The most famous festival in the world proved that it can still pack a punch at 40, as Glastonbury organisers tonight revealed that controversial rapper Snoop Dogg, would be joining Dizzee Rascal, The Flaming Lips and the Pet Shop Boys at this year's celebratory event.
The rapper will play alongside confirmed headliners U2, Muse and Stevie Wonder and will be joined by Vampire Weekend, one of the hottest bands of 2010, the festival confirmed to the Guardian tonight.
Festival founder Michael Eavis, 75, was audibly excited about the line up when he spoke exclusively to the Guardian. "This is it! It is the most staggering line-up to match the 40-year reputation of the festival," he said. "I have been trying to get U2 to play at the festival since 1982, and Muse have never headlined here although they have played before."
Friday night on the Pyramid stage promises Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and Vampire weekend before Dizzee Rascal gets the crowd jumping for headliners U2. Saturday will see Jackson Brown, Seasick Steve and the Scissor sisters before Muse take to the stage while Sunday will feature hard rocker Slash, Ray Davies and Jack Johnson before Faithless whip the crowd into a frenzy for soul legend Stevie Wonder.
The rock-solid confirmation of the headliners will come as little surprise, since all the top names were revealed earlier this year, but the inclusion of Snoop – the biggest rapper to play the festival after Jay-Z's triumphant performance in 2008 – will provide a talking point for festival-goers as they prepare for the ultimate Glastonbury party.
Eavis said that after Jay-Z's controversial but ultimately lauded performance the festival had been keen to have another urban artist of equal standing. "Jay-Z worked so well, that when we heard it was a possibility that Snoop Dogg could do it we went to work."
Snoop was infamously banned from playing in the UK until earlier this year following a mass brawl at Heathrow airport in 2006. The rapper and five members of his entourage were arrested, leading immigration officials to claim his presence in the UK risked provoking violent crime and refuse him a visa for a tour.
The ban was lifted in 2008, but the UK Border agency challenged the decision, causing Snoop to criticise the British legal system in his own inimitable way. "It's not the fans, it's just a few people in white wigs and members of parliament," he reportedly said. "They got a problem because the law is from the 1800s."
Eavis dismissed any concerns about the rapper's chequered history. "We never pass judgment on the people who play here; we hire them for their musical ability. We are only interested in their music and what they will bring to the festival. We never compromise on that," he said.
He was particularly excited about seeing respected electronica giants Faithless, who will be warm up the Pyramid stage before Stevie Wonder closes the festival on Sunday evening. Eavis said: "Faithless are a fantastic festival band, they have an amazing ability to get people jumping up and down, raising their hands in the air and smiling. It will be fantastic."
Highlights from the Other Stage include Florence and the Machine, Hot Chip and The Flaming Lips on Friday, Editors and Pet Shop Boys on Saturday and LCD Soundsystem, MGMT and Orbital on Sunday. Groove Armada and Mumford and Sons, the XX and Julian Casablancas will play the John Peel stage.
Gathering artists for the 40th Glastonbury had been easier than usual, he said, admitting that the act he was most "wobbly-kneed" about was Willie Nelson. "Everybody just wanted to get involved this year."
And the music is just one of many treats that the festival has in store for Glastonbury goers, he promised. The after-dark madness that congregates around the fantasy areas of Shangri-la, Trash City and Arcadia will be given more room than ever this year, with the festival ploughing in an extra £200,000 into the area, increasing its size by 10 acres. "The extra space is about the size of Trafalgar Square," said Eavis. "People love the diversity and avant-garde nature of it and this year it will be better than ever."
Paul Stokes, associate editor of NME, said the line-up proved "the unique place Glastonbury occupies in not only the hearts of the British festival going public, but also the world's most influential music artists".
Only Glastonbury could put "credible acts" like Casablancas, Vampire Weekend and The National alongside pops acts like Scissor Sisters, he said. "Elsewhere it would seem 'try-hard' but all we've been taking about it since we heard the rumours like the showdown between U2 and Flaming Lips on Friday night like it's the most natural thing in the world."
The scope of the festival also revealed its international pulling power, he said. "Someone like Snoop would rarely share a bill at an event he isn't headlining – or better still, running – yet the moment his UK visa issues were worked out he's booked a slot at Glastonbury. He's seen what it's done for Jay-Z's international career – taking him from being the biggest rapper in the US to the biggest in the world – and wants in."
Paul Rees, editor of Q magazine called the lineup "rock-solid Glastonbury". "It's got classic artists, emerging talent and much more breadth besides. I rather fancy there will be some special surprises too, it being the 40th anniversary. All that is required now is some sun."
• See the lineup in full here
Tickets for Glastonbury Festival 2011 will go on sale at 9am on Sunday, October 3rd, costing £195 (+ £5 booking fee and P&P). You will be able to book your tickets by paying a £50 deposit per person, either online at www.seetickets.com/g2011 or on the booking line: 0844 412 4635. 
Irish rock group U2 cancelled their headline slot at the Glastonbury festival today to allow lead singer Bono to recover from surgery to an injured spine.
Glastonbury organisers have confirmed that Shakira will play this year's festival. The multi-award winning, multi-million-selling Colombian popstar has been confirmed for one of the spots currently listed as "TBA" on the festival's Pyramid stage on Saturday 26 June.
