are combined, the not-so-subtle clue of ‘Glass-Stone-Bury’ is provided.
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) November 18, 2019
In April, Eavis’ father, festival founder Michael Eavis, admitted to a BBC reporter that had the star in his sights saying: “Hopefully for the 50th. Don’t make a big thing of it though, will you?”
Speaking to Zoe Ball, on BBC Radio 2, McCartney said: “My kids are saying, ‘Dad, we’ve got to talk about Glastonbury’, and I think I know what they mean. We played there quite a long time ago so maybe it is time to go back. I don’t know. I’d have to put a few things in place.
“So they go every year, like a lot of people these days, and it is a great festival and we played there quite a long time ago so, maybe it is time to go back, I don’t know, I’d have to put a few things in place and try and do that but it’s starting to become some sort of remote possibility.”
Hey Glasto – excited to be part of your Anniversary celebrations. See ya next summer! https://t.co/31yA40Eb4d
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) November 18, 2019
McCartney last took to the Pyramid Stage, in 2004, and his appearance came after a day of heavy rain that left fans soaked through. He played through the horrible British weather to give fans a two-and-a-half hour performance of greatest hits including Wings classic Jet and racing through 22 Beatles songs, including Helter Skelter, Back In The USSR and Yesterday.
The Beatles star is the first headliner to be confirmed for Glastonbury 2020, but his confirmation comes after Diana Ross was announced to play the Sunday afternoon “legends slot”. Meanwhile there has been a lot of speculation about who else will be headlining, with the likes of Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, The 1975 and Foals among the names.
Fleetwood Mac, who have also long been linked with the festival, also prompted speculation that they would be heading to Somerset next year when Mick Fleetwood told fans at Wembley Stadium they still “had a big field to play”.
But speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival last month, Emily Eavis ruled the band out after negotiations apparently stalled over money. “I can’t afford them at the moment,” Michael told fans in June. “But they said the other day that they really want to do it and if they don’t do it before they die they’ll go to hell.”
