Long-time rocker Neil Young doesn’t like what Joe Rogan is saying about COVID-19 on his popular Spotify-exclusive podcast so he gave the company an ultimatum; Joe or me. Spotify chose Rogan and will be deleting Young’s music from its service.
Podcasting is considered by many in the space as the final frontier of free speech. Young believes Rogan is spreading misinformation about COVID. Rogan’s long interviews do include people critical of both how the virus has been handled by the government and the vaccine.
Young had about 6.6 million listens per month on Spotify, according to media reports. Rogan is the number one podcaster in the world, millions of people listen to his 3-hour long episodes. Spotify paid Rogan $100 million to come over to the streamer exclusively as the company tries to compete with Apple for the ears of podcasters.
Spotify sent the following statement to The Washington Post: “We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. We regret Neil’s decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon.”
Neil Young is not as relevant as Joe Rogan.
Deal with it
“Podcasting is considered by many in the space as the final frontier of free speech” Radio Ink
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Isaac Asimov
COVID is a hoax. The vaccines sterilize you and let Bill Gates track your movements. You know who created them – Satan!
Please – if you love the Reality Show Con Artist and the traitor cowards in the Vichy GOP, make sure you don’t fall for this COVID hype.
In fact, make sure you contract the virus and take double, I mean TRIPLE the dose of the horse wormer or pool cleaner. Show those wussy “librels” how REAL ‘Mericans roll.
May you all be buried in your MAGA-T hats.
Godspeed to the promised land!
Folks, both these guys make more money than I do. I’m actually listening to Rogan right now. I VT’d my whole show (as usual) and am at home. Don’t worry, I’m checking email and making sure that the Morning Show plugs all the client liners tomorrow. Also, the Promotions director has the weekend street hit calendar updated. We’re gonna be looking good at a gas station on Saturday. Might give out a koozy or two. I won’t be stopping by.
Also, my usual 2 hour lunch got cut short today. JUST KIDDING! LOL!
-Tee
I see similarities between what happened to Neil Young and Dan Bongino. Neil gave Spotify an ultimatum, and they took it. Dan told YouTube he doesn’t need them, and they agreed. Both Spotify and YouTube are private businesses. You don’t like the way they’re run? You’re welcome to take your business elsewhere. Neil Young has lots of other places for his music, and Bongino has lots of other places for his videos.
I also think the coverage of this is from the wrong angle.
Joe Rogan’s podcast signals to advertisers that there is a brand safety issue with Spotify. Advertisers that want to be linked to the breadth of opinions over vaccinations and politics will continue to support Spotify and brands that are hesitant to be linked to those conversations will leave Spotify and go elsewhere.
Talk radio made that decision many years ago and radio has arguably benefitted. Facebook has shown that it can afford to lose the many advertisers that it lost due to similar concerns. Spotify has signaled that is also believes that it can afford to polarize listeners and advertisers.
Blah, blah, blah.
Maybe it’s as simple as Spotify saying, “We will choose our business model; not you, Young. Get lost.”
They took the time to say:
“We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.”
blah blah blah … but not Joe Rogan’s podcast.
“Podcasting is considered by many in the space as the final Frintier of Free Speech, says Radio Ink.”
“We’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID 19” says Spotify.
Whew, I’m feeling a little dizzy. Give me a moment. I need a glass of water and some fresh after reading those two statements.
Let me try that comment again since I’ve stopped hyperventilating.
“Podcasting is considered by many in the space as the final Frintier of Free Speech”, says Radio Ink.
“We’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID 19” says Spotify.
Whew, I’m feeling a little dizzy. Give me a moment. I need a glass of water and some fresh air after reading those two statements.
“It’s my way or the highway” immediately comes to mind.
Enjoy your lonely road trip, “Doctor” Neil Young. You deserve it.
Unfortunately every audio platform (digital or over the air) from Spotify to Sirius/XM to iHeart or Audacy distributes some content somewhere that is contributes to either the “Big Lie” or vaccine misinformation. Because it’s a free country. But c’mon – we can’t blame Neil Young for trying to do something that he believes in. He does not deserve to be belittled (“…a once popular singer…”?) or called a “loser.” He didn’t lose – he chose. And chose to live his values. Respect. Spotify also chose – choosing their values as a business. Respect. Now I’m going to delete my free Spotify account from my phone because I too can choose.
Young overestimate his importance and popularity…neither of which he much possesses anymore. He got overconfident and just lost big time.
Actually, Young might not view it as a loss. He is very bull headed. He takes a stand and travels to the beat of his own drum and he seems fully prepared to accept the outcome.
Neil Young is also a health expert and the arbiter of truth? Wow, a man of many talents
I think the coverage of this is approaching it from the wrong angle. Neil Young didn’t expect for a minute that Spotify was going to dump Joe Rogan. He was simply exercising his right to not play a part in Spotify’s profits so long as they were allowing misinformation to flow freely on their platform.
So there was no contest, only a protest. Who won? Nobody.
ehh, well I wouldnt say Rogan won, but Neil definitely lost
What happened to the 60’s montra “Live and Let Live”? I thought Neil preached that and freedom.
When a once popular singer suddenly decides that he will choose what you are allowed to say or hear it ends badly, as it should.
Tommy Lee
agreed Tommy! Refreshing to hear from the other side, Freedom of speech people!
Exactly, Tommy…although it could well be argued that Neil Young has not been “popular” for decades. Just sayin’.
As (almost) always money wins over decency and integrity. I would guess that that those who may get sick or die from dishonest advice are worth less than $100M. I would guess that if Rogan made Spotify $100K per year that he’ed be out of there fast.
Without any reference to this decision, Spotify is a horrible experience. It’s mind blowing that they have such a huge listenership, given their lousy business model.
Agreed about the business model. UX is far superior to other streamers, but Spotify is nearly impossible to work with from an advertising standpoint.