Greenlanders will receive complimentary access to Young’s online archive, which houses his studio albums, live recordings, concert films, and deep-cut ephemera that chart his career from Buffalo Springfield through his most recent releases. Typically a subscription service, the Archives are being opened up at no cost for at least a year, with Young signalling that access can be renewed as long as listeners remain in Greenland. It is a characteristically direct gesture from an artist who has never been shy about putting his music where his politics are. For listeners on the island, it is also an invitation into the full arc of Young’s work, from fragile folk to roaring electric epics.

The decision is explicitly linked to Neil Young’s criticism of President Donald Trump and what he portrays as aggressive U.S. posturing toward Greenland. In public comments, he has framed the gift as an act of peace and solidarity aimed at a small population caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical ambition. Young’s stance taps into long-running anxieties about the strategic value of the Arctic region, but stresses this concern through his songs that have, for decades, interrogated power, war, and environmental destruction.

At the same time, Young has doubled down on a very different kind of stance: a refusal to do business with Amazon. After previously announcing that his music would be pulled from the platform, he has urged fans to steer clear of the retail and streaming giant, arguing that its concentration of wealth and influence is bad for democracy, culture, and working musicians, extending his criticism to founder Jeff Bezos and the scale of corporate power that Amazon represents.

Amazon remains one of the top dogs in streaming services. But this is not Young’s first rodeo with streaming giants, having departed all his music from Spotify over misinformation concerns. Yet, taken together, his boycott of Amazon and his gift to Greenland sharpen the picture of an artist determined to use his catalogue as leverage: withdrawing it where he sees complicity, and offering it freely where he sees vulnerability. For fans, Young has served as a reminder that protest does not lie only within his songs, but within how they are distributed and listened to.

After the iconic Canadian musician expressed his disapproval over the BBC’s involvement in Glastonbury, it’s still unclear how much, if any, of Neil Young’s headline performance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage will be broadcast. Neil Young will perform with his band The Chrome Hearts on Saturday, 28 June, but his set has been excluded from BBC’s schedule for that day.

The singer’s issues with the BBC go back years. The last time he played Glastonbury, in 2009, Young and his team only allowed 5 songs to be broadcast. According to Mark Cooper, former executive producer of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, this decision was made to ensure the exclusivity of a live show. He says: “They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist.”

“You probably won’t find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online. He generally prefers the audience to find his albums.”

In December of last year, Neil Young pulled out of 2025’s Glastonbury festival after learning about the extent of the BBC’s involvement. He said in a now-deleted post to his website: “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs. 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.”

However, Neil Young reversed this decision shortly after, posting to his website: “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!”

Neil Young recently kicked off his ‘Love Earth’ world tour with The Chrome Hearts in Rättvik, Sweden, last Wednesday (18 June), and will wrap up in Los Angeles on 15 September. As well as this, he’ll play at London’s Hyde Park on 11 July.

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You can find your tickets to his Hyde Park show here.

The festival will see an act who had previously headlined the festival in 2009, a Chart-Topping pop princess and one of the most popular bands of the past decade. This year’s Glastonbury lineup will feature two first-time headliners: British pop-rock band The 1975 and American pop-punk singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, and welcome the return of Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts.

The 1975, fronted by Matty Healy, will take the Pyramid Stage on Friday night. The band is known for their genre-blending sound, introspective lyrics, and charismatic frontman Matty Healy, the band has built a massive global following.

Olivia Rodrigo is set to close out Sunday’s performances. Her last appearance at the festival was in 2022 on the Other Stage, where she brought out Lily Allen for a guest performance and delivered a fiery critique of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Saturday’s headliner will be Neil Young and his band, the Chrome Hearts—a booking that was briefly thrown into confusion. On January 1, Young unexpectedly announced he was pulling out of the festival due to concerns over its association with broadcast partner BBC, which he described as being under “corporate control.” However, just two days later, he clarified that he had received “an error in information” and confirmed that Glastonbury was back on his tour schedule. Young previously headlined the festival in 2009.

Both Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo are also set to headline another popular UK festival, BST Hyde Park, in July.

This year’s coveted legends slot will go to none other than Rod Stewart. The rock icon, who turned 80 in January, reassured fans that he’s still got plenty to give, declaring he’s “more than able to pleasure and titillate” at this stage in his career. The iconic artist will be taking the stage on Sunday.

London rapper Loyle Carner will lead Friday’s performances, while The Prodigy will close out Sunday night. Friday will also see chart-topper Gracie Abrams taking the stage, along with Busta Rhymes, Wet Leg and Four Tet. Lola Young will also be performing on Friday, after her hit ‘Messy‘ topped the charts for weeks in a row.

Soul-pop sensation Raye will take the stage ahead of Neil Young on Saturday. Her debut album, ‘My 21st Century Blues’, has earned both critical acclaim and commercial success, solidifying her status as one of the UK’s most exciting talents. Charli xcx, who dominated last summer with her neon-soaked album ‘Brat’, will also take the stage on Saturday. Saturday will also see former Little Mix Jade performing, for her solo Glastonbury debut.

Noah Kahan will also be joining this exciting line up on Sunday, after ‘Stick Season’ was named the biggest song of 2024 by Official Charts. Kahan will also be performing at this edition’s BST Hyde Park. The same day, The Prodigy will be taking the stage, along with The Libertines and Wolf Alice.

This year Glastonbury will partner with Oxfam, WaterAid, Greenpeace and many more charities to ensure the best festival experience. The festival also reassured fans that many more artists and talents are set to be announced, with some rumours as to whether Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan will be gracing the iconic UK stage.

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Young will be accompanied by his band The Chrome Hearts and will perform some of his greatest hits. The performance will follow his headline’s slot at Glastonbury which will see him perform on the Pyramid Stage for the first time since 2009. Earlier this year, he pulled out of performing after stating in an open later: “We were told the BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot for things we were not interested in. It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being. 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.”

The ’Harvest Moon’ singer appeared to retract his statement later on when a close source told The Sun: “Neil and his band the Chrome Hearts are firming up plans for European dates next year and Glastonbury is on the cards. Glastonbury appears to be leaning back into its roots of rock, and if they can secure Neil it would be an amazing addition to what is already shaping up to be an incredible lineup.”

The band is due to kick off the latest tour Love Earth, in Rättvik, Sweden, on June 18 and will continue across Europe, including a stop at Glastonbury between 27 and 29 June. They will begin the North American leg of the tour in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 8 before wrapping up in Los Angeles on September 15.

Other artists set to play the iconic BST Festival this summer are Sabrina Carpenter, Clairo, Beabadoobee, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan and more. Carpenter now set to play two nights after Hugh Jackman pulled out of his headline slot due to a scheduling conflict.

According to Far Out Magazine, the full statement read, “Music unites! We will be there with you! Join us all as we celebrate the Summer of Democracy. Old songs and new songs. Old words and new words. Long jams! We will come together this summer. The Chrome Hearts and I are ready for you! LOVE and Democracy reigns in the USA and the world.”

I’m going to guess the U.K. bit will be one of the night at the O2 in London

— B. Al Zebub (Parody) (@pukthis) February 20, 2025

The post was removed for unknown reasons, although several outlets reported on the announcement before it disappeared. Young had already mentioned a summer tour, excited to share new material from his upcoming album when out on the road. This post went a step further, listing the UK, as well as other destinations, rather than just Europe. As of now, Young’s only confirmed performances in 2025 are Glastonbury, and a show in Ontario.

Young’s last European performances came back in 2014, as part of a European tour with Crazy Horse. 2014 was also the last time Young played in the UK as a main act, performing at BST Hyde Park and Liverpool Echo Arena, and his only previous appearance at Glastonbury was in 2009. He supported Bob Dylan at BST Hyde Park 2019.  

The ‘Summer of Democracy’ could be the name of the upcoming tour, given the emphasis placed on the phrase in the headline. The clearest link would be to Canada’s upcoming federal election, brought forward after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his early departure from the position. When Trudeau was first elected in 2015, the musician said “Canada is back”, but was later involved in a push for the PM to reform the first-past-the-post electoral system in 2017.

 

 

 

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Young made headlines last month when he pulled out of Glastonbury, only to backtrack and reverse the decision 72 hours later, claiming that he had withdrawn “due to an error in the information he received”. His initial announcement had claimed that the relationship between the festival and the BBC was a “corporate turn off”, and “not the way I remember it being”.   

Speculation around the dramatic U-turn was rife, with some online claiming that the contract may have been “bulletproof,” though some claimed that “Neil does things his own way,” as he did when he removed his catalogue from Spotify following comments made by  Joe Rogan on the streaming platform. Others believed that, as he did in 2009, Young had specific requests about the broadcasting of his set by the BBC. 

Comment byu/a3poify from discussion inMusic

Given Young’s legendary status, be that as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, his work alongside Crazy Horse, his solo work, or that which is still to come with The Chrome Hearts, fans will be optimistically waiting for a tour announcement.

The announcement capped off the whirlwind of speculation brought about by Young’s initial statement at the beginning of the week. He cited the longstanding relationship between the festival and the BBC as a “corporate turn off,” expressing his belief that the festival had strayed from its ethos. “It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”

Young has a long history with the festival, he was first set to headline in 1997 but pulled out after cutting his finger while making a ham sandwich. Twelve years later in 2009, when he did finally headline the Pyramid stage, the BBC broadcast only five songs from his two-hour performance. This was a decision made by Young’s management to preserve what they felt was “the mystery of the live event.”

The BBC has been partnered with the festival since 1997. Broadcasting house has not commented on the matter, only stating that “there’s always great excitement about Glastonbury’s bookings,” and confirmed that broadcast plans would be shared as the lineup developed.

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Emily Eavis, co-organiser of the festival and daughter of its founder Michael Eavis, confirmed the news that Young would definitely be participating. “Neil Young is an artist who’s very close to our hearts at Glastonbury,” she said on Instagram. “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.”

This year’s appearance comes at a particularly fruitful time for Young and his band The Chrome Hearts. The band is working on a new album, tentatively titled Talking to the Trees, produced by Lou Adler. The record follows a two-year stretch during which Young struggled to write music. Young recently reflected on The Mentors Radio podcast: “You don’t have a plan,” he said. “I went for two years without writing anything, and I was wondering, ‘Well, is that it?’ Who knows? I can’t tell.”

Young’s volte-face is a reminder of his status as both an uncompromising artist and a participant in a music world increasingly dominated by corporate forces. His earlier critique of Glastonbury’s corporate ties was a flash of the advocate in Young, the iconoclast who has spent decades railing against what he sees as the commodification of music – he has withdrawn his music from Spotify more than once over quality concerns and the prevalence of misinformation on podcasts on the platform – yet, his return to the festival also signals a recognition of its unique role as a cultural phenomenon.

In the end, Young’s ability to embrace both independence and legacy may be why he remains, at nearly 80, one of the most vital artists on the planet. His Glastonbury set promises to be an event steeped in his own passionate history. After all, as Young once wrote, “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”

Alongside this success the festival has made significant charitable contributions, with £5.2 million donated to organisations such as Oxfam, Greenpeace, and WaterAid.

This financial turnaround comes after challenging years during the COVID-19 pandemic, when – like many similar events worldwide – the festival faced cancellations in 2020 and 2021, resulting in multimillion-pound losses. However, the back-to-back successful festivals in 2023 and 2024 have helped to rebuild financial reserves, ensuring both the event’s longevity and its philanthropic commitments.

Thank you to everyone who entered the prize draw to win tickets to Glastonbury! Together you raised an incredible amount to support people affected by conflict.

Special thank you to @glastonbury for match funding, bringing the total to £1.2 million! [1/2] pic.twitter.com/OWFCFRZhXp

— War Child UK (@WarChildUK) March 28, 2024

Its profitability is a relatively small proportion of its overall income, Glastonbury generated £68.4 million in revenue—a 20% increase compared to the previous year—and contributed an estimated £168 million to UK-based businesses in 2023. The organisation also invested £3.7 million in purchasing additional land in June 2024, a move likely aimed at securing the festival’s sustainability and growth.

The festival has also seen a generational shift in leadership. Michael Eavis, who co-founded Glastonbury in 1970, has officially handed over day-to-day operations to his daughter, Emily Eavis. Emily has gradually assumed more responsibility over the years, and this transfer solidifies her role as the driving force behind the festival’s future.

While the 2025 lineup remains largely under wraps, Sir Rod Stewart has been confirmed for the prestigious “legends slot.” The announcement comes as part of what is being billed as Stewart’s festival farewell. 

 

 

 

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Musician Neil Young was initially slated to perform at Glastonbury 2025, marking his second appearance at the event. In a flip flop series of events, the singer abruptly stated his intent to withdraw, citing concerns about alleged “corporate control” by the BBC and other sponsors. Earlier today however he reversed this decision, citing an error in information and has assured fans that he is looking forward to headlining this summer. 

For 2026, the festival has announced a “fallow year” to allow the land to recover, a tradition that underscores Glastonbury’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. This has perhaps contributed to the way that tickets for the 2025 edition of the festival sold out in just 35 minutes when they went on sale late last year.

Tickets for Glastonbury 2025 have now Sold Out. Thanks to everyone who bought one and sorry to those who missed out, on a morning when demand was much higher than supply.

There will be a resale of any cancelled or returned tickets in spring 2025.

— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) November 17, 2024

The 2024 festival was headlined by pop superstar Dua Lipa, who graced the Pyramid Stage and later announced a Wembley Stadium show for 2025.  Kasabian took the stage for a Saturday evening set on the Woodsies Stage and in one of the festival’s famed surprise sets, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala delighted fans. 

Despite it being a good financial year for Glastonbury, its been an tough for other festivals. The number of cancelled, shut down, or postponed events has doubled since 2023. The most recent of these to announce its cancellation was Norfolk and Malta based Sundown Festival who announced on their website and instagram that they would not be returning for a 13th year in 2025.

It is a credit to Glastonbury’s continued cultural significance that it maintains both economic security and impact. It will be interesting to see if it remains both a symbol of tradition and a stage for reinvention, but with this renewed financial foundation, the festival appears well-prepared to face its next chapter, whatever challenges and opportunities may arise.

The Canadian rockstar posted on his website, Neil Young Archives, earlier this week, saying “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs. 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,” he continued. “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.”

Neither Glastonbury nor the BBC have commented. The festival has worked closely with the BBC since 1997 and is its exclusive broadcast partner. It’s unclear what requests the BBC made to Young.

Neil headlined the Pyramid Stage in 2009, but only allowed the BBC to broadcast portions of his two-hour set. The BBC, who claimed they spent months negotiating with Young’s management about how much of his set they could show, said that “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.”

Glastonbury started from humble beginnings in 1970, with £1 tickets and an audience of around 1,500. It’s since become a gigantic event with international stars and a crowd of around 200,000 music fans. Some have criticised it for becoming too expensive, corporate and middle-class. Tickets for 2025 sold out in 35 minutes – even though their prices have risen again, this year being bumped up to £373.50, with a £5 booking fee and £75 deposit.

While its ticket costs grow steeper, festival organizer Emily Eavis insists that they’ve faced “enormous rises in the costs of running this vast show, whilst still recovering from the huge financial impact of two years without a festival because of Covid.”

pic.twitter.com/NviPLDDdds

— Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) October 17, 2022

Responding to backlash from rising prices a few years back, she wrote on Twitter: “In these incredibly challenging times, we want to continue to bring you the best show in the world and provide our charities with funds which are more vital than ever. We are always, hugely appreciative, of your ongoing support.’

It’s also worth noting the impact that Glastonbury brings beyond the five-day festival, bringing interest to local businesses and communities – in 2023, Somerset businesses saw an income of £32 million during the festival. The event organizers also keep charity in mind, funding infrastructure, social housing and community facilities in Pilton.

No acts have been confirmed for this year’s line-up, aside from Rod Stewart, who will play the Sunday afternoon Legends Slot. Nile Rodgers also let slip that he would be performing, accidentally announcing his involvement at the Rolling Stone Awards. Other rumoured headliners include Sam Fender, Rihanna, Madonna and more.

Stewart, who has played the festival in 2002, wrote on social media: “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ll be playing @glastonbury 2025!” he wrote. “After all these years, I’m proud and ready and more than able to take the stage again to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury in June. I’ll see you there!” You can read more on his confirmation here.

Hynde herself was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2005 as part of The Pretenders, but has since taken to social media to decry its relevance. She stated, “I don’t even wanna be associated with it. It’s just more establishment backslapping.”

She continued, “Other than Neil Young’s participation in the induction process, the whole thing was, and is, total bollocks. It’s absolutely nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll and anyone who thinks it is is a fool.”

Despite being inducted back in 2005, Hynde seems to have always viewed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in a negative light.

In her Facebook post, she stated, “I got in a band so I didn’t have to be part of all that. I was living a happy life in Rio when I got the call I was being inducted. My heart sank because I knew I’d have to go back for it as it would be too much of a kick in the teeth to my parents if I didn’t. I’d upset them enough by then, so it was one of those things that would bail me out from years of disappointing them. ( like moving out of the USA and being arrested at PETA protests and my general personality ).”

This discussion was sparked after Courtney Love called for more female acts to be inducted. Love shared her outrage at the lack of diversity on social media, telling the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to “GO TO HELL IN A HANDBAG BRO!”

@rockhall GO TO HELL IN A HANDBAG BRO!

I wrote this for the @guardian https://t.co/sjpCeYcqyY

— Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) March 17, 2023

Love, the lead singer of grunge band Hole, subsequently wrote an article for The Guardian in which she highlighted that “barely 8% of its inductees are female. The canon-making doesn’t just reek of sexist gatekeeping, but also purposeful ignorance and hostility.”

She continued, “the nominations for this year’s class, announced last month, offered the annual reminder of just how extraordinary a woman must be to make it into the ol’ boy’s club.”

Love also drew attention to the fact that “it doesn’t look good for black artists either.” “If the Rock Hall is not willing to look at the ways it is replicating the violence of structural racism and sexism that artists face in the music industry, if it cannot properly honour what visionary women artists have created, innovated, revolutionised and contributed to popular music – well, then let it go to hell in a handbag.”

Love responded to Chrissie Hynde’s Facebook post on Twitter, writing “principals b4 personalities!”

ARTISTS! Beef off the table. Principals b4 personalities! @chrissiehynde (blew my world into a rainbow in 79 #GOAT ) TBC. I would not accept, don’t need! @rockhall. BRO it isn’t 4 me I speak. THAT BOARD NEEDS A HOSE DOWN so women & poc can FEED THEIR KIDS. Not just Bon Jovi pic.twitter.com/LVJpPUa1g6 — Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) March 17, 2023

Love has continued her tyrade on social media, claiming she was previously “silenced by boos” when she has previously tried to speak her mind.

BRO! @billboard

Me @rockhall HOLDING MY TONGUE.

When I went to speak? I was silenced by boos… So, yeah. pic.twitter.com/2mHdeuNSF7

— Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) March 17, 2023

Hynde and Love have both been met with varying receptions from fans after sharing their controversial standpoints.

The Pretenders are rumoured to be releasing a new album this year titled Relentless with the release date yet to be confirmed.

See The Pretenders at Midnight Sun Weekender Festival. Tickets available here.