Neil Young has confirmed he will indeed headline Glastonbury 2025, just days after announcing his withdrawal from the festival, per theguardian.com. The 79-year-old rock icon clarified that an “error in information” had led to his initial decision to pull out.
Young’s reversal came through a brief statement on his blog: “Happily, the festival is now back on our itinerary and we look forward to playing! Hope to see you there!”
The announcement quickly drew celebration from festival organiser Emily Eavis, who took to Instagram expressing her excitement: “What a start to the year! Neil Young is an artiste who’s very close to our hearts at Glastonbury. He does things his own way and that’s why we love him.”
The confusion began earlier this week when Young posted concerns about the festival being “under corporate control” due to its BBC partnership, which has actually been in place since 1997. Young’s history with the broadcaster includes a previous compromise during his 2009 Glastonbury performance, where the BBC was permitted to broadcast only five songs from his two-hour set.
Young joins Rod Stewart and Chic (with Nile Rodgers) as the only confirmed acts for the 2025 festival so far. The full lineup announcement is expected in March, with rumours circulating about potential appearances by The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo.
The return of Young to Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage comes as the festival enjoys unprecedented success, having doubled its annual profits in the year leading to March 2024. The event maintains its charitable focus, with £5.2 million donated to various causes and £1.3 million distributed to local groups providing site services.
The festival will take place in June 2025, with tickets having sold out in just 35 minutes during their November release.
