Neil Young attends a press conference for Farm Aid 34 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin, on Sept. 21, 2019.
Gary Miller | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Neil Young on Wednesday said his music will return to Spotify, just greater than two years after he and other artists removed their catalogues from the music streaming platform amid a vaccine disinformation dispute.
Spotify has not confirmed the news. CNBC has contacted the corporate for comment.
The incident that led to his departure centered on Spotify’s multimillion-dollar take care of Joe Rogan, whose eponymous podcast was accused by Young of spreading “fake information” in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccines. A bunch of 270 U.S. doctors and scientists also called on Spotify to “take motion against the mass-misinformation events which proceed to occur on its platform.”
In an announcement released Tuesday, Young said his decision to return was in light of Apple and Amazon “serving the identical disinformation podcast features” he opposed at Spotify.
Spotify announced a multiyear take care of Rogan last month that removed its exclusivity, meaning “The Joe Rogan Experience” will return to platforms, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Amazon Music.
“I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have little or no streaming outlet to music lovers in any respect,” Young said on his website.
The singer, whose hits include “Heart of Gold,” “Old Man” and “Harvest Moon,” made multiple digs at Spotify in his statement, calling it the “#1 streamer of low res music on the earth … where you get less quality than we made.” He also urged the platform to introduce a high-resolution tier.
Young previously said Spotify accounted for 60% of his global streaming revenue, prior to his departure.
Last month, Young and band Crazy Horse announced a recent album, “Fu##in’ Up,” and a North American tour.
Other artists who pulled their work from the platform in January 2022 include Joni Mitchell, India Arie and the group Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The move placed Spotify able to make a choice from quite a few legendary musical figures and the controversial but hugely popular Joe Rogan podcast, which was its most streamed show in 2023. On the time, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said he didn’t consider in “silencing” Rogan.
Rogan issued an apology amid the furor, pledging to showcase a balance of views on his platform.
CNBC has contacted Apple and Amazon for comment.
