Neil Young and his band The Chrome Hearts have withdrawn from performing at this year's Glastonbury festival, citing concerns over corporate influence, particularly regarding the BBC's partnership with the event.

Young expressed his disappointment through a statement on his official website, explaining that the BBC's requests for specific performance requirements conflicted with the band's preferences. He specifically noted that the festival's current corporate structure differs significantly from his previous experience performing there in 2009.

"It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being," Young stated, though he didn't provide specific details about the BBC's requests that led to the withdrawal.

Photo Credit: Neil Young by Andy Roo (6tee-zeven) / CC by 2.0

The 2025 Glastonbury festival is scheduled for June 25-29, with Rod Stewart confirmed as one of the headline performers, marking his first appearance at the festival since 2002. Neither Glastonbury organizers nor the BBC have commented on Young's withdrawal.

This isn't Young's first stand against corporate entities in the music industry. In 2022, he notably removed his music from Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan's podcast, though his catalog eventually returned to the platform in March of the following year.

While this development represents a setback for the festival's lineup, Young has assured fans they can catch him at other venues during his upcoming tour.

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