Poll: Are you excited about V Festival's 2017 line-up?

NO:

It's an event that sees thousands of music lovers flock to Staffordshire every year – but with Pink and Jay Z announced as this year's headliners, we can't help but question whether V Festival has lost its X factor.

They are among hundreds of acts that 90,000 fans are expected to see at Weston Park on August 19 and 20 as V looks forward to its 22nd year – but who exactly is this year's festival aimed at? We're confused.

With it being nearly a decade since he had a number one hit, Jay Z has been away from the limelight for too long, and will not attract a young audience. He hasn't even released an album since 2013.

Not only that, but the rapper – best known these days for being Mr Beyonce – is 47 years old, which is a far cry from last year's 22-year-old star turn Justin Bieber.

Pink, meanwhile, last had a number one way back in 2008 – and she is 37. She's no spring chicken, let's face it – and she'll struggle to attract the audience that last year's headliner Rihanna did.

Sean Paul's a huge name in reggae, but he's in his mid-forties, and rap icon Dizzee Rascal hasn't achieved a number one hit since 2010.

And, while ska stars Madness always put on a great show, their fans probably won't be interested in other acts performing over the weekend, such as The Vamps, George Ezra or Jess Glynne.

Stormzy's a promising act, having won Best Grime Act at the MOBO Awards in both 2014 and 2015. But, again, it's unlikely that his fans would be interested in seeing acoustic singer Jack Savoretti – or even X Factor winner James Arthur.

Busted and Craig David have had reasonably successful comebacks, but they're hardly of the celebrity status that they once were. And the same could be said for Sean Paul.

Usually, the festival also caters for rock fans, with acts having performed previously including Stereophonics and Kasabian – who both played in 2015 – Kaiser Chiefs, who appeared last year, and The Killers in 2014.

But smaller names such as The Wombats and Scouting For Girls are the only real rock offerings this year. Stereophonics are instead headlining the Y Not Festival in Derbyshire this summer, while Kaiser Chiefs – who have just released a new album – are currently on a headline tour, which will take them up to August 19. Kasabian, meanwhile, are this year playing Reading and Leeds.

Huge acts such as Foo Fighters and Radiohead will be at Glastonbury, while Download Festival at Donington Park will be Aerosmith's last ever England gig. Reading and Leeds, meanwhile, have secured rap icon Eminem and rock giants Muse.

So are V Festival organisers struggling to get top acts because they are being beaten to the punch by other events?

And just how long will the event continue to run while it's treading water with mediocre acts such as those on this year's line-up?

Does the future lie in festivals that are genre-specific – or are there simply too many in competition with one another?

V has gone from being a mainstream festival with huge names playing, to an event with a bizarre mish-mash of weak acts. We can only hope there are better names still to be announced. But there's no going back on the headliners now.

YES:

Some critics say V Festival has lost its way in recent years, replacing its alternative music roots with the mainstream.

But it is frankly just a lazy argument being used by those who want to be sniffy about an event that continues to thrive as one of Britain's musical highlights.

This year's line-up truly has something for everyone, with the inclusion of Jay Z and Pink as the headliners.

The true strength, however, comes in the depth of talent on show over the weekend, with the long list of performers acting as a genuine who's who of today's music scene. And there's even Madness for the parents.

The festival started in 1996 when Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker had an idea to play two outdoor venues in successive days.

It has gone on to become one of the biggest musical festivals on the planet and organisers today insist fans are in for a vintage year.

Andy Redhead, V Festival spokesman, today spoke of V Festival going from "strength to strength".

It isn't an idle boast. And this year the range of talent on show is truly impressive. From the pop of Ellie Goulding to the garage of Craig David and Stormzy's grime, the range of genres on show can arguably match any festival of 2017.

V Festival has grown enormously since its earliest days, when it was held at Hylands Park and in Warrington, at Victoria Park.

It quickly outgrew it's northern base and was relocated to Leeds before being moved once more to the Shropshire and Staffordshire border, at Weston Park.

In its earliest days, it celebrated the music of Britpop and the line up for the first year included Pulp, Paul Weller, Supergrass, The Charlatans, Cast and The Lightning Seeds.

The festival became one of the biggest celebrations of alternative music in the UK and it welcomed the new millennium with a bill including Travis, Richard Ashcroft, Macy Gray, Ocean Colour Scene, the returning Paul Weller and Underworld.

However, in more recent years it has left behind its alternative music roots and promoted R'n'B and pop. It has continued to attract Transatlantic stars like Eminem and Beyonce as well as more-recent headliner Justin Bieber.

This year's bill reflects a strong year of music in 2016. And, with the right weather, 2017's V could be a classic.