Spotify Removes Neil Young’s Catalog from its Streaming Service

Spotify has agreed to remove Neil Young’s music catalog from its streaming service. Young had issued an ultimatum to the streaming service giant to remove the Joe Rogan podcast or remove his catalog. Young’s ultimatum came after he accused Rogan of spreading lies about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Young said the move was done with the support HIPGNOSIS, who owns a 50 percent stake in Young’s catalog as well as Warner Brothers – Reprise Records. Young said he will lose 60% of his worldwide streaming income.

Concurrently, Young is bringing his catalog back to SiriusXM, and this will include the return of Neil Young Radio to the satellite radio service.

The following is a letter published to Young’s website:

I want to thank my partners for standing with me.

My deal with Merck Mercuriadis and HIPGNOSIS began on January 1, 2021. The company HIPGNOSIS now has part of my publishing and I am very happy with their support. I want to personally thank Merck and HIPGNOSIS for standing with me. Losing 60% of worldwide streaming income by leaving SPOTIFY is a very big deal, a costly move, but worth it for our integrity and our beliefs. Misinformation about COVID is over the line.

My good friends at WARNER BROTHERS – REPRISE also stand by me and I love them for it. Misinformation about COVID cannot be accepted. I sincerely hope that other artists can make a move, but I can’t really expect that to happen. I did this because I had no choice in my heart. It is who I am. I am not censoring anyone. I am speaking my own truth. I know Daniel Ek who owns SPOTIFY, a private business. I like Daniel. I wish he had not taken the steps he has taken because it stopped my music from being shared on his SPOTIFY platform. It stopped us from working together to spread the music. But we are still friends.

UNIVERSAL MUSIC stood by me too! I am so thankful for the conscience of Michele Anthony, Bruce Resnikoff, UNIVERSAL MUSIC and all these big Music organizations, stepping up and delivering with me. I truly appreciate your help and support. I encourage you to do all you can to stop SPOTIFY from spreading dangerous life threatening misinformation about COVID. 

Music is our life. It is sacred. It lives in young minds and souls. Do not let SPOTIFY contaminate those young music loving spirits with misinformation that could cause death. We need to stand behind the spirit of music and protect music lovers everywhere. Thanks so much for being there and standing with me!

Again, WARNER BROTHERS, UNIVERSAL and HIPGNOSIS, my great partners, are standing with me to help stop the flow of misinformation from SPOTIFY. Thanks so much to all of you. We did what we had to do.

Love Earth 
be well
neil