How Glastonbury’s Pay-to-Play Culture Became the Epitome of Artistic Exploitation in 2025

Glastonbury. The mere mention conjures images of muddy fields, luminous flags, and the spectacle of cultural pilgrimage that has become inseparable from the British festival circuit. Once, it was a festival revered for giving a platform to those who slogged through sweatbox venues and sticky-floored pubs, building their own audiences brick by brick. Fast forward to 2025, and the narrative has changed. Glastonbury now stands at the centre of a pay-to-play storm that has left many musicians not only out of pocket but questioning the true cost of opportunity in the UK’s most hallowed music institution. The shift is not just an ugly blip on the festival calendar—it’s a microcosm of the broader exploitation that continues to gnaw at the soul of the independent music scene. Glastonbury’s Pay-to-Play Problem: The Price of Admission For decades, Glastonbury’s legacy as a launching pad for genuine talent has held strong. Yet, the festival’s pay-to-play ecosystem has become a cautionary tale, puncturing the myth of meritocracy in the process. The story is as familiar as it is dispiriting. A hopeful band receives the “chance of a lifetime” to play one of Glastonbury’s countless stages, only to discover the actual cost is anything but metaphorical. […]

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