Rockstar Neil Young has decided not to play Glastonbury Festival this summer, accusing the BBC of exerting “corporate control” over the festival. The 79-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was looking forward to performing with his band the Chrome Hearts, but said that Glasto is “not for me like it used to be”.
Young took to his website yesterday, Tuesday, December 31, to announce the disappointing news: “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all time favourite outdoor gigs. We were told the BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot for things we were not interested in.
“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being. We will not be playing Glastonbury on this tour because it is a corporate turn-off, and not for me like it used to be.”
The announcement prompted mixed reactions from fans. One person wrote: “Neil Young refusing to play Glastonbury because the [BBC] are involved is equally brilliant and gutting at the same time.”
Another quipped: “The BBC has always been involved. No great loss with that kind of attitude.”
Neil Young previously played the Glastonbury Festival in 2009
(Image: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW)
Young is not the only person to have said no to playing Worthy Farm in recent years. In 2024, singer Nadine Shah turned down a slot at the festival after they failed to offer her a televised set.
She explained: “I would have liked to [have performed at Glastonbury] but I wasn’t offered a televised stage so I declined. It’s too expensive a hit for me to take otherwise.
“It’s just a reality that playing live is super expensive and if you can justify the costs (like being on telly and having a wider reach) then sometimes you take the hit. Otherwise no, we’ve all bills to pay.”
The official line-up for Glastonbury 2025 has not been announced yet. However, it has been rumoured that Eminem or Olivia Rodrigo may be headlining. Last year saw a blockbuster line-up for the festival with Avril Lavigne, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Keane, SZA, and The Sugababes all gracing the stage.