... as all-male headliners blamed on shortage of women!

THE organiser of Glastonbury had to defend its ‘boring’ all-male line-up yesterday, blaming a shortage of headliner female artists in the music industry. Emily Eavis hit out at ‘pipeline’ issues in the industry – including how record companies and radio stations promote female musicians – after the festival announced that Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses will join Sir Elton John as this year’s headliners. Fans complained the billing is ‘unusually backwards’, while one remarked that it was ‘just a bit boring’. Out of the 30 headline acts since 2010, only four – Beyonce, Adele, Billie Eilish and Florence and the Machine – have been women. This will be the third headline slot for Arctic Monkeys.

Ms Eavis insisted the festival is ‘entirely focused on balancing the bill’, saying: ‘We’re trying our best, so the pipeline needs to be developed. This starts way back with the record companies, radio. I can shout as loud as I like but we need to get everyone on board.’ She committed to having two female headliners next year, adding that a female headliner had been confirmed for this year, but had ‘changed her touring plans’.