Synth-pop pioneers Duran Duran have stated they will only perform at Glastonbury if they are secured as one of the festival’s headliners. Despite their celebrated career, which includes over 100 million records sold, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and multiple Grammy and Brit Awards, the band has yet to grace the stages of the iconic Worthy Farm event.
Frontman Simon Le Bon recently elaborated on this position in an interview with The Sunday Times, explaining the reasoning behind their absence from the Pyramid Stage or any other Glastonbury venue. “Well, we want to – but not in a disco tent at 3pm, which is what we were offered,” he said. Le Bon emphasized their demand for “the right slot,” asserting, “We shouldn’t be below anybody on the bill. So, we’ll hold out because we’re a headline act – that’s all there is to it.”
These comments echo similar sentiments Le Bon shared with NME in 2023 regarding the band’s prospects of playing Glastonbury. At the time, he expressed, “I’d love to [do it] – we just need to get the right slot, that’s all.” He clarified that previous opportunities did not involve playing the main stage, adding, “I think we’d like to be doing that for sure.” Le Bon also voiced optimism about ongoing discussions, stating, “I’m sure we’re in negotiations [with Glastonbury] and if not, we will be.”
Further underscoring their status as headliners, Duran Duran’s most recent UK live dates included headlining major indoor arenas in October 2025, such as Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena and Manchester’s Co-op Live. The band also headlined the closing night of Latitude 2024 and performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
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