Duran Duran Interested in Glastonbury Festival, but Only as Headliners
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Duran Duran is setting the bar high and shows no signs of lowering their standards.
The iconic British new wave band dominated the music scene during the early 1980s, amassing a devoted fanbase and a string of hits. Their impressive accolades include two Grammy Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, the Brit Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and their recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Despite their numerous achievements, the band has yet to perform at Glastonbury Festival, a cornerstone of the U.K. festival circuit. In an interview with The Times of London, frontman Simon Le Bon expressed eagerness to take the stage, but with specific conditions. “We want the right slot,” he stated. “We shouldn’t be below anybody on the bill.”
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Simon Le Bon, recently named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles for his contributions to music and charity, reaffirmed the band’s stature: “So, we’ll hold out because we’re a headline act — that’s all there is to it.”
Although the band has received past offers to perform at Glastonbury, the opportunities did not appeal to them. Le Bon elaborated, “Well, we want to, but not in a disco tent at 3pm, which is what we were offered.”
In the same feature, bandmates Nick Rhodes and John Taylor shared insights into their experience with fame, discussions about substance use, and the complex nature of technology. Rhodes commented, “Anyone who thinks AI will go away is certifiably insane.”
Fans hoping to see Duran Duran at Glastonbury may have to wait until 2027, as the festival will take a fallow year in 2026, allowing the site to rest, a tradition that occurs every five years.
This summer, Duran Duran is set to headline BST Hyde Park on July 5, returning to the venue that hosted a successful concert in 2022, attracting approximately 70,000 fans.
The band recently released “Free to Love,” a neo-disco collaboration with longtime producer Nile Rodgers. This marks their first new music since their 16th album, Danse Macabre, which debuted at No. 4 on the Official U.K. Chart in 2023. Duran Duran recently completed a residency in Las Vegas and will begin a tour in the U.K. and Europe starting June 19 at Denmark’s Heartland Festival.
