Still rocking in the free world? Neil Young gets his music removed from Spotify

[Kyriakos]

So, is Spotify making money for music artists? (I suppose so? I know nothing about it...).
It would seem that Young had a miscalculation (going by himself then removing his request, but it was already late) about how much Spotify values his music compared to how much it values the JR show.

I guess you could say... Spotify is Russia to JR Serbia. Neil Young's music thus becomes lost Galicia.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I daresay he's wealthy enough that he can afford to do it for the sake of principles.

 

[Berzerker]

Serbia and Galicia, reminds me of one of the best and easiest board games of all time - Diplomacy - anyone for a little backstabbing?

We used to have 1-2 dozen people on the internet playing on alternate maps in addition to the original board

anyway, Neil will have to update some of his songs - censoring the free world

 

[Kyriakos]

Serbia and Galicia, reminds me of one of the best and easiest board games of all time - Diplomacy - anyone for a little backstabbing?

We used to have 1-2 dozen people on the internet playing on alternate maps in addition to the original board

anyway, Neil will have to update some of his songs - censoring in the free world

Neil Young should remember
Spotify don't need him around anyhow

 

[Narz]

Strange battle to pick. He's mad Rogan didn't get vaccinated?

 

[Kyriakos]

Afaik it is the aftermath of a (soft/temporary?) ban on JR's show on youtube. Neil probably thought he could bring about the analogous in Spotify, but I think the latter is JR's web home and they pay him a lot since he brings them revenue.
It'd be very unlikely that they'd care as much about Neil.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Strange battle to pick. He's mad Rogan didn't get vaccinated?

He's mad that Rogan is spreading misinformation about the vaccine.

 

[Narz]

Oh I see, due to this interview?
https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/jan/06/who-robert-malone-joe-rogans-guest-was-vaccine-sci/

 

[Quintillus]

Two relevant points, one being what Valka already mentioned that Neil Young can afford to take a stand on principle when he wants to and not worry about going broke.

Another being that he hasn't been the biggest fan of streaming in general over the past decade, famously launching the Pono Player as a higher-fidelity alternative to streaming and mp3s, and bemoaning the low quality of streamed music (which was probably worse on average at the time than it is now). I doubt he made any money over those decisions, but it was the principle of the matter. I also suspect most people's ears aren't as well-trained to how music is supposed to sound as his are; I know when I've done sound tests between 128 Kbps mp3, VBR mps, and FLAC, I pick each of them as the "best" about 1/3 of the time when listening over my headphones, indicating I can't really tell much of a difference, at least for the typical track.

I doubt he expected Spotify to choose him over Rogan given their $100M (rumored) deal with Rogan. If his action is going to impact Spotify's calculation, a lot of other artists would have to make the same decision. Which seems unlikely, given how most people will choose money over abstract principles in most situations. But maybe a few others will follow his path, maybe some people will cancel their subscriptions as a result, and if nothing else he's managed to raise the issue of the problem of Rogan's misinformation. Which as I understand it, is not just limited to vaccine misinformation, but conspiracy theorists in general.

 

[Samson]

I also suspect most people's ears aren't as well-trained to how music is supposed to sound as his are; I know when I've done sound tests between 128 Kbps mp3, VBR mps, and FLAC, I pick each of them as the "best" about 1/3 of the time when listening over my headphones, indicating I can't really tell much of a difference, at least for the typical track.

Over the plague I have set up decent speakers and amp. I have not actually done a "blind listen test", so I am not convinced it is not placebo, but I think I can tell between 320 kbps mp3 and flac, particularly with opera. I have not tried spotify, but youtube sounds really flat compared to a decent version.

 

[Berzerker]

“I support free speech. I have never been in favor of censorship. Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information. I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others.” - Neil Young

You told Spotify to censor Joe Rogan and you believe in free speech?

Oh, and many of those front line health workers are being coerced into vaccines they dont want, hows about that Neil?

 

[Moriarte]

Afaik it is the aftermath of a (soft/temporary?) ban on JR's show on youtube.

Hm, I am pretty sure JR signed exclusivity deal with spotify a while ago and doesn’t post to youtube at all, as part of that deal.

I’ve watched at least half a dozen JRE shows (Elon Musk, Tarantino, some others) over last 6 months and I appreciate him as a person who gives a voice and long format talk platform to those people I’d like to know more about. With Joe, however, there are few weird topics which he constantly rotates into, no matter the guest:

DMT. He seems convinced by previous guests that our entire civilisational awakening rests upon someone finding natural hallucinogens, tripping on them, in the process contacting outer civilisations and knowing hidden truths of the universe. Woohoo! Which ties in to his second favourite topic:

Aliens. He believes aliens are available for contact to anyone taking the right dose of hallucinogens. He often explains that his DMT trips are more real than reality outside DMT trips. And that he personally contacted elves and aliens in his trips. As did other people he knows. Often invites people who are interested in this topic and asks random people about that too!

Vaccines. After getting sick with covid (no vaccine) Joe started promoting ivermectin worldwide through his show (anti parasitic drug), citing some sources that it’s a cure for covid. He invited several people voicing very different ideas when it comes to vaccinations, and often voiced his own stance, which goes along this line: covid vaccine is irrelevant to a healthy person and he’d rather promote healthy living than vaccines.

Anyway, having respect to Joe as a rare and talented interviewer, I am in no bit surprised by Neil reaction. The amount of horse horsehockey about vaccines I heard on that show is immeasurable.

 

[Samson]

Joni Mitchell joins Neil

Singer Joni Mitchell has joined Neil Young in asking for her music to be removed from Spotify over Covid misinformation concerns.
"Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives," the Canadian singer said in a post on her official website.

In her message on Friday, Mitchell said she stands in solidarity with the Canadian-American singer, Neil Young, and with the "global scientific and medical communities".
​

 

[Berzerker]

oh god, we've come full circle with the 60s generation

now they're the old timers yelling at the kids to get off the lawn

even Howard Stern

 

[amadeus]

You told Spotify to censor Joe Rogan and you believe in free speech?

I wouldn’t be quick to call it censorship if Young doesn’t want to share the same platform as Rogan.

 

[Berzerker]

then he should leave and not demand censorship

 

[amadeus]

I don’t agree that it constitutes censorship.

 

[Kyriakos]

I wouldn’t be quick to call it censorship if Young doesn’t want to share the same platform as Rogan.

Yes, but the issue was he gave an ultimatum (he later erased it), that either Spotify cancels JR, or it takes his own music off. He didn't voluntarily take his music off nor ask for it outside a gamble (though tbh I wonder if he even knew how much Spotify was invested in JR)

 

[Valka D'Ur]

oh god, we've come full circle with the 60s generation

now they're the old timers yelling at the kids to get off the lawn

even Howard Stern

You just don't get it. Spreading misinformation, particularly medical misinformation, is dangerous. These musicians don't want to help anyone make money if they continue to allow this harm to go on. Therefore, they are removing their music.

What snide comments will you come up with if younger musicians follow suit? (you know, the ones not born until the '70s or later)?

 

[amadeus]

Yes, but the issue was he gave an ultimatum (he later erased it), that either Spotify cancels JR, or it takes his own music off. He didn't voluntarily take his music off nor ask for it outside a gamble (though tbh I wonder if he even knew how much Spotify was invested in JR)

I don’t see though that denial of access to a private business as being an imposition of censorship, though. I’m not on TV and I have opinions—am I being censored?