The Glastonbury Festival should want Duran Duran a bit more, but instead, maybe they prefer younger and hipper artists than the new wave icons who have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Or not. The festivals were around before the band was big.
So why would Glastonbury give Duran Duran a headlining spot? That's what the band needs to show up, according to what vocalist Simon Le Bon told The Sunday Times recently. If asked by festival decision-makers to play, the band would love to, but with a catch.
Le Bon said, "Well, we want to (play Glastonbury) – but not in a disco tent at 3 pm, which is what we were offered. We want the right slot... 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."
Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran breaks down issues with Glastonbury
That isn't the first time Le Bon has offered those thoughts. In other words, he clearly means what he says because he's so consistent in the approach. Plus, Duran Duran has been important enough over the last four decades that it would be awkward to have them lower on the bill.
Would more people buy tickets to see them than Taylor Swift or Harry Styles? Probably not, but the band still draws. They toured as recently as 2025, and successfully so. Duran Duran still produces new music as well. Their latest single, "Free to Love," was released in May and is pretty good.
The band wouldn't show up at the festival to basically be a cover band of themselves. They remain vibrant and understand how to create a fantastic live experience. Is it too arrogant for a band to say they won't appear somewhere unless they are headliners? Maybe for most, but not Duran Duran.
No Glastonbury Festival will be happening in 2026 as it is taking a planned fallow year. The festival returns in 2027, with tickets going on sale in November. No musical artists are yet attached to next year, but it may be too early for that. Let's hope Duran Duran is one of them, maybe for the first and last time.
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