Queen guitarist Brian May has once again made it clear that the legendary rock band will not be performing at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival, directly attributing the decision to an ongoing and deeply personal political disagreement with the event's founder, Michael Eavis.
The Badger Cull Dispute at the Heart of the Feud
The core of the conflict, which has now spanned several years, centres on the contentious issue of badger culling. Michael Eavis, a dairy farmer, supports the cull as a method to control bovine tuberculosis in cattle. In stark opposition, Brian May, a prominent animal rights activist and co-founder of the charity Save Me, is a vehement and vocal opponent of the practice.
This fundamental clash of values has escalated into a war of words. Eavis has previously labelled May a 'danger to farming' for his campaigning stance. May, in turn, has cited these repeated insults from the festival founder as a key reason for Queen's absence from the Pyramid Stage. He stated back in 2019 that significant changes would be necessary for the band to ever consider performing at the event.
No Glastonbury for Queen + Adam Lambert
Despite the enduring global popularity of Queen's music and the successful worldwide tours undertaken by Queen + Adam Lambert since 2012, the iconic group has never headlined Glastonbury. The latest comments from May, made on Friday 16 January 2026, serve to quash fresh speculation that the band could be in line to headline the 2027 festival.
May's reaffirmation of his anti-Glastonbury stance is a definitive response to these rumours. He expressed continued uncertainty about the band's future live appearances in general, casting further doubt on the prospect of a last-minute reconciliation.
A Lasting Legacy of Live Aid, But Not Glastonbury
The situation presents a notable irony. Queen's legendary performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert, organised in part by Bob Geldof, is widely considered one of the greatest live sets in rock history. Brian May and Bob Geldof recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of that seminal event. Yet, the band's path to Britain's other great bastion of live music, Glastonbury, remains firmly blocked not by musical differences, but by a persistent political and ethical divide.
The stalemate highlights how deeply held convictions on environmental and agricultural policy can spill over into the cultural sphere, preventing what many fans would consider a dream headline booking. For now, the fields of Worthy Farm will have to wait indefinitely for the sound of Bohemian Rhapsody to echo from its main stage.
