Singer-songwriter Neil Young has revealed that he has pulled out of appearing at Glastonbury 2025, citing the festival's partnership with the BBC as the reason for his decision.
"The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all time favourite outdoor gigs," Young wrote. "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.
"It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being. Thanks for coming to see us the last time!
"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. Hope to see you at one of the other venues on the tour."
Neil Young Gary Miller/Getty Images
Young's appearance at Glastonbury 2025 had not yet been confirmed - in fact, the only act currently confirmed for the festival is Rod Stewart.
However, there are numerous other acts rumoured to be appearing, such as Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna and Ed Sheeran, while Nile Rodgers seemingly let slip his attendance with his band Chic during an acceptance speech at the Rolling Stone awards in November 2024.
The BBC has partnered with Glastonbury festival since 1997, and Young last performed at it in 2009, as a headline act on the Pyramid stage.
Only some parts of his set were available on the BBC, with the broadcaster explaining at the time that it had "spent the last couple of months" negotiating with Young’s management.
The broadcaster said in a statement in 2009: "Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms. Neil’s management agreed to let TV and radio broadcast five songs as they watched and listened to his performance. They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist."
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
