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Bob Vylan’s album “Humble as the Sun” from 2024 rose back to the British charts last week after the band’s controversial appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. Frontmann Bobby Vylan celebrated the news on the weekend on X. He emphasized that the music industry “needs artists who raise their voice”.
Album back at the top of the UK hip-hop/r & b charts
“Bob Vylan forbid?” He wrote. “People said ‘No’. We need artists who open their mouths. Our album ‘Humble as the Sun’ is back in the charts. And as an independent band that publishes music over their own label, this shows the power of people. You cannot be dropped if you have the label. Thank you all!”
In an accompanying picture, Vylan announced that “Humble as the Sun” is currently at the top of the British hip-hop and R&B albumcharts. It also achieved 7th place on the album download charts. And 8th place on the independent album charts.
Since the appearance at Glastonbury, Bob Vylan has been the focus of the public after the group brought the audience to scandalize during their set “Free, Free Palestine” and “Death, Death to the IDF”. The duo, which appeared in front of Kneecap on the West Holts Stage, was then sharply criticized by festival manager Emily Eavis on social media. The organizers said they were “horrified” about the statements.
Festival clearly distances itself
“The Glastonbury Festival was founded in 1970 as a place where people come together and celebrate music, art and the best human work,” said a statement by the festival. “As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism. We believe – and fight actively – for hope, unity, peace and love.”
Since Glastonbury, Bob Vylan has been deleted from the line-up of the English Radar Festival and the French Kave Fest. The US visa of the duo was revoked before their North America tour. They were also dropped by the United Talent Agency. The cave firmly referred to the separation from the agency as the reason for the deletion of Bob Vylan from the line-up. In addition, the duo was prohibited from performing later in Germany for the US band Gogol Bordello as a opening act in the Live Music Hall Venue.
Duo speaks of distraction from the actual topic
Bob Vylan reacted to the excitement with the statement that the controversy around the band was a “distraction from actual history”. “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other breed or group of people. We are for the destruction of a violent military machinery,” wrote the duo on Instagram. “A machinery whose own soldiers have been instructed to use ‘unnecessary deadly violence’ against innocent civilians who were waiting for help. A machine that destroyed large parts of Gazas. We, like those who were in front of us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And all sanctions we receive will also be a distraction.”