Glastonbury is big news on social media. There have been more than one million appearances of the hashtag on Instagram alone.
Finding out exactly who will be entertaining crowds of more than 200,000 festivalgoers can be one of the year’s most anticipated musical scoops - and this is where fake news can spread.
Over the years, fake line-ups for Glastonbury have appeared on social media, described as ‘leaks’ for eager fans to pick apart - but closer analysis shows how these lists can be more Olivia Rodri-no than Charli XC-yes.
Using an established brand to spread a line-up 'leak'
In March, a poster image designed in Glastonbury’s retro carnival style appeared on a social media page about the festival. It was claimed that this was the full line-up for the 2025 event. It featured a phoenix image which looked similar to one shared by the official Glastonbury account and also had a BBC watermark across it. This suggested the document had come from the broadcaster, which handles the live broadcast of the event, possibly to make readers think it came from a trusted source.
These fake posters have been widely shared across various social media platforms, but none have appeared on Glastonbury’s official website or verified channels. To avoid being misled, always cross-check information with trusted sources, such as the festival’s official site or its authenticated social media accounts.
Check that the Glastonbury line-up shows the correct dates
Leaked line-ups are nothing new. In 2017, while it was known that Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters and Radiohead would definitely be part of the Glastonbury line-up, the longer list was still a mystery.
One local news website shared a poster which suggested acts as diverse as Lorde, Blossoms and legendary group The Jacksons had been confirmed for the event, as well as Lady Gaga and The XX.
One thing gave the list’s credibility away. The poster gave the dates for the live performances at the festival from 24 to 26 June, when the real dates were 23 to 25 June. It’s always worth keeping a look out for mistakes such as these, as information from a trusted source - the official organisers in this case - will have been checked a number of times before publication.
How does fake news spread?
When fake ‘leaks’ such as these are made, they can be picked up and shared by different people. When the number of people doing that grows, it can become viral, especially if it is posted on a platform with a large audience. Check out this guide to how fake news can spread.
While the false Glastonbury poster may not have been made for sinister reasons - and could perhaps be described as a practical joke - it may have been a way for someone to boost their social media following, by claiming exclusive news on a major event. These social media posts can be annoying to the genuine festival organisers. They would usually want to announce the correct line-up at a time chosen by them, and not disappoint fans of acts who may have been wrongly announced as appearing.
How can I find the real line-up?
One way to avoid falling for fake news is to make sure your information is from a trusted source. In this case the Glastonbury website posted the official line-up on 3 June, with big names like Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii performing.
Not sure if the news you’re seeing on social media is true or false? Can you always tell if the things you see online are real or fake? Learn how to get the other side of the story with our quizzes, videos and explainers.
