Canadian-American singer-songwriter and rock icon Neil Young heads back to Spotify after over two years of leaving the platform in light of issues surrounding "disinformation."
According to a public statement the singer released on his website, his return was prompted by other streaming services "serving the same disinformation" that some of Spotify's podcasts once had, directly naming services like "Apple and Amazon."
He continued by saying that he could not leave said platforms as easily as he did Spotify two years back due to the risk of his music having very little streaming outlet, hence Young's return.
(Photo : SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images)
Why did Neil Young Left Spotify in the First Place?
Young first decided to withdraw his entire music catalog from Spotify in January 2022 as an act of protest against Joe Rogan and what the singer calls "life-threatening Covid misinformation" that Rogan's then-Spotify exclusive podcast had spread.
Besides young, a group of some 270 scientists and healthcare professionals also collectively wrote an open letter to Spotify expressing their concern over Rogan's "misleading and false claims" during episode #1757 of his "The Joe Rogan Experience" show.
In a sort of ultimatum during the height of the spat, The Guardian quoted Young saying: "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both." Eventually, the Americana musician's songs were taken down.
Of this removal, a Spotify spokesperson said: "We regret Neil's decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon."
However, at the beginning of 2022, the contentions slowed down after Rogan apologized and said he doesn't "always get it right," before vowing to more accurately provide a balanced presentation of information by asking the "differing opinions" of experts.
Similarly, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek also issued an apology, writing, "It's become clear to me that we have an obligation to do more to provide balance and access to widely accepted information from the medical and scientific communities guiding us through this unprecedented time. "
Last month, "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast also ended its exclusive deal with Spotify, after Rogan signed a new multi-year deal amounting to around $250 million (£196 million), allowing the show's distribution on other platforms like Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.
In light of this, Young said he can no longer continue his "battle" against misinformation in each of the streaming platforms, lest he risk his music being harder to reach for the casual listener.
Neil Young's Return to Spotify and Other Endeavors
Despite his forthcoming return to the platform, Young remained vocal against his criticisms of what he perceives as Spotify's shortcomings.
In his recent statement, he described the platform as "the #1 streamer of low res music in the world," writing, "Spotify where you get less quality than we made."
"I hope all [of] you millions of Spotify users enjoy my songs! They will now all be there for you except for the full sound we created," he added, before mentioning the platform's competitors in Qobuz and Tidal, both of which are capable of the "high-definition tier" that Young wishes Spotify would integrate into its service.
The 78-year-old rocker is equally as steadfast and vocal in his other "battles" in recent years, be it against war, the US government, climate change, and more.
For one, last November, he boycotted the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), following its owner Elon Musk's promotion of an antisemitic post.
Earlier in 2023, he also chastised Ticketmaster for allegedly ripping off fans through "add-ons" and their lack of actions against "scalpers," something artists have to worry about getting the blame for.
"Concert tours are no longer fun," the artist wrote on his website. "Concert tours not what they were."
However, despite the criticisms he aired against his current experience with touring, he is still set for a Live Nation-promoted tour later this year in Apri, playing for 16 dates across North America alongside his band Crazy Horse.
To add, Live Nation is Ticketmaster's parent company.
Alongside the upcoming tour, Young is also gearing up for the release of his "Fu**in Up" album, which was recorded live last November and featured the majority of the tracks from his 1990 "Ragged Glory" record.
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