Glastonbury Festival started on a small scale in front of just 1,500 music lovers, but over the years it has established itself as one of the biggest and eagerly awaited festivals on the calendar. However, it wasn't called the Glastonbury Festival back then, it went by the name of the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival. It only became linked to Glastonbury in 1971 when it was renamed the Glastonbury Fayre. With over 40 year's of history, there's more than enough to fill a book with the best Glastonbury live music moments, but here are ten of the most talked about and attention grabbing.
10. Jay-Z headlines the Pyramid Stage in 2008 - When the news of this broke, Liam Gallagher fell upon the music media with massive criticism for a rapper headlining Glastonbury. However, Jay-Z had the last laugh as it turned out when he strolled on stage to massive applause playing an acoustic guitar and singing Wonderwall.
9. U2 pull out of the 2010 festival, paving the way for the Gorillaz - The prospect of seeing U2 didn't seem to bother the Glastonbury ticket buying community in 2010 as the tickets sold out within 24 hours for the 40th Anniversary of the festival. However, they got lucky when Bono's creaky back gave way and they were forced to pull out. Gorillaz were brought in to fill the teary-eyed Edge-size entertainment void.
8. The New Tent gets renamed to the John Peel Tent in 2005 - After the death of John Peel in 2004 the festival renamed The New Tent to the John Peel tent in memory of the new music legacy that he left behind.
7. Radiohead headline the Pyramid Stage in 1997 - Following a year off in 1996 to leave the land and the organisers to go fallow, Glastonbury returned bigger than ever in 1997 with what is reputed to be one of the best Glastonbury performances of all time.
6. Basement Jaxx and Coldplay cover Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" - 2005 saw Kylie Minogue pull out headlining the Sunday night due to the fact that she was diagnosed as having breast cancer and needed to receive treatment. To show their support, both Basement Jaxx and Coldplay performed covers.
5. Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex kick start it all - When The Kinks pulled out of the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk festival of 1970 that started it all, Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex stepped in to fill the void with their folk rock vs. glam rock crossover in full swing.
4. New Order headline the newly christened Glastonbury Festival - Putting the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk festival and the Glastonbury Fayre names behind it, the event finally became the festival and New Order took centre stage on the newly built replacement for the Pyramid stage. £20,000 was raised for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
3. Robbie Williams and Oasis? - Like a bizarre dream, 1995's festival was the beginning of the end for Take That's first incarnation. It's the year that saw Robbie Williams take to the stage with new found, short-lived chums, Oasis. Three weeks afterwards he'd dropped Take That for good.
2. A Beatle headlines Glastonbury - 34 years after its inception, Glastonbury finally got a Beatle to headline. Paul McCartney took to the Pyramid stage on the Saturday of the 2004 festival to a mixed response.
1. Michael Eavis joins Stevie Wonder on stage to sing "Happy Birthday" - What better way to celebrate 40 years of brilliant entertainment than to take to the stage and sing "Happy Birthday" with Stevie Wonder himself.
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