Legendary rocker Neil Young has finally admitted defeat in his two-year campaign to silence podcast host Joe Rogan.
Young, once known for his rebellious and anti-establishment attitudes, had called for other musicians to boycott Spotify in protest of Rogan’s “dangerous” opinions on COVID-19. But it seems his call to action fell on deaf ears, as Rogan’s audience and influence continue to skyrocket.
The 78-year-old singer announced this week that he will be returning his music to Spotify, a platform he had previously pulled his catalog from in protest. Rogan’s recent multi-million dollar deal with the streaming giant allowed his podcast to be featured on other platforms, including YouTube and iTunes.
Despite his efforts to silence Rogan, Young found himself on the losing end of the battle. And his reasoning for the backtrack was nothing short of ironic.
According to Young, he can no longer boycott Apple and Amazon, where his music is still streamed, because it would limit his reach to his fans. In other words, he realized that he was hurting his own success by standing by his principles.
“I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all, so I have returned to Spotify.”
But Rogan was not one to let Young off the hook. On a recent episode of his podcast, he poked fun at Young’s about-face, jokingly congratulating him for having “ethics.”
“Congratulations, Neil!” Rogan joked. “His excuse was, he said that because all of the platforms are now allowing my ‘disinformation,’ so he should just go back on Spotify, too.
“Great to know you’ve got some ethics,” Rogan continued.
Neil Young quit Spotify to protest Joe Rogan’s covid opinions. Last month Joe Rogan got a new $250 million Spotify deal. This week Neil Young announced he was ending his boycott & returning to Spotify. So perfect: https://t.co/30MXze9rnx
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 17, 2024
This recent turn of events only highlights the irony of Young’s actions. After all, this is the same man who headlined a “Freedom of Speech” tour back in 2006 and was once a vocal advocate for free expression. But when it came down to defending the rights of those with differing opinions, Young tucked his tail and ran.
This is not the first instance of a prominent figure showing a double standard regarding free speech. UC Berkeley, once known for its role in the ’60s free speech movement, now has a reputation for allowing radical mobs to suppress opposing viewpoints on campus.
The ACLU, once a leading defender of free speech rights, has also watched as the Biden administration censored social media users with opposing opinions.
“Congratulations, Neil”
Joe Rogan and @ConceptualJames taunt Neil Young for returning to Spotify. pic.twitter.com/hOMidICBoS
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) March 14, 2024
