Young praises Amazon after removing catalogue from rival Spotify
NEIL Young has praised Amazon Music and offered his fans four months free on the streaming platform just days after removing all of his music from its rival Spotify.
The Grammy award-winning musician said Amazon was “leading the pack” in high-quality audio production and encouraged fans to use the service to access his entire catalogue.
Young reportedly requested his content be removed from Spotify due to its hosting of the Joe Rogan podcast, which has been known to air vaccinesceptical views.
The streaming giant said it “regretted” Young’s decision and hoped to welcome him back soon.
But a Twitter post from the Neil Young Archives on Friday said: “All folks looking for my music can easily head to AMAZON MUSIC ... all new listeners will get four months free.
It added: “Amazon has been leading the pack in bringing hi-res audio to the masses, and it’s a great place to enjoy my entire catalogue in the highest quality available.
“Love earth, be well. Neil.” Following Young’s reported concerns Spotify said it aimed to balance “both safety for listeners and freedom for creators”, and had removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid since the start of the pandemic.
It acquired The Joe Rogan Experience podcast in 2020, reportedly for more than $100 million (£77m).
Stand-up comedian Rogan, 54, has previously attracted controversy for suggesting the young and healthy should not get vaccinated.
Big Yellow Taxi singer Joni Mitchell has said she is standing “in solidarity” with Young by removing her music from Spotify following controversy over the spread of coronavirus misinformation.
The Grammy award-winning singer said the streaming giant was allowing “irresponsible people” to spread lies that were “costing people their lives”. Mitchell also shared an open letter signed by a coalition of medical professionals calling on Spotify to take action against “mass-misinformation events” occurring on its platform.