Rod Stewart Set to Headline Glastonbury's Legends Slot in 2025

The announcement comes just before Stewart's farewell to large-scale world tours.

Rod Stewart has officially been confirmed to perform at Glastonbury's legends slot in 2025, marking his return to the iconic festival 23 years after his last performance. The 79-year-old singer-songwriter, renowned for his exceptional career and chart-topping hits such as "Maggie May," "Hot Legs," "I Don't Wanna Talk About It," and "Sailing," is poised to follow in the footsteps of past legends like Dolly Parton and Kylie Minogue by taking up the revered Sunday afternoon slot.

Having recently declared he would be stepping back from extensive world tours after 2025, Stewart expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating he is "proud, ready, and more than able to pleasure and titillate" fans at Glastonbury next June. This Sunday slot is typically one of the highlights of the festival, known for drawing enormous crowds, and Stewart's performance will make him the first artist to both headline and receive a legends billing at the event.

Stewart's last visit to Glastonbury was in 2002 when tickets were priced at £97, a stark contrast to this year's whopping £373.50. That performance saw him share the stage with Coldplay and Stereophonics, while organiser's attempts to prevent gatecrashers with a "superfence" were deemed successful. Reflecting on the festival’s atmosphere during his previous performance, Stewart noted the excellent behavior of attendees, commenting humorously about whether it was good or bad.

Initially, there were doubts about Stewart's appeal, described by BBC's Ian Youngs as being too serious, but he soon won over the crowd with classics like "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?". The charismatic performer captivated the audience throughout his set with striking outfits and an energetic presence, closing the show with a fireworks display during "Sailing."

Currently, Stewart is the first confirmed headliner for the Glastonbury 2025 lineup, scheduled to take place from June 25 to 29 in Somerset. Other potential headliners mentioned include Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Wonder, Eminem, and Charli XCX. After this year's event welcomed newcomers Dua Lipa and SZA alongside a record sixth headline from Coldplay, anticipation builds as fans await the ticket resale in the New Year.