Glastonbury turns its back on music veterans as Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Sam Fender are set to headline

It was built on the shoulders of ageing rockers. But now Glastonbury Festival is turning its back on loyal Worthy Farm veterans to target the younger generation ahead of its return next year.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal Glastonbury has managed to lure American pop sensation Billie Eilish – aged just 24 – to play, meaning the three headline acts have an average age of under 30.

Eilish will play the Pyramid stage next June – as will Harry Styles and Sam Fender, both 32.

Last year, Neil Young, 80, was Saturday night's headline act but he performed to a dwindling crowd as punters flocked instead to see Brat star Charli XCX, 34, on the Other Stage.

Meanwhile, 81–year–old Sir Rod Stewart's performance in the coveted Sunday–afternoon legends slot was met with poor reviews.

While it is yet to be confirmed who will appear next year, it is heavily rumoured that former Take That singer Robbie Williams will take the stage – he is 29 years Sir Rod's junior.

Ms Eilish, who took her Grammy–nominated album, Hit Me Hard And Soft on tour last year, will be a popular signing among Generation Z, among whom she boasts millions of die-hard fans.

The Birds Of A Feather singer has performed twice at Glastonbury already, making her debut in 2019 and returning in 2022 to become the festival's youngest solo headliner, aged 20.

Signing the US pop sensation helps resolve the festival's problem of securing female artists in its headline slots.

In 2023, organiser Emily Eavis faced an intense backlash when Glastonbury announced an all–male Pyramid stage line–up featuring Arctic Monkeys, Guns N' Roses and Sir Elton John. In an attempt to make amends

the following year, two female artists – Dua Lipa and SZA – headlined, but there were sound issues, leading to false accusations of miming.

Ms Eavis has long wished to secure Styles for the Somerset festival as a guaranteed pull for the younger fans, but his dates have never aligned.

This year the former One Direction star has left a gap in the dates for his worldwide Together, Together tour.

Last week, the MoS confirmed Fender as a headline act, with a source revealing the North Shields–based indie rocker had been telling his neighbours.

The Seventeen Going Under singer played an evening slot on the Pyramid stage in 2022, but it will be his first time as a headline act.

The Geordie musician has had a successful year after his song Rein Me In, a duet with Olivia Dean, broke records as the longest–running No1 single in UK history, spending a total of 23 weeks at the top of the charts.

Tickets for Glastonbury 2027 – which has a capacity of 210,000 – sold out in just 42 minutes last Sunday, despite no performers having been announced.