Signal as much as Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly e-newsletter Now Hear This for the within monitor on all issues musicGet our Now Hear This e-mail for freeThe cat’s out of the bag – however didn’t it take its candy time? After a number of months of rumours, the Glastonbury Competition group has lastly unveiled their 2024 lineup: Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA, with country-pop queen Shania Twain filling the Legends’ Slot. The reactions are… blended.Music followers who’ve been retaining their ears to the bottom can have heard a lot concerning the behind-the-scenes kerfuffle in getting this yr’s billing collectively. Co-organiser Emily Eavis was inside a whisker of getting her dream artist, Madonna, on board, solely to have the “Vogue” singer pull out because of budgetary points for her extravagant Celebration tour set-up. (I additionally heard some rumblings about Madonna requesting a complete resort ground be booked for a full seven days earlier than the pageant). Stevie Marvel was within the combine, too, but in addition backed out; ditto Bruce Springsteen, one other sizzling favorite after he cameoed with Paul McCartney in 2022. Everybody needed Taylor Swift, but it surely seems she’s booked stable on her record-breaking Eras tour. Rihanna? No likelihood.So right here we’re. When you’re a rock fan who beloved final yr’s Pyramid Stage-toppers – Arctic Monkeys, Weapons’N’Roses, Elton John – likelihood is you’ll be considerably much less thrilled by this yr’s pop-friendly stars. Regardless of the naysayers, truly, Eavis ought to be applauded for pulling collectively 4 acts of this calibre. Dua Lipa will ship a terrific Glastonbury headline set (Getty Photos for Everlasting Press)I problem anybody to withstand screaming alongside to Twain’s “Man! I Really feel Like a Lady” whereas surrounded by followers wearing leopard print, Stetsons and sequins. In the meantime, Dua Lipa proved her efficiency chops with a scorching rendition of “Coaching Season” on the Brits earlier this month – I simply hope she brings alongside her chandelier of males. Her “mandelier”, if you’ll.SZA appears to be the one inflicting probably the most consternation, one thing I discover weird contemplating the four-time Grammy winner lately carried out 4 sold-out nights on the O2 Enviornment in London. It’s much less shocking, although, when you think about the Glastonbury viewers demographic is overwhelmingly white – take into account the backlash to Jay-Z, one of many largest artists of the day when he headlined in 2008, or to grime star Stormzy in 2019. Each of them introduced the home down.Stormzy performs Shut Up at GlastonburyOne critic who described Twain as a “housewives favorite” would do nicely to do not forget that she’s offered extra data than Weapons N’ Roses, Rod Stewart, and Bon Jovi. Her early nation crossover albums had been produced by the identical man who steered the stadium-filling rock of AC/DC and Def Leppard. Come On Over stays one of many biggest-selling data of all time – and in an business the place ageism in direction of girls continues to be rife, Twain continues to prime the albums chart with ease. In truth, it’s outrageous she hasn’t headlined till now.If the rumours are to be believed, music followers ought to be extra involved about simply how a lot hustling Eavis and co needed to do to safe this yr’s acts. After criticism over the all-male lineup final yr, Eavis spoke of a “pipeline” drawback, pointing to an business failing to champion girls in music, subsequently making a scarcity of youthful acts who can pull off the spectacle required of a Pyramid Stage present. Scan the remainder of the lineup, too, and there’s a tang of desperation within the reserving of bands like Two Door Cinema Membership, Bombay Bicycle Membership, Bloc Celebration, The Streets, and Keane. It’s all very 2010s, isn’t it?Headlining Glastonbury is meant to be the jewel within the crown of any artist, one thing Twain acknowledged as she shared the information of her Legends’ slot. But when the business doesn’t do extra to push artists from a grassroots stage and up, the world’s largest pageant goes to look dangerously like an afterthought.