JONI MITCHELL'S REMOVAL FROM SPOTIFY: SHOULD MORE ARTISTS FOLLOW IN HER FOOTSTEPS?
- La Lena
- Jun 26, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 26, 2024
The Canadian folk artist Joni Mitchell removed all of her tracks from the popular music streaming service Spotify in retaliation to Joe Rogan's podcast the Joe Rogan Experience.
Devastating for fans but a powerful stance from the beloved folk artist Joni Mitchell as she refuses to keep her music on Spotify in protest to Joe Rogan’s anti-vax podcast that still runs on the music-streaming service.
The iconic singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell removed all her music from Spotify in protest to Joe Rogan’s podcast which she believes to spread misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. Even almost 2 years after the pandemic was declared null, neither Joni Mitchell nor Neil Young intend to put their music back on Spotify in the near future. Neil Young even stated that, “They can have Young or Rogan, not both”.
Although fans miss iconic tracks such as River and Both Sides Now, the Canadian artist believes that “irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives” as she states on her website along with an open letter to Spotify signed by dozens of medical professionals which urges the platform to address the “misleading and false claims” cultivated by the Joe Rogan Experience.
So, should more artists take similar action? It can be argued that by still being on Spotify, despite not directly addressing the topic, many artists condone Rogan and his stance. Therefore, do we have to ask ourselves if our favourite artists are by-standers in a larger debate costing people their lives, and if even by streaming music ourselves, are we supporting these waves of misinformation? However, the podcast star Joe Rogan is merely a representative of a wider community of anti-vaxers and other controversial figures, which could make us question even if we removed Rogan’s podcast from Spotify, would another influencer just take his place? Either way, it is clear that the Joe Rogan Experience is harmful despite Rogan claiming that he is “not trying to promote misinformation”. Therefore, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young’s powerful stance should be taken seriously, and perhaps if more artists took similar action, the damaging podcast, along with many alike, could be removed.
To listen to Joni Mitchell or Neil Young's music, you can find them on YouTube or Amazon Music
Joni Mitchell's decision to remove her music from Spotify is a reflection of the ongoing debate about content and expression on digital platforms. It raises questions about the responsibilities of artists, platforms, and the role of content moderation. Whether more artists will follow in her footsteps or take different approaches remains to be seen, but it's a topic that will likely continue to be discussed within the music industry and beyond. Most likely, there will continue to be competition for the placement of songs in playlist placement: https://artistpush.me/collections/playlist-placement