Country singer Joni Mitchell announced on Friday that she was removing her music from Spotify due to Covid-19 “lies” leaked on the streaming platform, as Neil Young had done shortly before.
• Read also: Neil Young, Joe Rogan and the delicate question of disinformation for the kings of streaming
• Read also: Neil Young accuses Spotify of COVID misinformation
“I have decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” the “Big Yellow Taxi” singer wrote on his site, supporting the folk-rock legend in his fight against the popular American host’s podcast. and controversial Joe Rogan.
“Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. “I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue,” explained the 78-year-old Canadian, who has 3.7 million subscribers on the platform.
The Swedish platform did not react.
Neil Young had confirmed on Wednesday his dramatic decision to remove his music from Spotify.
The American-Canadian singer has 2.4 million subscribers and more than six million listeners per month on Spotify, the world leader in music streaming. But Joe Rogan’s podcast, exclusive content from the platform, which accumulates millions of plays, was number 1 on Spotify in 2021.
“Spotify has become a place for potentially deadly Covid misinformation. Lies sold for money,” pointed out Neil Young, whose gesture was applauded by the boss of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Joe Rogan, whose contract signed with Spotify last year is estimated at $100 million, is accused of discouraging young people from vaccination and pushing the use of an unauthorized treatment, the ivermectin, against the virus.
“They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” said Neil Young, whose latest album, “Barn,” was released at the end of 2021. The career-long singer said he hoped other artists and record labels would follow suit.
Through the voice of a spokesperson, Spotify regretted the departure of Neil Young, but highlighted the balance between “listener safety and creative freedom”.