Glastonbury mixed pop and politics long before the Bob Vylan controversy

LONDON — The Glastonbury Festival is making headlines for controversy rather than music.

The likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Charli XCX, Busta Rhymes and Doechii played to tens of thousands onsite, and millions more on TV, during Britain’s biggest and most famous music extravaganza. But it’s little-known rap-punk duo Bob Vylan attracting politicians’ ire — and a police probe — after leading a chant calling for “death” to the Israeli military.

This isn’t the first time politics has collided with pop at the festival. For half a century, Britain’s big political and cultural divides have found their way onstage at Glastonbury.

Glastonbury grew from the counterculture

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, to give it its full name, was founded by Michael Eavis in 1970 on his Worthy Farm, 120 miles (some 200 kilometers) southwest of London. It’s still run by the 90-year-old farmer and his daughter, Emily Eavis.

Originally a hippie happening with a 1 pound ticket price (about 20 pounds or $27 today), Glastonbury has largely shed its counterculture cachet. These days, tickets for the three-day event cost close to 400 pounds. But it remains famous for its eclectic lineup, unique atmosphere and commitment to environmentalism and other progressive causes.

This year’s event drew about 200,000 people to see almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages, alongside film screenings and live debates on a variety of issues.

The festival has always had a political side

Glastonbury was founded in a spirit of hippie idealism that has never entirely faded. In the 1980s, the festival donated some of its profits to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which protested U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil. It continues to support charities including Oxfam and Greenpeace.

By the late 1980s, attendees included New Age “travelers” involved with the U.K.’s unofficial and anarchic rave scene. In 1990, some travelers clashed with security at the site, leading to significant damage and more than 200 arrests.

Since then, the festival’s security and organization have grown increasingly professional, sparking regret from some fans who feel it has lost its alternative spirit.

The 2016 festival coincided with the U.K.’s referendum on European Union membership, and the decision to leave the bloc — which most young people opposed — overshadowed the event. Many performers mentioned Brexit and the dispirited mood, including headliner Adele, who urged people to “look after each other.”

Performers have often vented their opposition to politicians from the stage. In 2019, rapper Stormzy led the crowd in “F