Neil Diamond is to play at Glastonbury this year, festival founder Michael Eavis has confirmed.

The 72-year-old farmer said that the American crooner, who has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years, was locked in to appear at the Somerset event.

But Eavis assured younger festival fans that he also had a hip-hop "legend" signed up.

“Neil Diamond is for people closer to my age," Eavis said before revealing the secret rapper was a resident of New York .

He wouldn’t confirm or deny rumours it was the platinum-selling hip-hop star Jay-Z.

Jay-Z, the partner of pop star Beyonce, has sold 40 million albums world-wide and, until stepping down last year, headed up the influential hip-hop label Def Jam Records.

Eavis said his mystery headliner’s main function would be to draw young people to the festival, which in the past has been criticised for its white, ageing crowd.

"Hopefully the headliner will appeal to them. Traditionally we've had a very white line up and I'm moving away from that,” said Eavis.

"The Saturday slot is a wonderful hip-hop artist from New York and a bit of a legend in my view."

Registration for the Somerset festival opens tomorrow and Eavis hopes the promise of a shift to more diverse acts will see under-25s make up at least 50 per cent of those signing up for the chance to buy tickets.

"I'm trying to address the balance otherwise the festival will die out with the older people," he said.

There will be 137,500 tickets available for this year’s festival, held on Eavis’ farm in Pilton.

Revellers have from tomorrow until March 14 to register their interest, before tickets go on sale on April 6.

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