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Spotify vs Neil Young

Spotify removing Neil Young's music after his Joe Rogan ultimatum

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Neil Young's music is being removed from Spotify's streaming service after the singer-songwriter objected to his songs playing on the same platform that offers Joe Rogan's podcast, the company and the musician said on Wednesday.
Reuters
By Reuters
27 Jan
Illustrations Of Netflix, Spotify And Uber Logos A man checks his smartphone whilst standing amongst illuminated screens bearing the Spotify Technology SA logo in this arranged photograph in London, U.K., on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. Spotify Technology SA hired Dawn Ostroff as its chief content officer, tapping a Conde Nast entertainment executive to oversee music, audio and video partnerships. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Earlier this week, Young had released a letter https://www.reuters.com/world/us/neil-young-spotify-either-remove-my-music-or-joe-rogan-podcast-2022-01-25 addressed to his manager and record label, Warner Music Group , demanding that Spotify no longer carry his music because he said Rogan spreads misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

On Wednesday, the "Heart of Gold" and "Rocking In the Free World" singer thanked his record label for "standing with me in my decision to pull all my music from Spotify," and he encouraged other musicians to do the same.

"Spotify has become the home of life threatening COVID misinformation," he said on his website. "Lies being sold for money."

The Swedish company said it worked to balance "both safety for listeners and freedom for creators" and had removed more than 20,000 podcast episodes related COVID-19 in accordance with its "detailed content policies."

"We regret Neil's decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon," Spotify said in a statement.

Rogan, 54, is the host of "The Joe Rogan Experience," the top-rated podcast on Spotify, which holds exclusive rights to the program.

He has stirred controversy with his views on the pandemic, government mandates and vaccines to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Earlier this month, 270 scientists and medical professionals signed a letter urging Spotify to take action against Rogan, accusing him of spreading falsehoods on the podcast.

Young, 76, said Spotify accounted for 60% of the streaming of his music to listeners around the world. The removal is "a huge loss for my record company to absorb," he said. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles and Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Alistair Bell)

Comments

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Glenn Varrie 27 January 2022 09:00 AM

Great decision by Spotify ! If Neil Young wants to stifle debate let him go.

Anne Bourn 27 January 2022 11:48 AM

He's hardly stifling debate, he's registering a legitimate protest.

Helen 27 January 2022 12:59 PM

Agree. Young took a principled stand. I applaud him for that.

Glenn Varrie 27 January 2022 04:34 PM

By stifling debate.

Memphis Belle 27 January 2022 04:39 PM

He’s trying to stifle debate on Spotify.

David Mark 29 January 2022 06:34 AM

Lol what a stupid comment. Stifle debate?! "Let's deBatE if ThE Earth IS Fl@t" or "LeT's DebATE if ApartHEid wAs a Crime agAinsT HumaNITY". Why debate patent falsehoods. If you think there's a conspiracy or some sort of plot, then gosh Glenn, you should be reading Daily Sun, not Daily Maverick.

Desmond McLeod 27 January 2022 01:15 PM

I somehow have a feeling that when the truth is eventually revealed about Covid, its origin, its treatment etc. There are going to be a lot of red faces, bluster, and ducking and diving. I am not an antivaxxer, I am a "survivor" of the disease and have lost family and friends to it, so I fully appreciate the seriousness of the pandemic. But, I am really beginning to think that the Covid situation stinks to high heaven, and that the public are deliberately being lied to and terrorised by authorities with the aid of the media. It intrigues me that the most vocal critics of the Covid protocols, are not uneducated, unwashed "rednecks" but rather highly educated and experienced medical professionals! I think people and the media in particular, should open themselves up to comments and reports made by highly reputable scientists (Dr Peter McCullough, Dr Robert Malone and many others) who have been vilified by the media for voicing their opinions, just because they don't coincide with the narrative from Dr Fauci and co who seem to be really desperate to cover up details of Covid!

Glenn Varrie 27 January 2022 04:34 PM

The narrative is crumbling by the day.

Alan Salmon 28 January 2022 05:22 PM

Desmond I do not understand why you choose to follow outsiders like Malone and McCullough when the mainstream medical profession have saved thousands of lives with a highly effective vaccine. Sure, lockdowns have probably been unneccessary, and it is disappointing that the vaccine has not prevented infection and transmission as much as hoped, but it has undoubtedly saved lives. That is a fact not an opinion. People currently dying of Covid are almost exclusively unvaccinated. Freedom of speech is important, but influential people cannot be allowed to spread lies. I support Neil Young 100%

David Mark 29 January 2022 06:35 AM

Because just like sport, you'll always have those who like to pick the underdog to back. It's an emotional decision, not one based on logic or reason.

Desmond McLeod 30 January 2022 11:53 AM

Don't you find it interesting that FDA, Pfizer NIH etc. are trying to get all records about Covid sealed for 75years?

Memphis Belle 27 January 2022 04:38 PM

Freedom of Speech is Freedom of Speech whether you agree with it or not. It’s the most important Human Right of all. Destroy Freedom of Speech and you destroy everything.

Desmond McLeod 28 January 2022 09:42 AM

Spot on!! The "cancel culture", Neil Young included, are determined to destroy freedom of speech.

David Mark 29 January 2022 06:39 AM

"Seatbelts can paralyse you and break your neck, they are dangerous, never use them!!" See what half-truths can achieve? Freedom of speech is supposed to be used resposibly and does inherently have limitations, especially when said speech can put others at risk of harm? Take hate speech as another example of limitation.