Neil Young’s bandmate and Bruce Springsteen guitarist Nils Lofgren is now the latest artist to pull their solo work from Spotify’s streaming services. This decision comes in protest of the music streaming service’s decision to continue airing the Joe Rogan podcast. Rogan has recently made waves as the podcaster is accused of spreading misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination.
Nils Lofgren joins fellow music legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in the decision to pull his work from Spotify’s library. This is, of course, a decision made in protest of one of the platform’s podcast series, The Joe Rogan Experience.
“A few days ago, my wife Amy and I became aware of Neil and Daryl [Hannah] standing with hundreds of health care professionals, scientists, doctors and nurses in calling out Spotify for promoting lies and misinformation that are hurting and killing people,” the former E Street Band member notes in a Saturday statement.
“When these heroic women and men, who’ve spent their lives healing and saving ours, cry out for help you don’t turn your back on them for money and power,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer adds. “You listen and stand with them.”
One Spotify Podcast Stirs Up Some Major Controversy
Neil Young spoke out against this issue last week. In doing so, the singer made waves for giving Spotify an ultimatum. Either lose him as a featured artist on the platform or discontinue support of Rogan’s show. Spotify responded to Young’s requests noting that the streaming service had no intention of ending its business with Rogan. Additionally, the music streaming platform adds that they believe the controversial podcaster’s commentaries “didn’t meet the threshold for removal.”
“We apply our policies consistently and objectively,” the New York Post notes Spotify PR leader Dustee Jenkins reportedly told employees of the music streaming platform.
“They are not influenced by the media cycle, calls from any one individual or from external partners,” the outlet adds to the reported statement. “It doesn’t mean I personally agree with this content. But I trust our policies and the rationale behind them.”
Encouraging Others To Stand Up In Protest
Nils Lofgren has encouraged other musicians and music fans to join the effort to stop the spread of misinformation. Furthermore, Lofgren encourages others to do this by cutting ties with Spotify, which boasts as many as 172 million subscribers. This isn’t the first time that the popular streaming service has been in the hot-seat, either. Artists have accused Spotify of paying musicians featured on the site a mere fraction of a penny per stream.
“We encourage all musicians, artists and music lovers everywhere, to stand with us all,” notes the seventy-year-old singer. “And cut ties with Spotify.”
“Music is our planet’s sacred weapon, uniting and healing billions of souls every day,” the musician adds. “Pick up your sword and start swinging.”
