Spotify Responds Accordingly to Neil Young’s Joe Rogan Ultimatum – Opinion

We reported Tuesday on how folk-rock icon Neil Younger fired off an angrygram, initially posted to his web site, wherein he demanded that his supervisor and file label inform Spotify to right away start eradicating his music off their platform as a result of he discovered standard podcaster Joe Rogan airing various opinions concerning the coronavirus vaccine to be too triggering.

On the finish of the letter – which has since been deleted from his web site and which reportedly contained a “truth examine” of types on Rogan, Younger gave Spotify an ultimatum: It’s me or Joe Rogan:

“I’m doing this as a result of Spotify is spreading pretend details about vaccines – probably inflicting loss of life to those that imagine the disinformation being unfold by them,” he wrote. “Please act on this instantly at this time and preserve me knowledgeable of the time schedule.”

“I need you to let Spotify know instantly TODAY that I need all my music off their platform,” he continued. “They’ll have [Joe] Rogan or Younger. Not each.”

“With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE, which is hosted solely on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has large affect. Spotify has a duty to mitigate the unfold of misinformation on its platform,” Younger additionally stated within the letter.

Younger, who again within the day was well-known for utilizing his music to induce individuals to insurgent in opposition to “the person” and “the system” however who apparently has had a change of coronary heart, came upon from Spotify Thursday that they’re pulling his music:

Neil Younger’s music is within the means of being faraway from Spotify Expertise SA’s streaming service, in response to individuals acquainted with the matter, because the folk-rock star isn’t wavering in his objections to Joe Rogan’s podcast.

Some individuals may counsel that Spotify is doing “as Younger requested” by eradicating his tunes, however he very clearly gave them a “alternative” of types on the finish of his dramatic missive, and Spotify selected Rogan over Younger.

I haven’t been capable of finding the total letter, however I did discover this portion on Twitter, and studying between the strains it could seem that perhaps Joe Rogan wasn’t the one cause Younger demanded his music be pulled from Spotify. He’s received points with the standard of music on audio-streaming websites like Spotify, points that date again a number of years when he initially pulled his music from such websites earlier than later relenting:

I like how Neil Younger inserts a screed about excessive decision audio inside his open letter about eradicating his catalog from Spotify.

He’s additionally proper: there are many locations to stream his music! It’s all fairly simple to seek out on both vinyl or cd too! https://t.co/o0NNb2HdTu pic.twitter.com/3TY7er6IBU

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine (@sterlewine) January 26, 2022

Additionally, from what I’ve learn, Younger wasn’t making a lot cash off permitting his music on Spotify. If that’s the case, this actually isn’t the massive sacrifice his followers are making it out to be.

In any occasion, hats off once more to Spotify for not bowing to the trend mobs who search to cancel Joe Rogan. Taking a stand in opposition to cancel culturalists is tough as of late, however they’ve managed to do it quite a few instances now with Rogan, who I’m certain takes all of this into cautious consideration as his viewers continues to develop.