Glastonbury 2025: a transcendent return to the roots of magic

There are music festivals. And then there’s Glastonbury.

This year, Glastonbury 2025 reminded us all why it remains the crown jewel of global festival culture. Under the open skies of Worthy Farm, 210,000 souls came together—not just for music, but for something far greater: a shared experience of art, rebellion, love, and catharsis.

From the very first note on Wednesday to the last firework on Sunday night, the atmosphere was electric. The 1975’s Friday night set on the Pyramid Stage was a fever dream of millennial angst and indie elegance, a headliner slot that proved the band’s rare ability to turn introspection into a full-blown communal outcry. On Saturday, Neil Young’s long-awaited return was nothing short of spiritual—his voice carrying over generations, reminding us of music’s timeless power to heal, protest, and connect.

But it was Olivia Rodrigo’s Sunday finale that shattered expectations. This wasn’t just a pop performance—it was a career-defining, era-shaping rite of passage. With vulnerability, power, and theatrical vision, she transformed the Pyramid Stage into a confessional chapel for the TikTok generation. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any more iconic, Rod Stewart took the Legends slot and had three generations swaying arm-in-arm to “Maggie May.”

Away from the headlines, the real heartbeat of Glastonbury pulsed in the smaller stages and secret sets. Charli XCX turned the Other Stage into a post-club utopia; Doechii blew minds at West Holts with a set that was fierce, fearless, and future-facing. And in true Glasto fashion, the biggest jaw-dropper came unannounced: a “Patchwork” slot that turned out to be PULP. Yes, that Pulp.

Beyond the music, Glastonbury once again proved its role as a cultural compass. From political sets by Kneecap and Bob Vylan to sacred moments in The Green Fields and late-night transcendence in Shangri-La, this was a weekend where every corner vibrated with purpose, play, and protest.

With 2026 set to be a follow-up year, Glastonbury 2025 felt like both a crescendo and a cleansing—a reminder of what’s possible when art, people, and place align. It wasn’t just a festival. It was a living, breathing universe built on sound, mud, glitter, and fire.

No one does it like Glasto. And this year, it was pure alchemy.