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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Streaming Means Money, Neil Young Returns To Spotify


Principle apparently has limits.  Neil Young said he will allow his music to return to Spotify, two years after the singer pulled his catalog over opposition to the streaming service’s relationship with podcaster Joe Rogan.

Young penned an open letter to his manager and label in 2022 asking them to remove his music from the platform, saying it was spreading fake information about Covid-19 vaccines through Rogan’s show.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported Rogan had reached a deal that would allow his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” to be distributed more widely, a change from his prior exclusive deal with Spotify. Rogan’s fresh deal—estimated to be worth as much as $250 million over its multiyear term—allows his show to be distributed across several podcast platforms.

Announcing the return of his music to the service, the “Heart of Gold” and “Harvest Moon” singer-songwriter said he now had no choice but to go back to Spotify.

“My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify,” he said in a statement on his website Tuesday, without mentioning Rogan by name.

“I cannot leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers,” he added.

Young’s record label is Warner Music Group’s Warner Records, which licenses and distributes his music to streaming services. Spotify and representatives for Young didn’t respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Warner referred to Young’s statement.

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