Neil Young Glastonbury 2025 – Setlist and Where to Watch

Neil Young returned to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival on June 28, 2025, marking what many fans considered a triumphant moment after a turbulent booking process. The Canadian singer-songwriter, backed by his Chrome Hearts band, delivered a 1 hour 44 minute set starting at 10:10 PM UK time. The performance came hours after a last-minute reversal allowed the BBC to broadcast the full show live, ending weeks of uncertainty that had sparked widespread backlash from supporters.

The Saturday night slot represented Young’s first Glastonbury appearance since his controversial withdrawal announcement earlier in 2025. Organizers and fans celebrated his arrival at Worthy Farm, with the performance forming part of his broader Love Earth Tour. The show featured a carefully curated selection spanning multiple decades of his career, drawing from his extensive catalog of folk roots and electric rock material.

Industry observers noted the performance demonstrated Young’s enduring vitality at 79 years old, delivering a career-spanning set that resonated with both longtime followers and newer audiences discovering his work. The broadcast reversal generated significant discussion on social media platforms, with fans praising the resolved situation while reflecting on the artistic integrity that defined his decades-long career.

What was Neil Young’s Glastonbury 2025 setlist?

Key Insights from Neil Young’s Glastonbury 2025 Set

• Ragged glory style performance demonstrating raw energy from the veteran artist at age 79
• Career-spanning selection drawing from early catalog through recent Love Earth Tour material
• Turbulent booking history culminating in dramatic broadcast reversal on performance day
• Full BBC Two and Radio 2 coverage approved just hours before showtime
• Continuation of Love Earth Tour following European dates in Copenhagen, Malahide, Brussels, and Groningen
• Solo acoustic moment included with “The Needle and the Damage Done”
• Traditional element added through Greensleeves played from tape during performance

Event Snapshot

Complete Song Order

The confirmed setlist opened with “Sugar Mountain” before moving through politically charged material like “Be the Rain” and fan favorites including “Cinnamon Girl” and “Fuckin’ Up.” The performance included a solo acoustic segment featuring “The Needle and the Damage Done,” showcasing the artist’s versatility throughout the evening. An additional Neil Young song marked a tour debut during the set, while the traditional “Greensleeves” concluded the performance from tape.

Where can I watch Neil Young’s full Glastonbury 2025 set?

The full performance aired live on BBC Two and BBC Radio 2 at 10 PM UK time on June 28, marking a significant turnaround from earlier announcements that the set would not be broadcast. The reversal came at Neil Young’s explicit approval, with the artist consenting to full live coverage across BBC platforms just hours before he took the stage at Worthy Farm.

Official Broadcast Options

BBC iPlayer offered catch-up availability following the live transmission, though user reports suggest the content may have been removed from the platform subsequently. The official BBC programme page for the performance remains accessible and serves as the primary official record of the broadcast.

Unofficial Recording Sources

Complete video recordings from the BBC broadcast have circulated through fan communities, with platforms like the Guitars101 forum hosting downloadable versions of the full set. These community-shared recordings represent the most complete visual documentation currently available to audiences unable to access official streams.

Spotify user playlists have compiled “Glastonbury 2025 Complete Setlist” collections, though these feature studio recordings rather than live performance audio. YouTube contains fan-created playlists speculating on similar tour sets, though no official full performance or highlights package from Neil Young or his representatives has been confirmed.

What was the crowd reaction and size at Neil Young’s Glastonbury 2025 performance?

Precise crowd size estimates for Neil Young’s Pyramid Stage performance have not been officially documented in available sources. The Saturday night headlining slot on Glastonbury’s main stage traditionally accommodates the festival’s largest audiences of the weekend, though specific attendance figures for individual performances remain estimates rather than confirmed measurements.

Audience Response Patterns

Fan site Thrasher’s Wheat documented the performance as part of Love Earth Tour coverage, noting the emotional significance of Young’s return to the festival grounds. The earlier withdrawal announcement had generated substantial outrage across social media platforms, with supporters expressing relief and celebration following the broadcast reversal confirmation.

Reviews from established music publications characterized the performance in terms consistent with Young’s reputation for uncompromising artistic vision. Coverage described the set as demonstrating “ragged glory from a noisemaker who never treads the easy path,” with particular attention paid to the veteran’s sustained energy and commitment to live performance at his age.

Timeline of Neil Young at Glastonbury 2025

The journey to Neil Young’s Pyramid Stage appearance encompassed several distinct phases, beginning with initial announcements and progressing through a period of uncertainty before culminating in the celebrated performance. Understanding this sequence provides context for the event’s significance within the broader festival narrative.

1. January 2025: Neil Young announced withdrawal from Glastonbury Festival lineup, citing concerns related to branding and sponsorship arrangements that conflicted with his artistic principles.
2. June 28, 2025, 10:10 PM: Performance commenced on Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm, Pilton, England, marking the artist’s arrival following reversal of earlier withdrawal decision.
3. June 28, 2025, 10:00 PM: BBC Two and Radio 2 began live broadcast of full performance following day-of reversal confirming Neil Young’s approval for coverage.
4. June 29, 2025: Guardian published performance review, characterizing the set as “ragged glory from a noisemaker who never treads the easy path.”
5. July 1, 2025: Mojo magazine released coverage praising the artist’s continued vitality, noting “ever-mercurial Young keeps on rocking at 79.”

Confirmed Facts vs Availability Notes

Evaluating the documentation surrounding Neil Young’s Glastonbury 2025 appearance requires distinguishing between established facts and areas where information remains incomplete or uncertain. This comparison helps clarify what can be definitively stated versus what requires further verification.

Performance Context and Analysis

Neil Young’s return to Glastonbury Festival represented more than a single performance—it symbolized the reconciliation of an artist whose career has been defined by principled stands and uncompromising creative vision. The withdrawal announcement had resonated throughout music communities, with supporters respecting Young’s stated concerns about branding conflicts while mourning the potential loss of a Pyramid Stage appearance.

Music critics noted the performance style aligned with Young’s established reputation for refusing to tread familiar paths. Coverage emphasized the “ever-mercurial” nature of his approach, describing a set that balanced accessible hits with challenging material reflecting his broader artistic concerns. The Love Earth Tour branding positioned the performance within a framework emphasizing environmental and social themes that have increasingly informed his recent work.

At 79 years old, Young’s sustained touring schedule and Pyramid Stage appearance challenged expectations about artistic longevity in contemporary music. The performance drew from broader festival programming discussions that highlighted generational diversity on Glastonbury’s stages, with established veterans sharing billing alongside emerging artists reshaping popular music’s landscape.

Key Quotes and Sources

“ragged glory from a noisemaker who never treads the easy path”

— Guardian review, June 29, 2025

“ever-mercurial Young keeps on rocking at 79”

— Mojo magazine, July 1, 2025

“career-spanning set”

— BBC programme description

Primary documentation for the performance derives from setlist.fm’s crowd-sourced verification system, fan site Thrasher’s Wheat, and official BBC broadcast records. The setlist.fm entry provides the most comprehensive song-by-song account available, while Thrasher’s Wheat offers tour context and performance analysis. Additional coverage from Sugar Mountain confirms broader Love Earth Tour patterns without indicating major deviations for the Glastonbury date.

What’s Next for Neil Young Tours

The Love Earth Tour continues following Glastonbury Festival, with Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts maintaining their touring schedule through additional 2025 dates. Documentation from Thrasher’s Wheat and setlist.fm indicates subsequent performances include material such as “Old Man” and “Harvest Moon,” which did not appear in the Glastonbury set but feature in other tour dates throughout 2025.

Fans anticipating future festival appearances or broadcast releases can monitor official channels including neilyoung.com and Glastonbury Festival’s official website for announcements. The October 25 Harvest Moon Gathering, documented through tour listings, demonstrates continued evolution in the setlist approach as the tour progresses through different seasons and venues.

Streaming platforms like Spotify host user-compiled collections reflecting the Glastonbury 2025 setlist alongside broader festival coverage, while YouTube fan playlists continue to aggregate available performance material. These community resources supplement official releases where available and maintain interest between confirmed tour dates.

Frequently Asked Questions