Brian May Reveals Why Queen Refuse to Play Iconic U.K. Festival

Brian May has revealed why Queen still refuse to play the U.K.’s legendary Glastonbury festival.

The festival typically takes place in early summer each year and features artists from all different genres. Rock and metal acts such as Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and The Prodigy have all played the festival in recent years, but Queen never have.

Why Do Queen Refuse to Play Glastonbury Festival?

May told Daily Mail that the reason has to do with political differences between Queen and festival founder Michael Eavis, a sentiment he’s repeated numerous times in the past.

“I wouldn’t do Glastonbury next year because of the politics of the people who run it. Unless that changes, I won’t do it,” the guitarist told the publication.

The “politics” in question have to do with animal rights, particularly the hunting of badgers.

“They like killing badgers and they think it’s for sport and that’s something I cannot support because we’ve been trying to save these badgers for years,” May elaborated. “And they are still being killed for years, so that’s the reason we’re missing out on it.”

The rocker suggested that Queen were never asked to play the festival because the organizers are aware of his animal rights activism.

Has Michael Eavis Responded to May’s Criticism?

In the past, Eavis has addressed May’s views on badger culling, which is the government-licensed killing of badgers in order to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis in England [via ZSL.org].

“He’s a danger to farming,” Eavis told the Daily Mail of the guitarist’s opposition to the practice several years ago [via NME]. “He doesn’t care about the badgers – he doesn’t know anything about it at all.”

When Will Queen Play Shows Again?

The last show Queen played with Adam Lambert took place in February of 2024. Though they haven’t made plans to embark on a full tour again, May teased that there may be some things in the works for the band.

READ MORE: 10 Iconic Rock + Metal Live Aid Setlists

“I don’t know when Queen will be back onstage, it’s an unknown we’ll take it day by day,” he told Daily Mail.

“It was time to take a break and spend time with family, take stock… But never say never about not coming back, the rebuild of Queen Two is coming back and there are a couple of things you haven’t heard.”

In the meantime, you can see which bands are touring this year in our 2026 tour guide below.