Neil Young has posted a note on Spotify demanding that his music be removed, citing the streaming service’s distribution deal with Joe Rogan and accusing Rogan’s show “The Joe Rogan Experience” of disseminating misleading information about COVID-19 and vaccines.
On Monday evening, the musician sent an open letter on his official website, which has since been removed. The letter is addressed to his LookoutManagement management team as well as Warner Bros. corporate leadership.
“Please immediately inform Spotify that I am actively canceling all my music availability on Spotify as soon as possible,” reads Young’s open letter. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading false information about vaccines — potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.”
“Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule,” the statement continues. “I want you to let Spotify know immediately today that I want all of my music off their platform. They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”
Young’s representatives could not be reached for comment right away. The musician’s material is still available on Spotify as of this writing.
Some public health professionals have also encouraged Spotify to take action against Rogan, accusing him of having a “concerning history of spreading falsehoods, particularly over the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The Joe Rogan Experience” is the most-listened-to podcast on the audio streaming service right now. In May 2020, Rogan inked a $100 million contract with Spotify, giving them exclusive distribution rights (but not ownership) of his podcast.
Source: variety.com