Billy Ocean announces 2025 greatest hits UK tour – with a gap for the Glastonbury legends’ slot
Billy Ocean has shared details of a greatest hits UK tour, set to take place next year and leaving a slot free at the same time as Glastonbury.
The Grammy-winning R&B singer – who has had countless UK hits throughout his career – is set to embark on 14 shows across the country next summer.
These kick off with an opening night at the O2 Apollo in Manchester on June 4, before continuing throughout the month with shows in Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol Leeds Liverpool and more.
A show at London’s Royal Albert Hall is scheduled for June 25, before Ocean wraps up the tour with shows in Wolverhampton, Cardiff and Nottingham on June 27, 28 and 30 respectively.
Interestingly, there is a day off in Ocean’s schedule on June 29 – which coincides with the Sunday of Glastonbury 2025, where the iconic legend’s slot will be taking place.
Next year’s edition of the Worthy Farm festival will be held between June 25 and 29, and speculation has already arisen about who the headliners could be. Rumours around who could be filling the legend’s slot have also emerged, with reports emerging earlier this year that Cher was “in meaningful talks” with the organisers for the position.
The slot has become one of the most prestigious slots of the Worthy Farm event over the years and sees one veteran artist take to the Pyramid stage late on the Sunday afternoon to break out a career-spanning set of their biggest hits.
Shania Twain took on the slot at this year’s edition, while Yusuf/Cat Stevens played in 2023. Performers previous to that include Diana Ross, Barry Gibb, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and Kylie Minogue. For Minogue, the set at the 2019 festival became the most-watched moment of that year’s event (via Radio X).
Now, with the gap in Billy Ocean’s upcoming tour schedule, it is possible that the singer-songwriter could be taking on the coveted role next. Others who have had their names thrown into the mix for the 2025 legends slot include Spice Girls, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks and Annie Lennox.
Tickets for Billy Ocean’s upcoming 2025 tour dates go on sale at 10am BST next Friday (September 27). Find tickets here and check out a list of new dates below.
Billy Ocean upcoming UK tour dates are:
JUNE
4 – Manchester, O2 Apollo
6 – Glasgow, SEC Armadillo
7 – Edinburgh, Usher Hall
9 – Newcastle Upon Tyne, O2 City Hall
11 – Bristol Bristol Beacon
13 – Brighton, Centre
14 – Bournemouth, Bournemouth Int’nl Centre
20 – Blackpool, Opera House
21 – Leeds, first direct Arena
23 – Liverpool, Liverpool Empire Theatre
25 – London, Royal Albert Hall
27 – Wolverhampton, University of Wolverhampton at The Civic Hall
28 – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
20 – Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
We're thrilled to announce Billy will be back playing a headline tour of the UK in 2025!
Tickets go on general sale Fri 27 Sept at 10am. Sign up at the link below to get access to a special pre-sale on Weds 25 Sept.
Sign up here by 5pm on Tuesday: https://t.co/no0wygbB4R pic.twitter.com/nM3l7jYHcU
— Billy Ocean (@MrWongo) September 20, 2024
The announcement of the upcoming UK tour comes as the R&B icon is set to embark on a headline tour across North America in October and November. You can find any remaining tickets to the international dates here.
It also comes as he recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his iconic album ‘Suddenly’, and marked the occasion by sharing a new, limited-edition blue vinyl edition.
The record was his fifth studio album, and featured his first big chart hit ‘Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)’. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became Ocean’s first record to chart in the UK – peaking at Number Nine on the UK album charts.
If the 74-year-old is to take on the coveted legend’s slot next summer, fans can expect him to break out a variety of his biggest hits to date. These include his 1976 breakthrough single ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’, chart-topping 1985 hit ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going’, and the 1988 classic ‘Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car’.
As well as speculation about the legend’s slot, rumours have also been circulating around who will be the three headliners at Glasto 2025.
Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Green Day are among those who have made the list, and the latter recently added fuel to the fire by sharing their only European dates for 2025 so far. The scheduled shows leave space for the Glastonbury weekend.
Co-organiser Emily Eavis confirmed at the time of this year’s festival that she was already in talks with artists for next year, and the punk trio are among the favourites.
Oasis were also one of the names fans were quick to throw into the mix – following their reunion last month and upcoming 2025 tour dates. However, Liam and Noel Gallagher soon put a damper on the prospect, clarifying that they would not be playing any shows outside of their headline tour dates.
Check out the full list of rumoured headliners here.
The post Billy Ocean announces 2025 greatest hits UK tour – with a gap for the Glastonbury legends’ slot appeared first on NME.
Liberty Dunworth
NME
