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Neil Young Turns 80 With New Music and Unfinished Fights

The rock icon marks his birthday as a prolific, politically outspoken artist unwilling to slow down.

Overview

  • He released Talking To The Trees in June with a new band, the Chrome Hearts, featuring sharp political lyrics that take aim at figures like Elon Musk.
  • Young’s confrontational politics remain central to his public stance, including banning Donald Trump’s use of Rockin’ in the Free World and denouncing him in an open letter.
  • After canceling remaining Love Earth Tour dates in 2024 due to illness among band members, he has returned to select performances and rejects the idea of retirement.
  • Across more than five decades he has issued over 50 albums and continues to roll out archival material that documents his evolving sound.
  • A foundational member of Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse and CSNY, he helped shape folk and rock and influenced the grunge era with his feedback-drenched guitar style.