Updated: Jay-Z Blamed For Low Glastonbury Festival Ticket Sales

4/15/08
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Glastonbury Festival organisers have defended their choice of rapper Jay-Z to headline this year's event after claims it had upset traditional rock fans and led to poor ticket sales.

Organiser Emily Eavis said the festival had to move with the times and she blamed an "innate conservatism" in Britain for the negative reaction in some quarters.

She said the row over her choice of a black American rapper rather than a rock band like Radiohead had raised uncomfortable questions over British attitudes to race and class.

"There is an interesting undercurrent in the suggestion that a black U.S. hip-hop artist shouldn't be playing in front of what many perceive to be a white, middle-class audience," she wrote in Tuesday's Independent newspaper.

"I'm not sure what to call it, at least not in public, but this is something that causes me some disquiet.

"Maybe what the critics have really revealed is something about attitudes that are still all too prevalent in Britain: an innate instinct to go back to base and play safe. An innate conservatism, a stifling reluctance to try something different."

First day ticket sales of 100,000 had "blown away" the organisers, Eavis added. But critics pointed out that the event sold out within hours in previous years.

Previous headliner Noel Gallagher, of Oasis, accused organisers of ruining the open-air festival, held at Eavis's father's Somerset farm.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," he told the BBC. "If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music. I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."



(Noel Gallagher)

Gallagher found support on Internet forums buzzing with calls to drop Jay-Z, one of the world's biggest selling artists.

"Maybe indie kids just aren't excited about standing in the rain listening to a misogynistic gangster rapper," a contributor called Smoocher wrote on the NME Web site, www.nme.com.

Many others welcomed the appearance of Jay-Z as a breath of fresh air and blamed the slower ticket sales on overcrowding, muddy fields and commercialism.

"I much prefer smaller independent festivals -- better music, better food, nicer people and no big companies ripping you off," Daniel Salt wrote on a Reuters forum.
[Edited 5/14/08 17:13pm]

This whole Anti Jay-Z smacks of racism. Who really cares about what Noel Gallagher has to say??? He hasn't been relevant since the mid-90s!!!

Herein lies the problem with modern music today. From Prince (who, IIRC has headlined before) to Parliament to Vernon Reid to Me'Shell Ndegeocell, Van Hunt, Res, Martin Luther or (fill in artist here), there are plenty of black musicians they could have asked to perform. But Jigga? Really?

He isn't even the best MC when it comes to live concerts. There can be legitimate reasons for rock fans not to like hip-hop. But if black musicians got more of a push in the industry today Glastonbury wouldn't have a problem diversifying the show.

namepeace said:

DJJillMonroe said:

namepeace said:

Herein lies the problem with modern music today. From Prince (who, IIRC has headlined before) to Parliament to Vernon Reid to Me'Shell Ndegeocell, Van Hunt, Res, Martin Luther or (fill in artist here), there are plenty of black musicians they could have asked to perform. But Jigga? Really?

He isn't even the best MC when it comes to live concerts. There can be legitimate reasons for rock fans not to like hip-hop. But if black musicians got more of a push in the industry today Glastonbury wouldn't have a problem diversifying the show.

Interesting comments, I would have to agree to some degree.

most rap shows suck! they don't perform really well at all.

namepeace said:

Paris9748430 said:

I saw Jay-Z this past Saturday and it was an AWESOME show. I'm with the organizer smacks of racism to me.

You don't need directions and you don't need cash. From your Jimmy Choos to your Ultralash. ~ Prince
And when the groove is dead and gone, you know that Love survives so we can rock FOREVER. ~ RIP MJ

if Jay-Z organized a festival, do you seriously think he would consider scheduling any of the rock bands on the glastonbury line-up?

Anxiety said:

namepeace said:

What the promoters failed to address, however, is the festival's weaning quality over the last few years. To size up dislike of Jay-Z as just "racism" from a "middle class audience" is really more of a jab at the concertgoers, not Hova. And is a lazy-as-hell argument. It's only too convenient to point the finger at Jay-Z with he being the first rap headliner and not look at the criticisms of the festival overall.

Namepeace touched on some key things in his posts. When it comes to live concerts, they could've aimed for a better candidate (like The Roots) or at least someone more electic and varied. Though, I doubt they'd get headliner stats.

For example, Kelis did Glastonbury in 2000 (when her debut was the buzz among UK critics at the time) and as much as you orgers HATED on her Hits package in a recent thread, she ROCKED Glastonbury that year -- and her live performances were highly memorable with a full backing band. Kelis, pre-Milkshake, had a rock energy and a riotgrrrl vibe to her that American audiences DIDN'T SEE (because it wasn't marketed to you[!]). They were awesome, heavily fleshed out renditions of "I Want Your Love" (with samba musicians), "In The Morning," "Mafia" with really clever, ambient percussion and she even did covers of Nirvana's "Smell Like Teen Spirit" and Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." She was the talk of the festival that year.

He may not be a musician but he's had a definite affinity and appreciation for using live musicians in his live shows for 10 years now. I saw him on this past Saturday night and he performed I'd say at least 80% of his set being backed by a tight ass 14 piece band that included horns AND strings. Does this festival not allow for musical diversity? Is he the ONLY act? If not, what's the problem?

You don't need directions and you don't need cash. From your Jimmy Choos to your Ultralash. ~ Prince
And when the groove is dead and gone, you know that Love survives so we can rock FOREVER. ~ RIP MJ

jay z? meh..i like jays music alot.but they could have had someone alot more current like kanye who would have worked a whole lot better.

Much ado about nothing....and why do they throw the term, "gansta rap" around so easily, I'm getting tired of that shit!

Why the fuck would anyone want to watch some random prick walk back and forth mumbling nonsense when they can see an actual band(even if they suck)?

Racism my ass.

It's just a matter of the people that support this festival(people with sense)not being interested in bull.

Dance said:

murph said:

Dance said:

namepeace said:

Mara said:

Paris9748430 said:

btw

[snip - luv4u]

Dance said:

Paris9748430 said:

if you throw Jay-z in the headline i don't care if he brings the entire philharmonic orchestra and jams with ravi shankar at the same time... your average iron maiden/ metallica / NIN fan is not going to be happy.

A couple of years ago 50 cent (I know Jay-z is a hundred times better) played at pukkelpop (he festival in my region of the world) and it was probably the worst edition ever. not only did his performance s*ck, but his fans had absolutely no clue as to the point of a festival and completely ruined the mood of the entire day with their 'attitudes'.

a year later the roots brought down the house, kicked some serious *$$.

point being: there's no (or little) room for run of the mill MTV-music on a festival. Mariah would get boohed, madonna probably too, and yes JAY-z too.

Now I like Jay-z a lot, about the only rapper I have every album from, but even I don't want to see him at a festival. what's next rihanna opening for motorhead?

Ottensen said:

I don't think the anti-Jay Z thing is racist at all. Jay Z's not that big a deal in the UK. Kanye West is bigger than him. Had Kanye been picked as the headliner there wouldn't have been any fuss.

I think it's really tacky & pathetic the way everything
must b about racism on this board. People do not give a flying fuck
about Jay-Z in Europe..he's just the rapper from the Beyoncé video.

But with Glastonbury (& other festivals) it's the same every year..
Rock purists get upset over certain acts if they don't fit their perception
of what a festival should be...