Irish Examiner View: Neil Young’s Rogan ultimatum shows integrity

Neil Young (left) and Joe Rogan. Picture: AP

‘Heart Of Gold’ or ‘Like A Hurricane’ — either of those classic songs by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young could be used to headline his decision to remove his music from Spotify, the Swedish audio streaming provider.

Young asked for his music to be taken off due to Spotify’s hosting of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which has been spreading wild anti-Covid vaccine views. Rogan, an American commentator, is the most popular podcaster in the world, claiming more than 200m downloads in 2019 alone.

“Spotify has become the home of life-threatening Covid misinformation,” Young said on his website. “Lies being sold for money.” 

Spotify gained exclusive streaming rights to The Joe Rogan Experience in a $100m deal two years ago.

Young’s decision should come as no surprise. In 2020, he announced he was suing Donald Trump’s re-election campaign, alleging that his music has been used at rallies without his permission.

The 74-year-old star said that he could not allow his work to be used as a “theme song for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate”.