The folk-rocker will not play the next Glastonbury festival. He has not clearly explained what he criticizes about the event and its partner, the BBC. But in 2009, he refused the full broadcast of his concert at the same festival.
France Télévisions – Culture Editorial
Published on 02/01/2025 16:11
Reading time: 2min
Folk rock legend Neil Young is unhappy and makes it known: he has announced his withdrawal from the lineup for the next Glastonbury festival, in the southwest of England, accusing him of having fallen “under control” from the BBC, partner of the musical event which will take place at the end of June. The artists who will perform during the 2025 edition have not yet been announced, apart from Rod Steward. However, rumors gave Neil Young present with his band The Chrome Hearts.
“With The Chrome Hearts, we were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my favorite outdoor concert venues“, wrote the 79-year-old American-Canadian musician on his website. But after confirming his arrival, he changed his mind. The reason, according to him, was the demands of the BBC which “wanted us to do a lot of things in a way that didn’t interest us.” he explains. “It seems that Glastonbury is now under corporate control and the festival is no longer what I remember it being. Hope to see you at one of the other stops on the tour. Love“, he concluded.
Neil Young, who performed at the festival in 2009, does not clearly explain the demands of the BBC and the festival which pushed him to make this decision. Glastonbury concerts are widely broadcast on the British public broadcasting group’s channels.
In 2009, Neil Young fans criticized the BBC for not broadcasting the concert in its entirety. The audiovisual giant then explained that it had “spent two months“negotiating with Neil Young’s entourage what could or could not be broadcast. This artist”believes in live concerts and preserving its mystery“, the BBC indicated at the time, as it recalled on Thursday January 2 on its website. Glastonbury and the BBC, a partner of the festival since 1997, did not respond to requests from AFP.
The festival will take place from June 25 to 29, before taking a break in 2026 to rest the soil at Worthy Farm, where the event takes place. Tickets on sale for the venerable English festival created in 1970 were snapped up in 35 minutes in November – for 373.50 pounds for a ticket, plus 5 pounds for the reservation fee, or 452 euros. Last June, around 210,000 people attended the event, which included performances by Coldplay, Dua Lipa and SZA.
