In a stunning reversal, legendary musician Neil Young announced his decision to return to popular music streaming platform Spotify. This news comes two years after a very public spat with the company, resulting in Young removing his entire catalog from the streaming giant in a stand against what he called “misinformation.” The discord originated from Spotify’s exclusive deal with controversial figure Joe Rogan, who Young accused of spreading false information about the COVID-19 vaccine on his popular podcast, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience.’
Young’s commitment to his stance was so robust that he was prepared to risk potentially alienating millions of listeners rather than remain on a platform promoting content he found objectionable. At the time, the veteran musician painted his absence from Spotify starkly, demanding, “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”
“To music lovers everywhere,” wrote Young on his website. “My decision comes as music services, Apple, and Amazon, have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I opposed at Spotify. I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did with Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all,”
Although his return to Spotify appears a concession, Young refused to let it diminish his crusade for quality music delivery platforms. In his statement announcing his return, Young didn’t hesitate in labelling Spotify as “low-res.” An advocate for providing listeners with high-quality sound experiences, Young challenged Spotify to step up its game. He stated, “Hopefully, Spotify will turn to Hi Res as the answer and serve all the music to everyone, you can do it! Really be #1 in all ways.”
Young issued his original ultimatum to Spotify in January 2022, sparking headlines and intense public debate. In a letter to his management team and record label, he wrote, “Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule. I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform. They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.”
Young’s abrupt departure highlighted the growing concern over the unchecked spread of misinformation on public platforms, particularly in high-stakes situations like public health. The Joe Rogan Experience, exclusive to Spotify and reportedly pulling in north of 11 million listeners per episode, has been at the center of such criticism.
Upon Young’s initial departure from Spotify, the company expressed regret but maintained that they upheld detailed content policies, and actively removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID since the onset of the pandemic.
Neil Young’s decision to return to Spotify is not merely another headline in the music industry. It emphasizes the intricate relationship between artists, music streaming platforms, and the content they choose to disseminate – highlighting the continuous debates surrounding issues of censorship, free speech, and the responsibility that comes with platforms of influence. As the dust settles, one thing remains clear: Neil Young, stalwart in presence and unwavering in principle, continues to influence the discourse in the music industry – the ripples of his decisions extending far beyond the confines of record labels and streaming platforms. Love him or hate him, Young’s musical repertoire may have got us hooked, but it’s his unyielding stance on principle that keeps us listening.
