2010 Jay Z / The Strokes / Paul McCartney
With arguably the best three headline spots of the entire 2010 festival season, this year's three-dayer included show stopping performances from Jay-Z and Paul McCartney, as well as a scorching return for rock favourites The Strokes.
2009 The Prodigy / Razoerlight / Stereophonics / Neil Young
The eclectic & electric line-up mixes iconic artists with up and coming performers to make this a truly original festival that appeals to all ages and all types of music lovers.
2008 Kaiser Chiefs / The Sex Pistols / The Police
Fresh from scooping the prize for Best Major UK Festival at UK Festival Awards, the Isle of Wight Festival thrilled tens of thousand of fans over the 3 days. With a line up that boasted The Police's only UK Festival date, iconic punk rockers Sex Pistols and Brit sensations the Kaiser Chiefs.
2007 Snow Patrol / Muse / The Rolling Stones
Nobody can quite believe that the Rolling Stones are playing their first rock festival for many decades, until the duelling guitars of Keef and Ronnie Wood circle around each other in the sweet night air, saxophones honk, and Mick dances like a moth in the flames.
2006 The Prodigy / Foo Fighters / Coldplay
Coldplay at the end of a world tour look like men released from prison, as Chris Martin dances on his piano stool, and leads the crowd in a massive sing along. For 'Yellow', huge yellow balloons festoon the stage, one of many stunning anthems for a troubled world. Foo Fighters are raw and exciting, with Dave Grohl playing demonic guitar, and treating his throat like sandpaper as he gives everything with no quarter asked or received.
2005 Faithless / Razorlight / Travis / R.E.M.
His face covered in war paint, a shaven headed Stipe leads REM through twenty years of hits, from a regal 'Everybody Hurts' to the poignant 'Nightswimming' as the dark currents of the River Medina swirl alongside the stage. Michael dances on the spot, his hands clamped to the mike stand, as if in prayer, then crouches down on his knees for 'Losing My Religion'. .
2004 Stereophonics / The Who / David Bowie
Dressed in a floor length coat of many colours, Bowie grins at the massive crowd and delivers a set of "old songs, new songs, songs I haven't even written yet". He ends with a massive 'Ziggy Stardust', topped off with a loud firework display.
2003 Paul Weller / Bryan Adams / Iggy Pop
The man who invented punk rock, Iggy hits the stage in a blaze of feral energy. The giant video screens pick up every tic, glare and leap, as – stripped to the waist – he hollers out classics like 'The Passenger' and 'I Wanna Be Your Dog', threatening and seemingly not of his world.
2002 The Charlatans / Robert Plant
After a thirty two year gap, Robert Plant kick starts the revived IOW Festival, at Seaclose Park on a green field site with the river Medina running lazily past. With his lions mane of hair and legend intact, Plant revives 'Hey Joe' as a tribute to Jimi, and 'Going to California' as a nod to Led Zeppelin, and his band mix psychedelia and world music to create something new, a bewitching backdrop to Robert's banshee wail.
