Like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, the great Gilles Vigneault has decided to withdraw his musical catalog from the Spotify platform in order to protest against the lies related to COVID-19 broadcast on the podcast of controversial host Joe Rogan, which the Swedish giant relays. .
• Read also: Joni Mitchell follows Neil Young and withdraws from Spotify
• Read also: Spotify announces measures against misinformation about COVID-19
In a press release, the creator of Gens du pays explains that “when an artist from any known humanist culture sets a good example of civic rigor and intellectual rigor, there are compelling reasons to follow him.”
“I therefore find that Neil Young and Joni Mitchell are right to give us this example and it is as honorable as it is relevant to follow them in their rejection of the proven dangerous falsehoods professed by theorists of galloping populism. I therefore support with all my convictions their audacious approach, dictated by an ethic that is the true guardian of our thoughts and our values,” writes Gille Vigneault.
“Lies for Money”
Neil Young confirmed last week his spectacular 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 misinformation about COVID-19. 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, Barnwas released in late 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”.
– With the collaboration of AFP