Kendrick Lamar announced as final Glastonbury headliner
The rapper will make a rare UK appearance at the festival.
Kendrick Lamar has been announced as Glastonbury’s third headliner, as the festival’s organisers said they were “working hard” to ensure the event goes ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The US rapper joins Taylor Swift and Sir Paul McCartney at the top of the bill for the festival’s 50th anniversary edition, while Diana Ross will play the Sunday legend’s slot.
Lamar, 32, has released a string of Grammy-winning albums including DAMN and To Pimp A Butterfly, earning the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018.
The Glastonbury line-up so far features pop acts Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello and Pet Shop Boys, as well as rockers Sam Fender, Blossoms, Haim and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
Rap and grime feature heavily, with Dizzee Rascal, Burna Boy, Kano, Aitch and AJ Tracey all making appearances.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, Primal Scream, Supergrass, Sinead O’Connor, The Specials, Caribou, Crowded House, Happy Mondays, Metronomy and US country music star Kacey Musgraves are also on the bill, with more acts expected to be announced.
The announcement comes amid speculation that Glastonbury could be cancelled or pushed back.
Festivals including Coachella and Stagecoach in the US have been postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, while acts including The Who, Madonna and Miley Cyrus have cancelled live dates.
Glastonbury, which draws around 200,000 people to farmland in Somerset, is due to take place in 15 weeks time.
Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis said the event’s team were keeping their “fingers firmly crossed” that it could go ahead this summer.
Eavis said: “So, after much consideration given the current circumstances, and with the best of intentions, here is the first list of musical acts for Glastonbury 2020.
“As things stand we are still working hard to deliver our 50th anniversary festival in June and we are very proud of the bill that we have put together over the last year or so.
“No one has a crystal ball to see exactly where we will all be 15 weeks from now, but we are keeping our fingers firmly crossed that it will be here at Worthy Farm for the greatest show on Earth!
“As always this is just a taste of what is to come, we plan to announce many more artists and attractions, area by area, over the coming weeks leading up to the full line-up in May.
“In the meantime we post this with much love to all.”
Glastonbury, which is held in Pilton, Somerset, runs from June 24 to June 28 2020.
