It looks like Bob Vylan's "cancellation" is turning out to actually have some benefits for them. In case you need a refresher, the British punk-rap duo took some time out of their Glastonbury set last month to protest Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, leading the crowd in a “death to the IDF” chant. Festival organizers said they were "appalled" by the remarks, the BBC described the set as "utterly unacceptable" after they livestreamed the performance, the US government rescinded the band's visas ahead of their North American tour, and their booking agency dropped them. Luckily, there are a lot of folks on Bob Vylan's side too.
That Glastonbury set got Bob Vylan removed from a few other upcoming festival lineups, including last weekend's Radar Festival in nearby Manchester. Radar organizer Catherine Jackson-Smith said in a recent podcast interview that she "wanted Bob Vylan to perform at our festival," but the decision was made to avoid jeopardizing the festival on a larger scale.
After that news broke, a wave of fellow scheduled Radar performers announced that they'd be pulling out of the fest in solidarity with Bob Vylan. Irish metalcore band Hero In Error wrote in a since-removed Instagram post: "After speaking with Radar’s organisers, it’s clear they’re facing the same pressures that many de-platformed artists are currently experiencing. They are good people, and it’s evident they stand for progressive ideals. Both they and the artists being targeted are caught in a wider effort to deflect attention from the reality of what’s happening. We respect the work Radar has done, but we believe that stepping back from this year’s event is the right decision at this time."
Dublin heavy metal band the Scratch also shared a statement announcing that they'd no longer be performing at Radar Festival. "The censorship and deplatforming of artists speaking out against the ongoing genocide in Gaza is greasy, dangerous and must be challenged," they wrote. "To be clear, this decision is not a criticism of Radar Festival. We understand it was an incredibly difficult and complex situation. This is about showing solidarity with Bob Vylan and any artist who may face similar treatment in the future."
UK post-punks ĠENN also announced they'd no longer be performing at Radar in solidarity with Bob Vylan. They added in their own statement: "Our fight should not be focused on the policing of those who are trying to spread awareness within their means. This is a distraction from a wider picture. Pressure needs to be placed on those who are instigating the censorship of a genocide happening in real time."
Meanwhile, BBC music director Lorna Clarke has reportedly stepped down from her position following backlash the corporation faced for livestreaming Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set. A spokesperson for the BBC told the UK Times that each performer was assessed ahead of the festival, and Bob Vylan were one of seven acts labeled "high risk." Ahead of Glastonbury, BBC deemed Bob Vylan "suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations," which they now say was "clearly not the case."
Bob Vylan seem to be doing OK amid all this, though. Their 2024 LP Humble As The Sun has re-entered the UK charts, and is currently the country's #1 hip-hop album.
Ban Bob Vylan? The people said ‘Nah’. We need artists that speak up. Our album ‘Humble As The Sun’ is back in the charts and, as an independent band releasing music on our own label, it shows the power of the people. You can’t get dropped if you own the label.
Thank you all! pic.twitter.com/2QsjP00e1i— Bob Vylan (@BobbyVylan) July 6, 2025
