'The Five': Neil Young returns to Spotify after protesting platform
'The Five' co-hosts react to Neil Young returning to Spotify and woke musicians bailing on Texas' SXSW festival over military ties.
Joni Mitchell's music is back on Spotify after she pulled her songs from the streaming platform in protest two years ago.
Last week, the folk musician’s catalog of 70s classics appeared on Spotify after the artist boycotted the platform in 2022 alongside Neil Young.
The 80-year-old starlet followed Young after he left the digital service in protest against Spotify’s distribution of the Joe Rogan Podcast, which they both claimed spread false information about COVID-19.
NEIL YOUNG ANNOUNCES RETURN TO SPOTIFY AFTER PULLING MUSIC OVER JOE ROGAN PODCAST
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: Joni Mitchell accepts the 2023 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for American Song on March 01, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
In a 2022 open letter to the platform on her website, Mitchell wrote that the podcast was "promoting baseless conspiracy theories’ with a ‘history of broadcasting misinformation, particularly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic."
She continued to state her opinion, writing that Rogan’s show propagated "false" and "harmful assertions" that enabled Spotify to "damage public trust in scientific research and sow doubt in the credibility of data-driven guidance offered by medical professionals."
"I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. 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," the folk singer added in a statement.
Joni Mitchell silently adds her catalog of music back to Spotify after two year protest.
Rogan responded to both Young and Mitchell on Instagram shortly after they announced their departure from Spotify, saying"I’m interested in finding out what is correct, and also finding out how people come to these conclusions and what the facts are."
Mitchell’s recent return to the platform comes shortly after Young decided to add his music back to Spotify earlier this month.
In a statement reported by People announcing his return, Young referred to Spotify as the ‘#1 streaming of low res music in the world’
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In this photo illustration the streaming service logo Spotify seen displayed on a smartphone next to a pair of earphones. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
"My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I opposed at SPOTIFY," the "Heart of Gold" vocalist wrote.
He continued, "I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did with Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all. So I have returned to Spotify, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it."
Mitchell has yet to comment on her music’s return to Spotify.
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