Neil Young does U-turn and announces he's now headlining Glastonbury 2025

Neil Young has been officially confirmed as the first headliner of Glastonbury Festival 2025, just three days after he announced he was pulling out.

In a now-deleted New Year’s Eve message to fans on his Neil Young Archives website, the Canadian singer said he was withdrawing from the bill at Glastonbury this summer as he believed the festival was “under corporate control” with the BBC.

“The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs,” Neil wrote on Tuesday.

“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.”

In a dramatic turnaround, Neil Young has today (3rd January) confirmed he’s headlining The Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm.

“Due to an error in the information received, I had decided to not play the Glastonbury festival, which I always have loved,” Neil wrote. “Happily, the festival is now back on our itinerary and we look forward to playing! Hope to see you there!

“LOVE, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts.”

Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis has also confirmed Neil Young’s headline performance.

“What a start to the year!,” Emily wrote. “Neil Young is an artist who’s very close to our hearts at Glastonbury. He does things his own way and that’s why we love him. We can’t wait to welcome him back here to headline the Pyramid in June.”

Neil Young previously topped the bill at Glastonbury Festival in 2009 alongside fellow headliners Bruce Springsteen + The E Street Band, and Blur.

The rock icon previously pulled out of Glastonbury way back in 1997 after cutting his finger while making a ham sandwich.

He said at the time: “I’d have eaten the thing in one piece if I’d known that cutting it in half would jeopardise the tour. It’s macaroni and cheese from now on.”

Rod Stewart is the only other officially confirmed artist playing Glastonbury this summer, and he’ll take the Legends Slot on the Sunday evening.

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