Neil Young made the difficult decision to pull out of his highly anticipated Glastonbury performance, sharing his heartbreak in a statement posted on Neil Young Archives. The musician, who was eager to play the festival with his band, Chrome Hearts, expressed disappointment over the festival’s partnership with the BBC. In his letter, Young explained that this partnership made the festival feel too corporate, something that he and his bandmates weren’t comfortable with. The statement read, “We will not be playing Glastonbury on this tour because it is a corporate turn-off.”
Young clarified that although he would not be performing at Glastonbury, he hoped to see fans at other venues on the tour. This decision follows the BBC’s increased involvement in the festival, having become a key partner and broadcaster for Glastonbury, including hosting its first global broadcast last year.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Glastonbury festival will still feature iconic performers, such as Rod Stewart, who is set to return to the stage for the first time in 23 years, filling the prestigious Teatime Legend slot. At 70 years old, Stewart will make history as one of the oldest artists to perform at the event, joining the ranks of Paul McCartney (80) and the late Burt Bacharach, who was 87 when he performed at Glastonbury in 2015. Stewart also revealed that, while he’s retiring from large-scale world tours, he isn’t ready to give up performing entirely, ensuring fans will continue to see him on stage.