Glastonbury acts paid tiny fees than other festivals but stars keep coming back
Glastonbury's superstars rake in millions on tour, but at the Worthy Farm festival they practically earn peanuts in comparison - here's why the stars still say yes
It's the biggest festival in the UK but Glastonbury headliners walk away with far less cash than you'd expect for performing at the Worthy Farm festival.
The music extravaganza runs from Wednesday, June 25 to Monday, June 30. Tickets are sold out once again, with 200,000 people set to fill the fields and enjoy around 3,000 performances over five fun-packed days.
This year's lineup is no different to previous years, with chart-toppers such as Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, The 1975 and Charli XCX performing for crowds of muddy music lovers on Worthy Farm. But behind the scenes, it's not the payday you'd expect for global stars.
Despite the hype, Glastonbury headliners reportedly pocketing no more than £500k - just a fraction of what they'd earn elsewhere.
It's a stark contrast to the £1 million+ fees dished out by rival UK festivals, or the jaw-dropping £3.2 million Beyoncé was paid for her iconic Coachella set in 2018.
Why do artists race to sign up to Glastonbury?
Organiser Emily Eavis says the festival's magic lies in its legacy. 'We're not in the same bracket as everyone else when it comes to paying artists massive fees. We're really grateful for the bands we get because they're basically doing it for the love of it,' she previously told the BBC.
'It's probably less than 10 percent of what they'd get from playing any of the other major British festivals.'
But the Glastonbury gig isn't just about getting seen. The festival is broadcast on TV, radio and iPlayer, drawing in millions more viewers than the event can physically hold. That kind of exposure can skyrocket streams, boost album sales, and put acts on the global map within hours.
READ MORE: Inside Glastonbury's horrifying 'jail' for fence jumpers and drug dealers at iconic music festival
'Because of the TV and the exposure they get, they do really well afterwards,' Emily explained. 'So we're saying, 'Look, come and do this - even though there's a small fee, we can almost guarantee you'll make up for it.''
Emily runs the show with her dad, Michael Eavis, who once revealed he paid just £200,000 for both Coldplay and Paul McCartney. Coldplay made history last year as the first band to headline Glasto five times, while Dua Lipa called her Pyramid Stage debut the 'pinnacle' of her career.
READ MORE: 'I never wear new clothes to a festival!' Thrifters share their best tips for Glastonbury 2025
The Eavis family also donate millions to charity each year and artists know they're part of something bigger than money. It's music with meaning.
Still, the pay gap compared to other festivals is huge. Headliners at Reading and Leeds are said to earn double, sometimes triple, what Glasto offers. But for many stars, the Worthy Farm moment is worth every penny they don't make.
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