Left-wing rocker Neil Young has encouraged Spotify employees to quit the platform in protest over the CEO’s decision to back Joe Rogan against the cancel mob.
In a message posted to his website, the “Southern Man” singer told the “workers at Spotify” that CEO Daniel Ek is their number one problem, not Joe Rogan.
“To the workers at SPOTIFY, I say Daniel Ek is your big problem — not Joe Rogan,” said Young. “Ek pulls the strings. Get out of that place before it eats up your soul. The only goals stated by Ek are about numbers — not art, not creativity.”
“Notice that Ek never mentions the Medical Professionals who started this conversation,” added Young. “Look, one last time – at the statements Ek has made.”
Young was referring to the 270 doctors, professors, and physicians who signed an open letter demanding that Spotify boot Joe Rogan.
In his statement, Neil Young also advised the Baby Boomer generation to use their financial capital to “ditch companies contributing to the mass fossil fuel destruction of the earth.” He also told artists to “find a better place than Spotify” to distribute their work.
Last month, Neil Young sparked a movement when he demanded Spotify to remove his music from the platform in protest of Joe Rogan; Spotify complied and Young’s music was removed from the platform.
Initially, Spotify said it would unequivocally back Joe Rogan until other artists and podcasters began pulling their work from the platform, which then prompted Spotify to add “content advisory” to shows that discuss the coronavirus.
“It’s become clear to me that we have an obligation to do more to provide balance and access to widely-accepted information from the medical and scientific communities guiding us through this unprecedented time,” Ek said.
In response, Rogan said that he supported Spotify’s decision and that he would try to include more establishment voices in contrast to his more controversial guests like Dr. Robert Malone and Alex Berenson.
One of things Spotify wants to do, that I agree with, is that at the beginning of these controversial podcasts—specifically the ones about COVID—is to put a disclaimer and say that you should speak with your physician and that these people and the opinions that they express are contrary to the opinions of the consensus of experts, which I think is very important. Sure. Have that on there. I’m very happy with that.
Last weekend, Rogan found himself in hot water after a video compilation surfaced of him using the N-word (sans context) multiple times on his podcast. At one point, Rogan referred to a black neighborhood as “Planet of the Apes.” Rogan immediately took to social media and apologized for his language.
“It’s not my word to use. I’m well aware of that now, but for years I used it in that manner,” Rogan said. “I never used it to be racist, because I’m not racist.”
“But whenever you’re in a situation where you have to say, ‘I’m not racist,’ you fucked up. And I clearly have fucked up,” he added.
On Sunday, Daniel Ek sent a letter to his employees apologizing for Joe Rogan’s language while resisting the calls to remove him from the platform.
“I want to make one point very clear — I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” Ek wrote. “We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope.”
As many as 70 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience were removed from Spotify as a result.
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