Neil Young to Return Music to Spotify, Accuses Streaming Services of Hosting Disinformation

Neil Young said he would return his music to Spotify after a two-year boycott, citing Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music’s adoption of “the same disinformation podcast features” he had opposed at Spotify. Writing on his website, Young admitted he could not simply leave every streaming service because his “music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all.” He also continued his ongoing riff on the sound quality of Spotify streaming, calling it “the #1 streamer of low res music in the world” and urging the platform to add a high-resolution tier.

Young originally removed his music from Spotify, in 2022, to protest its exclusive deal with Joe Rogan, whose podcasts now appear on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. “I first learned of this problem by reading that 200 plus doctors had joined forces, taking on the dangerous life-threatening COVID falsehoods found in Spotify programming,” he wrote at the time. “I realized I could not continue to support Spotify life threatening misinformation to the music loving public.”

Spotify responded that it had “removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic” and regretted Young’s decision. Rogan also apologized and pledged to “balance things out” with “experts with differing opinions.” Last month, he renewed his contract with Spotify, this time without an exclusivity clause.

Young and Crazy Horse, meanwhile, are setting off on a North American tour next month.