Neil Young quits Glastonbury gig and slams BBC as a ‘corporate turn-off’ in savage rant
Neil Young has pulled out of performing at Glastonbury Festival 2025, claiming the event has fallen under “corporate control” due to BBC involvement.
The 79-year-old musician and his band The Chrome Hearts announced their withdrawal in a statement posted to Young’s official website.
Young had been set to return to Worthy Farm, Somerset, 16 years after his headline performance on the Pyramid Stage in 2009.
In a statement on the Neil Young Archives website, the musician explained: “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.”
The Canadian rocker expressed his disappointment, noting Glastonbury had been “one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs.”
Neither Young nor his management elaborated on the specific requirements from the BBC that prompted their decision to withdraw.
Young was unequivocal in his criticism, stating: “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,” he added in his website statement.
The musician concluded his message by telling fans he hopes to see them “at one of the other venues on the tour,” signing off with “Love Neil. Be well.”
Young’s previous Glastonbury appearance in 2009 sparked controversy when the BBC broadcast only five songs from his two-hour set.
The BBC defended its limited coverage at the time, stating they had spent months negotiating with Young’s management, who “believe in the live event and retaining its mystery.”
The broadcaster has been a partner of Glastonbury since 1997, with festival organiser Emily Eavis previously describing BBC’s live coverage as “an integral part” of the event.
The 2025 festival, scheduled for June 25-29, has only confirmed Sir Rod Stewart as a performer so far, marking his return after a 23-year absence.
Nile Rodgers inadvertently revealed he will be performing with Chic during an acceptance speech at the Rolling Stone awards in November.
The festival’s headline acts are typically announced in March, with the full line-up revealed in June.
Tickets for the 2025 event, priced at £373.50, have already sold out.
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Organisers have assured complainers that the hike in price is to keep the festival going, rather than raking in a profit.
It doesn’t seem like the prices are going to drop anytime soon, with an estimated six million fans set to battle it out for 2025’s festival tickets – which have a hefty price tag.
Introducing a fancy new ticketing system – which features a new queue – fans are preparing to hand over hundreds in an attempt to secure a place, despite not seeing who will be performing.