Neil Young has announced his return to Spotify, after Apple and Amazon picked up Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast.
Young announced his return to the streaming service for the first time since 2022, after originally boycotting it, after episodes of Rogan’s podcast shared inaccurate information on Covid-19 vaccines.
At the time, The Joe Rogan Experience was exclusively owned by Spotify.
In February 2022, Neil Young scribed an open letter, calling on Spotify employees to “get out of that place before it eats up your soul”.
“In our communication age, misinformation is the problem”, the country singer wrote. “Ditch the misinformers. Find a good clean place to support with your monthly checks. You have the real power. Use it”.
“home of my music again”
However, following Amazon and Apple’s acquisition of Joe Rogan’s podcast, Neil Young confirmed his return to Spotify, writing this entry on his website.
“Spotify, the #1 streaming of low res music in the world – Spotify where you get less quality than we made, will now be home of my music again”, Young wrote.
The musician continued, “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”.
He added, “So I have returned to Spotify, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it. Qobuz and Tidal, where my music is presented, are all High res as well”.
“Hopefully Spotify will turn to Hi Res as the answer and sever all the music to everyone. Spotify, you can do it! Really be #1 in all ways. You have the music and the listeners! Start with a limited Hi res tier and build from there!”.
Neil Young’s music has yet to be officially uploaded to Spotify at the time of writing.
“I don’t always get it right”
In January 2022, Joe Rogan did respond to these claims made by Neil Young.
“I don’t always get it right. I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view”, he wrote on his Instagram story.
On Young’s exit, he also added this.
“I’m very sorry that they feel that way”, he said. “I most certainly don’t want that. I’m a Neil Young fan, I’ve always have been a Neil Young fan”.
Rogan also had his say on Spotify, “I’m not trying to be controversial. I’m going to do my best in the future to balance things out…If I p***** you off, I’m sorry”.
