Legendary musician Neil Young has announced that he will headline this year's Glastonbury Festival, reversing an earlier decision to withdraw from the event due to what he described as an "error in information." Initially, the 79-year-old artist stated that he would not perform because he felt the festival was influenced by the BBC's corporate control. In a recent update on his website, he clarified, "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!"

Glastonbury co-organizer Emily Eavis expressed her excitement over Young's decision on Instagram, stating, "What a start to the year! 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."

Young's initial concerns regarding the festival's partnership with the BBC started a conversation about the nature of live performances and broadcast rights. The BBC has been the exclusive broadcasting partner of Glastonbury since 1997, providing extensive coverage each year. However, during Young's last appearance at the festival in 2009, only five songs from his two-hour set were televised, leading to negotiations that reflected his desire to retain a degree of mystery around his live shows. "They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist," Mark Cooper, former executive producer of the BBC's Glastonbury coverage, explained at that time.

The multi-day festival, which has sold out its 2025 tickets in just 35 minutes, will also feature other notable acts, with Young joining artists like Rod Stewart and Nile Rodgers. The lineup will be officially revealed closer to the June event.

In the backdrop of this festival buzz, Young remains active on the music front with new projects. He revealed that he and his band, the Chrome Hearts, are working on a new album, potentially titled Talking to the Trees, collaborating with producer Lou Adler. After a two-year writing hiatus, he described the importance of addressing contemporary issues in his music, emphasizing reflections on climate change and societal challenges. "There’s something wrong in their life, and maybe they have a threat on their health or it’s just trying to forget what’s going on in the world," he stated, underlining the need for lyrical awareness that resonates with his audience.

For additional details, reference the articles from BBC and The Guardian.