Wireless 2016 line-up: why were last year's headliners so much better?

From Drake and Kendrick Lamar to... The 1975?

2015 vs. 2016

Tickets for the 2016 Wireless Festival have officially gone on sale; but will it really be worth the attention of longtime festival fans?

Certainly, the initial headliner announcement didn't seem particularly well received, with one commentator concluding that the line-up is "looking like a weekend full of year 10's walking around drunk off Smirnoff ice". Last year brought the likes of the imitable Drake and one of hip-hop's most consummate performers, Kendrick Lamar.

And this year? What's immediately noticeable about this year's line-up is a distinct move away from hip-hop, and towards the festival's secondary speciality in electronic/dance music. This a festival now dominated by the presence of Calvin Harris, now the highest earning DJ in the business; though his appearance at the festival has a fairly long-running history.

Elsewhere, there's electronic duo Chase & Status, and rather inexplicably, The 1975. A band whose indie rock creds really seem far more at home within their Reading & Leeds line-up. It's not that the festival is devoid of great picks; but the likes of Craig David, Young Thug, Lady Leshurr, Future, and Action Bronson have been pushed down into the mass of supporting slots.

We're talking about a festival which once saw Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake join forces to close the festival in 2013; with Kanye, Bruno Mars, and Rihanna all headlining the past, this year's offerings seem comparatively lacking in an equivalent major player. Sure, Calvin Harris is fine; but is anyone really losing their mind over his appearance?

The most interesting decision made by the festival, perhaps, is landing Drake's label mates Boy Better Know with a Sunday headliner slot; especially when arguably more popular acts The 1975 and Jess Glynne have been pushed down to sub-headliners.

Though they're sharing the headlining slot with Norwegian DJ Kygo, their prominent position marks both a welcome celebration of homegrown talent and will inevitably stir rumours Drake himself may be making an on-stage appearance. We'll have to see.

Wireless Festival will take place 8 - 10 July in Finsbury Park, London. You can buy tickets here.