Queen and Glastonbury: A Clash of Values

Brian May, the iconic guitarist of Queen, has made it clear that the band won't be playing at Glastonbury anytime soon. His reason? Politics. May has been vocal about his disagreement with Michael Eavis, the festival's founder, over badger culling. Badger culling is a hot topic in the UK. It's a government policy aimed at stopping the spread of bovine tuberculosis from badgers to cattle. May, a strong advocate for animal welfare, is against this practice. Eavis, on the other hand, supports it. In fact, he's even called May a "danger to farming" for his stance.May has said that Queen won't perform at Glastonbury unless things change. He's not just upset about the badger culling, though. He's also taken offense to Eavis's insults. In a 2019 interview, May said that Queen would only play at Glastonbury if "things changed radically. " Glastonbury is a big deal. It's the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200, 000 people every year. Past headliners include The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo. But the festival is taking a break in 2026 to give the land a rest. It will return in 2027. So, will Queen ever play Glastonbury? It's hard to say. May has hinted that it's unlikely unless his political differences with Eavis are resolved. For now, fans will just have to wait and see.