Metallica at Glasto: 4 in 5 wanted to sell their tickets

Most Glastonbury ticket-holders would have sold their tickets if they could when Metallica were announced as headliners, a survey suggests.

Viagogo conducted research soon after the controversial announcement that James Hetfield and co would appear at Worthy Farm – with organiser Michael Eavis later revealing they’d been asking for years.

The result showed that 80% of 2000 people polled wanted to resell their tickets when they heard the news. But Glastonbury’s security measures mean it’s not possible to pass on a brief once it’s been personalised for the buyer.

A spokesman for ticket agencies tells the Independent: “Fans around the country have been left feeling hard done by, with organisers holding back the headline announcement until after the final resale date.

“We believe that one you’ve bought a ticket it’s yours – and if you want to sell it or give it away, you should be allowed to do so.”

In the case of Glastonbury, he added, “Ticket holders lose out because they can’t resell, and Metallica fans lose out because they can’t buy.”

A surprised Lars Ulrich dismissed criticisms of their plans earlier this month, telling TeamRock: “If Mick Jagger has something to say, or Kasabian, it’s cool. But if it’s some guy in another band it’s like, ‘Huh? Who are you?’”

Eavis recently suggested the thrash giants were able to appear this weekend because attempts to persuade Prince to play had failed. He also asserted that festival fans didn’t care who was headlining, saying: “People come for what the event means to them, not the headline acts.”

Metallica headline Sonisphere on the weekend of July 4-6 alongside Iron Maiden and The Prodigy.

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.