Jay-Z took Radiohead's slot

Jay-Z is headlining Glastonbury festival because Radiohead didn't want to.

The rapper is topping the bill at the world famous music event on the Saturday night (28.06.08) – much to the anger and disappointment of many fans - but organiser Michael Eavis has confessed Jay-Z wasn't his first choice.

He said: "I was working on getting Radiohead and I had a feeling they wanted to do it but, when it went down, I said to my daughter Emily, 'Let's go with Jay-Z. Phone his agent.' "

Emily – who helps her father organise the three-day music event – has defended Jay-Z as a choice of headliner, insisting it fits with the festival's ethos.

She told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "People don't want change and there's an element who want it to be a Coldplay or Radiohead – but the best thing we can do is give people something different.

"A lot of people don't understand why Jay-Z is headlining but they haven't seen him live. He is phenomenal. Every time someone comes to this festival they discover new music – this year it will be a headliner."

Emily and Michael have been saddened by the avalanche of criticism over this year's line-up, with Emily saying: "It's upset us having to defend the festival this year. It's our home, we invite people here and it's the best party in the world."

Michael added: "This has been our life for 38 years, so of course it hurts when people have a go."

Glastonbury festival takes place in Somerset, Southwest England, over the weekend of June 27-29. Kings of Leon and The Verve join Jay-Z as headliners.