Neil Young backtracks on Glastonbury exit after citing an ‘error in information’ for his sudden decision to quit the festival
Neil Young has made a dramatic U-turn on his decision to withdraw from Glastonbury Festival, confirming he will now perform at the iconic event after citing “an error in information” as the reason for his initial pullout.
The 79-year-old Canadian-American singer had previously announced he would not be playing at Worthy Farm due to concerns over BBC’s involvement and their specific demands.
The reversal comes just after Young had publicly criticised the festival for being “under corporate control”, suggesting it was no longer the event he once knew.
In a new blog post, Young confirmed his return to the festival lineup, writing: “Due to an error in the information received, I had decided to not play the Glastonbury festival, which I always have loved.”
“Happily, the festival is now back on our itinerary and we look forward to playing! Hope to see you there!” the musician added, signing off with “LOVE Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts.”
The sudden change of heart marks a significant shift from his previous stance, where he had expressed strong reservations about the festival’s direction.
Young’s initial withdrawal came after concerns about the BBC’s role in the festival, according to his earlier statement on his website.
“The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs,” he had stated at the time.
He 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 singer had expressed particular disappointment about what he perceived as a shift in the festival’s character, stating: “It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
His earlier statement had concluded with a firm stance against performing at the festival, stating: “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 resolution of this misunderstanding means festival-goers will now have the opportunity to see Young perform at an event he once described as “one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs”.
The singer’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.
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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.