It saddens us to write this, but Glastonbury – the U.K.’s most prestigious music festival and one of the biggest in the world, which plays host to the best artists around the globe over a stacked weekend lineup – is officially over for another year.
That means, as the campsites get cleared up and the Pyramid Stage starts to make its way into storage, we can sit back and reflect on what has easily been the finest three days of live music this year has seen so far.
Of course, the Glasto lineup is always a diverse cast, but one thing remains constant: the show will always be stolen by some iconic electric guitar moments, and 2025 was no different. In fact, across the 3,000 performers at Worthy Farm, the biggest musical moments largely played out with a guitar in the picture.
Neil Young’s headline-making set, for example, had a de facto special guest in the form of Hank William’s iconic Martin D-28 – also played by Bob Dylan in the past – which was brought out for Looking Forward.
At the other end of the generational spectrum, Olivia Rodrigo’s history-making set was littered with guitar moments. While the singer herself stuck to offset Fenders, her bandmates Arianna Powell and Daisy Spencer opted for Jackson and Charvels, and Shabat offsets, respectively, in a move that continued the metal/pop guitar crossover that has gained steam over the past few years, thanks to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers.
In a similar vein, Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers flipped the script by playing a B.C. Rich Warlock (which, Guitar World has been reliably informed, was found on eBay a few weeks ago) and a Kramer Jersey Star, while Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell soundtracked her indie rock set with help from a Gretsch Super Chet jazz box.
Jackson’s domineering presence was certainly a theme this year, and hardcore punk outfit Turnstile – one of the heaviest bands on the lineup, following Deftones’ late cancellation – further repped the shred brand as guitarists Pat McRory and Meg Mills brought out a pair of Soloists of their own.
Then we have Matty Healy, who took to the stage with The 1975 playing a Masterbuilt Levi Perry Fender Telecaster loaded with fuzz and delay circuits, and Glass Beams, whose penchant for oddball builds was further demonstrated thanks to an especially bonkers Maton Ibis.
Stills and clips from the shows – which once again prove the rude health of the guitar in contemporary music – can be found above and below.
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