The “Heart of Gold” singer followed through on his threat on Jan. 27, and removed his artwork. Quickly, his former associates Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, the guitarist of Bruce Springsteen, the country singer Taylor Swift, the leader of Radiohead Thom Yorke imitated him. As well as Harry and Meghan, handsomely paid to tell their golden life in their own podcast.
Neil Young, here in concert in 2017, is renowned for his ethical and ecological commitments.
AFP
1. Why Spotify is plummeting
With 400 million users worldwide (including 180 million premium subscribers), the Swedish platform, founded in 2006, responded limply, claiming to be only a broadcaster (and not a publisher) and already moderate some contents. “Erasing voices is a slippery slope. Silencing Joe Rogan is not the answer,” said founder Daniel Ek.
But the economic impact of the “bad buzz” is spectacular. According to the American professional magazine Variety, 19% of users of the platform have canceled their subscriptions or plan to do so very soon. Shares of Spotify fell more than 10% and the platform reportedly lost two billion dollars in market value.
2. Who is Joe Rogan
Unknown outside the United States until this case, Joe Rogan saw the spotlight shine on him. This combat sports commentator (particularly of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, in Las Vegas) has 6 million monthly listeners, more than a third of whom are subscribers to his podcast. Launched as an independent in 2003, his program joined Spotify in 2020, for a contract estimated at 100 million dollars. All themes are covered: sports, politics, aliens (they exist), climate change (it does not exist), Covid-19, etc. Mike Tyson or Kanye West were invited to deliver their narcissistic and conspiratorial delusions.
This February 7, Spotify, pressed by the controversy, withdrew 70 episodes (out of the 1,770 already online!) in which the insulting “N word” (“nigger”) was repeated in abundance. And Rogan issued a belated apology.
3. Neil Young Persists
A measure that cannot appease the wrath of Neil Young, very talkative on his own website: “How sweet to see Spotify suffer, at least in the short term” he wrote in a revengeful message, published the same day . In particular, he lists “a whole bunch of good reasons to leave Spotify that have nothing to do with Joe Rogan”, mainly ethical, and calls for the desertion of artists and employees. “To Spotify employees, I say this: Daniel Ek is your problem, not Joe Rogan. Ek pulls the strings,” he wrote. “Leave this place before it devours your soul.” Ek’s stated goals are about numbers — not art, not creativity.