Neil Young announced that he would bring his music catalog back to Spotify after previously boycotting the company for allowing podcasting giant Joe Rogan to freely discuss controversial topics related to COVID-19 and vaccinations.
The 78-year-old rock and roll star demanded that Spotify remove his tracks from its service in January 2022, declaring the company "can have Rogan or Young. Not Both." Young had previously called on Spotify to censor Rogan for what he claimed was false or misleading information about the pandemic.
"Spotify has recently become a very damaging force via its public misinformation and lies about COVID," Young wrote as Spotify agreed to remove his songs later that month. After artists like Joni Mithcell and Nils Lofgren also removed their music, Rogan published a lengthy video and said he was "very sorry that they feel this way."
Now, Young is returning to Spotify and claims his decision stemmed from his belief that competing services owned by Apple and Amazon have also become home to disinformation.
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"Spotify, the #1 streamer of low res music in the world — Spotify, where you get less quality than we made, will now be home of my music again," Young reluctantly announced Tuesday.
"My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at SPOTIFY," Young wrote.
"I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all, so I have returned to Spotify, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it. Qobuz and Tidal, where my music is presented, are all High res as well," he added.
Young again took a shot at Spotify, saying he hopes the millions of Spotify listeners enjoy his songs "except for the full sound we created."
He then urged Spotify to return to high-resolution music.
"Spotify, you can do it! Really be #1 in all ways. You have the music and the listeners!!!! Start with a limited Hi res tier and build from there!" Young wrote.
He has previously criticized the company for offering "degraded and neutered sound" and suggested that Spotify supporters are "destroying an art form."
It is unclear what podcast "disinformation" found on Apple and Amazon that Young is referring to.
Last month, Spotify agreed to a new deal with Rogan. Under the new contract, "The Joe Rogan Experience" will also be available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.
