January 26, 2022

"Spotify sides with Joe Rogan after Neil Young ultimatum."

The Hill reports. 

Spotify is removing Neil Young’s music after the musician gave the streaming service an ultimatum, saying it could not provide a platform to both him and Joe Rogan due to the podcast host’s “fake information” on COVID-19 vaccines. “I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform. They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young wrote in a letter earlier this week to his record label and management team....

Well, of course, Spotify should side with Joe Rogan. The person who makes an ultimatum like that should lose. It's ridiculous. If that worked, there'd be an obnoxious celebrity throwing his weight around every day. 

So much for "rocking in the free world," Neil, you big jerk.

171 comments:

Kevin said...

If that worked, there'd be an obnoxious celebrity throwing his weight around every day.

Oh, I think that's pretty much the case.

Michael K said...

Who was that? I'd forgotten about Young, which is probably why he made the threat.

Howard said...

Neil Young put his money where his mouth is. It cost him a lot to make his point.

Paul Zrimsek said...

Old man yells at cloud server.

Mike Sylwester said...

Neil Young sure showed everybody!

Robert Cook said...

I say, GOOD for Neal!

gspencer said...

Like the lawyer who asks a witness a question the answer to which he/she doesn't already know, or the speaker who brings a bill to the floor not sure that all the votes are lined up, or calling a bluff or issuing an ultimatum,

be sure you've counted the cost.

Real American said...

I was shocked.....


...to learn that Neil Young was still alive.

Owen said...

Neil and I are both Canadians and his music, bad though it may be, is better than mine (nonexistent). But here he is just wrong.

That said, I think Joe Rogan won't beat him up. Joe seems OK with Canadians. He just did a FOUR HOUR interview/rap session with Jordan Peterson and IMHO that was major cultural exchange.

Limited blogger said...

Old Man takes a look at his life and yells....

"Get off my lawn!"

rcocean said...

I still have no idea who Neil Young is. Was he like Neil Diamond, only younger?

Tina Trent said...

Rogan was a fool to trust Spotify. They've already censored his podcast list. How much money is free speech worth?

rcocean said...

I guess Neil young showed them! Now Spotify won't pay him $$ for his songs.

Touche- Neil young - Touche.

Jersey Fled said...

Wow. Ann calls Niel Young a big jerk.

Who woulda thought.

tim in vermont said...

He has always been kind of a jerk, but I really enjoy his music. He has written a lot of great songs. I will miss his music on Spotify.

D.D. Driver said...

♫ Old man, look at my life
I'm a lot like you were ♫

madAsHell said...

A few years back, Neil Young was pushing his own streaming service called Pono. It offered 24-bit playback.......which is a little like the gold plated speaker wires they sold at the stereo shop.

It's really the 90/10 rule. 90% of us can't hear the difference, and the other 10% are liars.

Wiki reading comprehension quiz. Who did Neil Young approach for a capital investment is his Pono project?

Give up?? It's right there in the referenced Wiki page!!

Donald Trump.

guitar joe said...

One of the reasons Neil and others have sold their song catalogs is that streaming doesn't pay much. Not a financial sacrifice for him, really, and it's not like you can't find his music somewhere else. Like him lots, certainly leagues more than Rogan, but this was still a dopey move. Free speech is free speech and it disappoints me when people forget that.

Olds69 said...

Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
Sotify don’t need him around anyhow

Does it matter said...

What sucks is I like his music. There are many other artists whose music I like but could care less about them as people. To demand they remove Rogan is an ill informed and fascist response typical of the left. BTW we should not have any discussion about medicine, science,politics or any other topics. Lets just let the government and media do all the talking. The party of tolerance except for 1st, 2nd, etc amendmants. Anyway a mucisan who is a nutjob how weird. Glad he wants to control all thought as the price of entry to enjoying his tunes! It's his music so take yor ball and go home little boy. You would think a platform like spotify would have contracts on content and who knows maybe it was up for renewal or is a pay as you go at will deal. NY BYE.

Ann Althouse said...

The music isn't deleted yet, so I went into Spotify and downloaded the Neil Young albums that matter to me. They're all before 1980. I love the Neil of the distant past. The guy that's around pontificating today isn't anyone I recognize.

Ann Althouse said...

I'm listening to "Carnegie Hall 1970 (Live)."

guitar joe said...

"It's really the 90/10 rule. 90% of us can't hear the difference, and the other 10% are liars."

If you're comparing CD quality and high resolution, you're right, especially since CD playback has improved. If you're comparing CD or better quality and MP3s on a decent system--not your computer--the difference should be audible. If you care. Plenty of people don't. That's OK, but I'm pleased that Amazon music does CD quality or better, or I wouldn't subscribe.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I doubt Neil will lose much money, I can't see a lot of Spotify's users streaming his stuff.

Plus, I suspect Rogan gets his $100M regardless, which is why Spotify sided with him. It also helps that he has a larger audience share (11M) than Tucker Carlson (3.5M).

Maynard said...

I have been a big Neil Young fan since the late 60's. Like many talented artists, he thinks his talents are much broader than his ability to write great songs.

In the 80's he said some surprisingly nice things about Ronald Reagan. I guess he realized that he wants to be a member of good standing in the lefty tribe.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Too bad Rogen didn't get Neil to come on his show. I bet they'd end up as pals after the compared notes on hallucinogenics.

Seamus said...

I hope Neil Young will remember
Spotify don't need him around anyhow.

farmgirl said...

I’m glad they chose to keep Rogan- sad people always have to throw their weight around. Bantam weight- I’m guessing.
Althouse, calling ‘em as she sees ‘em!

rwnutjob said...

He sold half of his catalog years ago. Idiot

rcocean said...

Here are the 10 most recommended musical "artists" on the internet:
1 The Beatles
2 Bob Dylan
3 The Rolling Stones
4 David Bowie
5 Bruce Springsteen
6 Radiohead
7 Neil Young
8 Led Zeppelin
9 Prince
10 The Beach Boys

I listened to some of his greatest hits. He seems like a Bob Dylan knockoff with a better voice. Chicks must like him.

MikeR said...

Heh. Talk about punching down. Must have been a hard decision for spotify.

Enigma said...

I went one better and "unsaved" several Neil Young albums I had on OTHER streaming services.

Neil Young is a landmark and a legend -- his music defined rock and roll and influenced many even though his name isn't widely known. He is actually credited as the godfather of grunge (e.g., 1990s post-Nirvana Seattle music) per his album Rust Never Sleeps.

I take this as a grumpy old man losing his edge, but censorship efforts coming from a rock musician...pure irony...

Ann Althouse said...

I loved Neil Young way back in 1970 when we saw him in concert at the Fillmore East and one of the opening acts was Miles Davis (the other was the Steve Miller Band). Things like that don't happen anymore.

tim in vermont said...

Cookie, what did Joe Rogan say that says to you that he should be deplatformed?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Good for Neal? The dried up leftist tried one last Soviet trick and it blew up in his anti-free speech face.

Good.

Ceciliahere said...

Yeah, good for Neil. He just talked himself out of future earnings. I, too, don’t know Neil Young and thought of Neil Diamond. Now, I’ll never have the opportunity to hear Mr. Young’s music on Spotify. Oh well, if he feels better about himself then good for him. Spotify, like any company, knows who their cash cow is.

rcocean said...

Yes, that's when Miles Davis had left real jazz behind to reach out to a young, "hip" audience with his new music.

Jim at said...

Saw CSNY in the Tacoma Dome, geez, at least 20 years ago.

Neil Young was simply awful.

Even my late father-in-law (a huge fan) admitted he didn't realize just how lousy Young was on guitar.

Jim at said...

It cost him a lot to make his point.

Nom it didn't. He already sold the rights to his music and most of the people who listen to Spotify couldn't tell you the difference between Neil Young and Neil Armstrong.

farmgirl said...

Sad people = It’s sad that people…
I should have used my trusty dash-

Vance said...

Neil Young... wasn't he the "leftover" part of Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"Neil"

guitar joe said...

"Yes, that's when Miles Davis had left real jazz behind to reach out to a young, "hip" audience with his new music."

No one who has actually listened to Miles's music from that period would say that. It's difficult music, polyrhythmic, polytonal, very challenging. It ain't pop music, by any measure.

rcocean said...

BTW,what's so important about "Spotify"? You can listen to his music all over the internet.

JPS said...

I don't listen to Rogan, so I don't know whether I'd agree with Young's objections to him, but I'm glad Spotify declined to kick him off at Young's demand.

I do think Young should have handled this other than by ultimatum, but if this costs him, as he had to know it would, I can admire his putting his money where his mouth is.

As an aside, I always liked that Young wrote this, much later, about the reference to him in "Sweet Home Alabama": "'Alabama' richly deserved the shot Lynyrd Skynyrd gave me with their great record. I don't like my words when I listen to it today. They are accusatory and condescending, not fully thought out, too easy to misconstrue." I wish more people could be this reflective about their earlier statements.

Fustigator said...

What's Spotify?

This is why all my music is on CDs. Unless someone steals them from me, I can listen to whatever the fuck I want.

Someone commented over at Ace of Spades that Neil may not even own his music catalog anymore...anyone have any insight?

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

I don't really see this as that courageous by Neil Young. Does he really need more money? And I'm sure he can quietly reverse this at any time.

Normal people who have the audacity to express viewpoints inconsistent with woke narratives are more courageous because they risk having their livelihoods taken away every day. Thanks to evil and selfish people (Democrats) who want to win their issues and so stand by and let it happen, if not encourage it.

Mike of Snoqualmie said...

That worked for antifa. Their threats of violence got Andy Ngo's lecture moved from an auditorium to online with just two hours notice.

Fernandinande said...

I deleted all my Neil Young songs a few months ago.

madAsHell said...

Things like that don't happen anymore.

It seems that the way music is promoted has changed. The main act would drag along a couple of opening acts.

You don't see opening acts anymore. I think it died in the late '70's.

The Stones invite guests on stage during their set, and it's all carefully choreographed, but I don't really see anyone else inviting other talent to the stage.

I'm guessing that it was MTV video that killed the opening act star.

Search youtube for "Randy Bachman interview". It's a whole series of interviews from the CBC, and covers the Guess Who, and BTO years. I can't imagine loading up my gear, and driving 14 hours from Winnipeg across Canada, and the States to catch a gig in Texas.....brutal. In one of those interviews, he proclaims to being excited about catching a gig as an opening act.

EAB said...

First dance at our wedding was Neil Young’s “Over and Over.” My husband asked to choose the song and to surprise me. I didn’t know what it would be till it started. Didn’t know the song at all…was never much of a Neil Young fan, so it was pretty amusing. But it fit.

effinayright said...

"Old man, take a look at your life....
You're not at all like we are..."

Ann Althouse said...

"The music isn't deleted yet, so I went into Spotify and downloaded the Neil Young albums that matter to me."

No, that doesn't work as a way to save them. I can see the names of the song have all faded from white to gray, meaning they are not longer playable.

Bye, Neil.

boatbuilder said...

Keep on rockin' in the FREE world, Neil. That's what you said.

exhelodrvr1 said...

So when BLM gives ultimatums?

Ann Althouse said...

I remember one time, years ago, I had a commenter who insisted that I delete another commenter. He gave me an ultimatum. Either I took this one post down or he'd leave forever. It wasn't even a me-or-him asking me to take everything by that other person out, just one post he demanded I take down. If he'd asked in some other way, maybe I would have done it. The guy was praising his son — bragging about his son — and this other commenter mocked him for that. The ultimatum format really failed on me. The other person — the mocker — said I should just do what I wanted, and I left the comment up. The ultimatum guy left and never came back. Later, the mocker got mad about something else and left for good. He wasn't really that easygoing either. What the hell?! Anyway... the blog has survived, and I'm not going to let anyone push me around.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

"and I'm not going to let anyone push me around."

Nobody likes a pushover, anyway.

TaeJohnDo said...

Ann Althouse! I demand you publish this comment! Or not!

BUMBLE BEE said...

History Shows Us .... Censors are never the Good Guys.

Jim said...

Old man take a look at my life I’m a lot like you were.

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’.

The guy who wrote this has left the building.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Maybe he'll find a little cabaret somewhere, he can entertain the Stasi.

AZ Bob said...

I would like to see Joe Rogan do a podcast interview with Neil Young. Who do you think would be better prepared?

BarrySanders20 said...

My My Hey Hey
Ultimatums rarely pay
It's better to chill out than to go away
My My Hey Hey

Out of the blue and into the black
Althouse gives you this, you don't pay for that
An' once you're gone you can never come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I sang in a folk-rock CSN&Y style band at W&M in the early 70s, and other band members loved Young. Meh. His lyrics are based on evocative words and phrases that have little continuity, as in "Cinnamon Girl" or "Don't Let It Bring You Down." They don't mean anything, they just sound like they might mean something very deep. This has been Young throughout. He latches on to what sounds like it's a big deal, whether emotional, social, or intellectual, and temporarily sells out to it. I am very pro-vaccine, but Young is not articulating the best case here, he is trying to be the hipper one. Won't fly.

MikeD said...

I've seen it reported the Mr. Young had sold his music rights some years ago. Maybe that's why he's deleted "the letter"?

Clyde said...

So Neil Young is Curt Schilling of music, so to speak.

zipity said...



*Spotify to Neil Young*

"Bye Felicia...."

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Nobody is interested in an artist's politics. Not really.

Muggins said...

In the 1970s, I worked for a time as a cook while going to college. I shut down the grill after lunch and a waitress came in and begged me to cook up a hamburger for Neil Young. Grudgingly, I got out a pan and cooked up his burger, but the burger stuck to the bottom of the pan, and so I left the burned part in the pan and put the rest of the patty in his burger. Even at the time, I was not too perturbed. I like to do a good job at whatever I do, but messing up a burger for Neil Young, who I always thought was overrated, sat well with my conscience. He might have been a nice guy once, but that burger may have made him the creep he is today. So, all of this may be my fault.

Sir Lags Alot said...

He is actually credited as the godfather of grunge (e.g., 1990s post-Nirvana Seattle music) per his album Rust Never Sleeps.

And for that, I shall never forgive him.

wildswan said...

He's still available over on Youtube but I'm not sure he gets paid. I looked him up when I heard of his ultimatum; I was sure I had no idea who he was. But no, he did a lot of songs I know very well and like. I'd be sorrier for his self-cancellation, only I'm quite sure he'll be back. Meanwhile there's this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PeUFt21GOw
(Warning - I liked him but yet somehow I always wanted to laugh as the sad and meaningful songs wailed on and on.)

mezzrow said...

"I loved Neil Young way back in 1970 when we saw him in concert at the Fillmore East and one of the opening acts was Miles Davis (the other was the Steve Miller Band). Things like that don't happen anymore."

I'm trying to imagine that lineup, and the mix of people who showed up for it. Three totally different things. It was a different time. That doesn't happen any more - it's a variety show!

Frank Wilson said...

Let’s be kind. It can’t be easy being a has-been.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

Bravo, Professor! When it comes to an ultimatum, my rule is: If you tell me that I MUST choose sides, I choose the side that's not making me choose sides.

glenn said...

It's interesting to see the left's style of negotiation. They don't play to win, they play to feel good. Any second year law student would know that Neil left Spotify no choice but to cut him loose. But nonetheless, he feels real good about himself.

Maybe on balance, it's a win-win. The right gets to win, and the left gets to feel good. Watch for it in November 2022.

glenn said...

It's interesting to see the left's style of negotiation. They don't play to win, they play to feel good. Any second year law student would know that Neil left Spotify no choice but to cut him loose. But nonetheless, he feels real good about himself.

Maybe on balance, it's a win-win. The right gets to win, and the left gets to feel good. Watch for it in November 2022.

Jimmy said...

Sad. I enjoy his music, at least the early stuff. Never let someones idiot ideas on politics influence whether or not I appreciated their artistic abilities.
but what a bone head move.
And someone earlier in thread suggested neil could have gone on Rogans show. a great idea. let's have more debate, and less hissy fits. Free speech is a good thing, why are so many people against it?
Rogan seems pretty open minded about most things, and I would enjoy a debate between the two.

glenn said...

It's interesting to see the left's style of negotiation. They don't play to win, they play to feel good. Any second year law student would know that Neil left Spotify no choice but to cut him loose. But nonetheless, he feels real good about himself.

Maybe on balance, it's a win-win. The right gets to win, and the left gets to feel good. Watch for it in November 2022.

Joe Smith said...

The best dis I saw today was: 'I had to ask my dad who Neil Young was.'

: )

rocat said...

Well, as long as they leave 'Sweet Home Alabama' in... that's the best song 'ol Neil was ever responsible for.

Joe Smith said...

He wrote some good stuff...'Harvest Moon' is a romantic masterpiece.

But he also wrote some songs about saving the planet that would have been cringe-worthy if a third-grader wrote them. Some of the worst schlock I've ever heard.

tommyesq said...

Neil Young sold 50% of his catalog one year ago for $150 million, and has now caused that catalog to be unplayable on one of the world's largest streaming sites. How long before the purchaser sues Neil for screwing them out of the value of what they had paid so much for?

mezzrow said...

Thanks for the link to the Fillmore concert article. The story confirmed what I suspected about Miles's reaction to playing that bill and opening for Steve Miller.

Did you say Miles Davis (pause) opening for Steve Miller (pause again)?

I don't think so. That was someone's plan, but it wasn't Miles's plan. Great story.

Static Ping said...

There's a reason I own all my music and do not pay for streaming. I do not want to be at the mercy of anyone for my music selection.

That said, I did not expect Neil Young to pull his own library in a bid to censor the world's most popular podcaster. What a stupid timeline.

bflat879 said...

My guess is the Joe Rogen has more support on Spotify than Neil Young. Apparently he won't be missed.

sean foley said...

Another lesson in civility and unity from Neil Young. Joe Rogan is a likeable, friendly, considerate person who is willing to listen to anyone. Neil Young is the polar opposite.

Mutaman said...

rcocean said...

I still have no idea who Neil Young is. Was he like Neil Diamond, only younger?

Have never been able to understand why folks like to go on social media and brag about being ignorant.

Mutaman said...

"Anyway... the blog has survived, and I'm not going to let anyone push me around."

What a great analogy.

Jupiter said...

I know who Neil Young is. A very talented musician. I think I had one of his albums, back when I had a stereo. What's Spotify?

richlb said...

"Old man yells at cloud server"

Ha! Thread winner!

Mutaman said...

"I love the Neil of the distant past. The guy that's around pontificating today isn't anyone I recognize."

Ann now listens to Kendrick Lamar and Jucee Froot.

richlb said...

Neil is making Ted Nugent look sane.

Sebastian said...

"So much for "rocking in the free world," Neil, you big jerk."

Well, like any good prog, he meant free from people and opions he dislikes. You didn't think he meant free-free, did you?

Michael said...

Neil Young and Howard Stern fall into the same category for me: artists I've loved over the years now seemingly abandoning some core principles that made them so famous.

Aggie said...

...."He was a miner for a lot of gold"

Good to see old Neil contributing to society even past his creative accomplishments. Now he's an object lesson for everyone. Kudos to Spotify for taking the right action and being polite about it.

PapaRick said...

I love Neils music. Always have. Hate his politics but he is one lefty musician that I am able to ignore his lefty rants. Another great aspect to most of Neils music, as a guitar player I find his songs easier to play and sound great doing it. Doesn't matter to me if he is on Spotify or flitishy, I have all of his music mostly on Vinyl and the rest on CDs. I have never been on Spotify and quite likely never will be. See ya Neil. Got back to Canada and relax with my other favorite guy, Gordy.

Mutaman said...

The Althouse poster- "I never heard of Neil Young but I think Jordan Peterson is famous."

spd said...

Out of the black and into the blue.
Great epitaph.

rehajm said...

For those too young or too stoned to remember- Neil Young was an occasional appendage to a trio of folk rock musicians called Crosby Stills and Nash. Young would show up then disappear from time to time.

Kind of like herpes.

Milwaukee said...

Neil Young? Was he the Mr. Young we have heard about?
Which case I like this song better than anything he sang.
""Sweet Home Alabama"

Big wheels keep on turning
Carrying me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss Alabamy once again
And I think it's a sin, yes

Well I heard Mr. Young sing a ballad
Well I heard old Neil put it down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow"


I currently self-identify as a Texan, as in mailing address, voter registration, billing address, drivers license, automobile registration, and future burial plot. I'm not a Southerner, but I hold them folks with great admiration.

Rt41Rebel said...

I've just returned from our neighborhood dive bar to find this thread. Sal had just finished playing a Neil Young song, so I went up and requested a Joe Rogan song, if he could do it... Sal laughed heartily and said "Man, you're killing me!" Sal then asked the crowd if anyone knew any Joe Rogan songs. I love that place, good times.

Hugh said...

I’d love to know exactly what “disinformation” Joe Rogan has peddled. In all of the news/discussions about this issue I’ve seen no discussion of this. Is it disinformation from an objective point of view? For example, did he say that vaccines don’t protect you from getting Omicron? I’d love to know

Danno said...

Send that hoser back to Canada.

0_0 said...

Everybody Knows This is Nowhere is very listenable; I like it. Plus some of his other stuff.

And I own what I listen to or watch. "Buy" something that is only yours using someone else's platform? I do not get that.

Eric said...

I have to add, "Rocking in the Free World" is a protest song; the term "free world" is meant sarcastically.

Narr said...

Young and Peterson together prove that Canada produces very diverse weirdos.

My friends wore out the CSN&Y albums, but the Allman Bros, Chicago, and Stevie Wonder to name only a few American musicians, were easily as good or better.

Miles and Steve Miller is a story I hadn't heard, and I would love to know the details. I can just imagine--IIRC Miles was pretty contemptuous of W/white musicians generally, and a mediocre pop-rock act like Miller must have been like kryptonite to him.

Maynard said...

I loved Neil Young way back in 1970 when we saw him in concert at the Fillmore East and one of the opening acts was Miles Davis (the other was the Steve Miller Band). Things like that don't happen anymore.

Yes. I wish that I was at The Fillmore East for the Mothers of Invention last concert. It was a masterpiece. I also wish that I had the guts to hitchhike to Woodstock when I was 16.

I saw Neil in concert years later and he was terrific. I also saw James Taylor and Carole King in a four hour concert in 1971. It was terrific and reminds me that I regret the risks not taken in life.

Michael K said...

Have never been able to understand why folks like to go on social media and brag about being ignorant.

Hilarious. What's your excuse?

chickelit said...

Anyway... the blog has survived, and I'm not going to let anyone push me around.

A blog-trail strewn with sundry flouncers.

Ann Althouse said...

“ Neil is making Ted Nugent look sane.”

Nugent was on Joe’s show in November. Check it out. It was great.

Mark Nielsen said...

Neil has always had a difficult side. His unreliability is legendary, and reportedly responsible for the Buffalo Springfield breakup. During the 70s period when CSNY had spit into Crosby-Nash and the Stills-Young band, Neil left Stephen high and dry shortly into their tour because he just didn't feel like playing anymore.

"Long may you run" indeed!

Steve Rosenbach said...

Feh!I would only play his music to accompany slitting my wrists. I don't get what his attraction is, plus he regularly spouts leftist nonsense.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I wanted to ask - Where did Neil Young get his medical degree?

The community college of Montreal?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

As seen on the interwebz:

"Spotify don’t need him round anyhow!"

ALP said...

"Old man yells at cloud server"

Ha! Thread winner!
***********
Seconded. Ann, I demand you shut down this thread as "Old man yells at cloud server" simply can't be beat. I'll leave if you don't....

Butkus51 said...

Keep me searching for that heart of gold...and im growing old. Its sad.

Mutaman said...

Jim at said...
Even my late father-in-law (a huge fan) admitted he didn't realize just how lousy Young was on guitar.

Rolling Stone ranked him the 15th greatest guitar player ever. Right ahead of les paul and James Burton.

You're late father -in -law had no taste.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-guitarists-153675/

tim in vermont said...

Powderfinger is all Neil Young in one song, it's got his politics in it, but on the other hand, it's so strikingly original, people think that it's a true story. The guitar work is pretty good too. I was never a "notes per second" guy as far as listening to guitar anyway. He is still listenable today, has songs with hundreds of millions of listens on a platform that only came about decades after they were written. Rush often said that if nobody hated you, you probably weren't very successful. You can't have a big fan base without garnering a few haters along the way.

But yeah, he should have kept his mouth shut,

Patrick English said...

I visit McSorleys Ale House a few times a year and due to its proximity, always make a point of walking past the location of the location of the former Filmore East. I think it’s a bank now.

Butkus51 said...

Ted Nugent

I once had 15th row for Aerosmith and it ended up being T Bone Barnett backing them up. Chicago amphitheatre, 1980ish. T Bone got booes off stage, first and only time I ever saw that, wrong crowd was the issue. Aerosmith comes out, Joe Perry isnt there, so now im not happy.

Aerosmith comes out, Tyler is in mid heroin overdrive..........worst concert I ever attended. Middle of the show, ted comes out, and basically takes over, plays like 5 songs with them. They had to throw him off the stage.

and then I had to go to work at UPS at midnight

Lousy drummer too, but cool bass players as all bass players must be.

and now T Bone is producing Robert Plant/Allison Krauss albums

LA_Bob said...

I would love to have seen Joe Rogan's face when he heard about Neil Young's "ultimatum". Bet his eyes got as big as pancakes. He was probably chewing his nails. "Wha-wha-whaddyathink Spotify'll decide???"

Oh, how relieved Rogan must have been over the outcome. Dodged a bullet there, Joe!

Mutaman said...

For those of you who want to quit Spotify but don't want to lose your playlists, there's
there’s an app called SongShift that imports playlists from one streaming service to another. Works with Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, YouTube, and others.

stickyshift said...

I hope Neil Young will remember
Spotify don’t need him around anyhow

Mutaman said...

Ann Althouse said...
"Nugent was on Joe’s show in November. Check it out. It was great."

Anne is counting the days until Rogan interviews Kid Rock.

effinayright said...

Mutaman said...
rcocean said...

I still have no idea who Neil Young is. Was he like Neil Diamond, only younger?
*********

Have never been able to understand why folks like to go on social media and brag about being ignorant.
************

Yeah. It's like saying, "Who is this Mohammed guy? Never heard of him.

PaoloP said...

I share Althouse's fondness for Young's pre-80s music. I don't believe the young Young would like the old self.

Bunkypotatohead said...

He's Bidens age so his mental faculties probably aren't all there.
On the other hand, he knocked up Daryl Hannah, age 60, so he must have something going on.

PaoloP said...

I'm not going to delete the music I like because the author turned out a jerk.
I refuse to be caught in this evil game of resentfulness.

walter said...

"The guy that's around pontificating today isn't anyone I recognize."
He caught the same brain virus Howard Stern did.

Mutaman said...

effinayright said...
"Yeah. It's like saying, "Who is this Mohammed guy? Never heard of him."

I've heard of you-I hear you're a genuine cracker.

walter said...

(pinch nose): "Keep on jabbin' in the Neil World."

walter said...

Well I heard Mister Young whine about him
Well I heard ol' Neil put him down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
Now Spotify don't need him around anyhow

walter said...

Election Wizard Flag of United States Retweeted
Wag the Poso Dog
@JackPosobiec
·
5h
Spotify removed 2 more episodes of Joe Rogan while you weren't paying attention. They've removed 42 total now.

Wilbur said...

Neil Young.
Wisdom from 1976 - if you ever are feeling exhilarated or too full of yourself, take a couple of bong hits, sit down with your friends and listen to the album "Zuma".
Guaranteed to bring you down quicker than a ... lead zeppelin.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Neil is certainly no Frank Zappa!

Jeff H said...

Pretty sure I'm all for anything that saves the world from sanctimonious talentless hacks like Neil Young.

Beasts of England said...

‘Well I hear Mr. Young sing a ballad.’

I live in Alabama and have been singing that song since its release. I thought the lyric was ‘…sing about it.’ Thanks for the clarification.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

Heard Neil Young talk about Joe.
Heard old Neil put him down.
Hope Neil Young will remember,
Spotify don't need him around, anyhow.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

Lol was beat to Sweet Home lyrics. GG.

John Althouse Cohen said...

We’d be more free … and could do more “rocking” … if everyone would get vaccinated.

I agree with Neil Young about vaccines, but his protest didn’t work; he just gave free publicity to Joe Rogan. Now more people will search for Rogan’s podcast.

wendybar said...

He's even a bigger jerk, because he sold the rights to his catalog a few years back.

Kevin Rogers said...

I am curious to know what Neil Young thought the "false information"was.

(I didnt know Young was an expert in things immunology/virology/epidemiology...I must have missed all his learned lectures on Covid.)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

If you are going to be a jerk, you might as well be a big jerk.

AlbertAnonymous said...

Neil Young:
“They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both”

Spotify:
“Your terms are acceptable”

Jackass

Bruce Hayden said...

“I don't listen to Rogan, so I don't know whether I'd agree with Young's objections to him, but I'm glad Spotify declined to kick him off at Young's demand.”

The left routinely deplatforms those they don’t like. They were even able to, at some level, deplatformed the President of the US. They are trying with Rogan, but right now he is powerful enough that they aren’t, yet, successful. I don’t usually listen to Rogan, but he did exceptionally well interviewing Dr Robert Malone, the lead inventor of the mRNA technology in our vaccines, and a real expert in the field, as contrasted to the people, like Fauci and Collins, whose expertise extends to bureaucratic infighting and political survival. Malone has done a good job (thanks primarily to Rogan) of explaining why these COVID-19 vaccines are potentially fairly dangerous. More dangerous than the virus, and esp for the young, those without comorbidities, and esp those who have contraindications (or should have if the FDA were doing it’s job), such as the overdeveloped hearts of elite athletes.

The FJB Administration has been a disaster, which everyone should have expected, when they stole the election from Trump. We have a cabal trying to pull the strings of a senile old sexual pervert who should be in an Alzheimer's unit than in the White House. As his(?) Administration lurches from catastrophe to catastrophe, the only way the left sees to prevent complete collapse is to control the narrative, routinely suppressing any information that would hasten their imploding more quickly. It’s all about the narrative, because that is much of what they have left.

Part of why the FJB Administration is collapsing so quickly is because they are way over their heads. “Dr” Biden has a participation doctorate, as contrasted to the MD held by Drs Malone, Fauci, Collins, and even some here. Biden himself, after 50 years in politics, and absent his senility, might have done a better job than Obama. But he can’t for obvious reasons. We have a rudderless ship, with no real way to change directions, so they don’t. Two years ago masks seemed to make sense. Even a year ago, we knew that they didn’t, but then, we had no reason to believe that the vaccines were fairly ineffective and dangerous. Now we know differently. But the Administration is absolutely incapable of changing direction. They also don’t know what to do about the supply chain problem, Russia and Ukraine, inflation, etc.

Back to Rogan - the left wants to silence Rogan, because he points out that the emperor is wearing no clothing, or at least the President just shit himself again in public. They can do it with Andy Ngo, but Rogan is generating just too much money right now for them to be successful. For them, 1984 was a how-to manual, and not a cautionary tale. Young is just one of the better known foot soldiers of Mintrue (the Ministry of Truth), but otherwise is little different from the Dartmouth students who forced their school to disinvite Andy Ngo.

Meade said...

I wish young Joe would invite old Neil to be on young Joe’s podcast. That would be great!

Meade said...

"Joe! I'm gonna get Joe, or Neil. They're both... favorites, so either one is good, but if they have both, I'll get Neil, because Neil is a little more favorite. But if they don't have Neil, it's like alright it’s fine, cause Joe’s favorite anyway. It's like another favorite, but not as much. Not as much favorite. But they're both good. They're both good."

Meade said...

https://open.spotify.com/track/36AIZsFt5pveSliHiqXkG6?si=358738f4d76a427b

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hiccup

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The collective corrupt left along with big pharma $$$ are doing all they can to stomp on after-market drug therapies that show promise in aiding the early stages of covid.
Drug therapies that SAVE LIVES. and have saved lives in other nations where covid was spreading like wildfire.

I'm not anti-vaxx. I'm anti Soviet left.

Dr. Malone is fully vaxxed and a highly qualified and educated doctor. The collective left and big pharma want to silence him. Why?

*with corrections****

Jeff Vader said...

Legal question, can Hipganosis Songs Fund, owner of 50% of Neil’s catalog rights, sue Neil for loss of revenue from running his big mouth?

Achilles said...

Jim at said...

It cost him a lot to make his point.

Nom it didn't. He already sold the rights to his music and most of the people who listen to Spotify couldn't tell you the difference between Neil Young and Neil Armstrong.

If he sold the rights to his music, then went out and obviously undermined it's value, that seems like a tort to me.

The purchasers of those rights should sue Young.

Narr said...

I would be surprised if my son, 36 in a few months, has any idea who Neil Young is. (Then again, he listens to a lot of crap so maybe he does.)

Nothing disappears faster than rock and roll fame.

Thorley Winston said...

People under 30: who’s Neil Diamond?

People aged 31 to 61: Neil Diamond’s still alive?

People over age 61: what’s Spotify?

MadisonMan said...

Neil Young finds out he's not relevant. My my, hey hey.

~ Gordon Pasha said...

George Harrison was not a Neil Young fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC2QEg8Ffwk

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Woman Sneaks Ivermectin Into Hospital, Saves Husband's Life

It has come to this.

Why would our government be unwilling to save lives?

wendybar said...


Senator Rand Paul
@RandPaul
Bye Bye, Hey Hey
Neil Young is gone today
It’s better to boycott
Than to just obey
Bye Bye, Hey Hey

Seeya @Neilyoung

Even though Ohio is one of the greatest protest songs of all time, free speech is kinda important also.

guitar joe said...

"If he sold the rights to his music, then went out and obviously undermined it's value, that seems like a tort to me.

"The purchasers of those rights should sue Young."

My guess is that the provisions of the sale allowed this or it wouldn't have happened. The new owner could otherwise have said, "Mr. Young's wishes don't matter. The songs are now under our ownership and Spotify can continue to play them."

Robert Cook said...

Many commenters seem to assume Young expected Spotify to side with him, or to give in to his demand to "remove Rogan" in lieu of removing his songs, or that he thinks himself more important than he truly is, or that he is butt-hurt at losing royalties, etc., etc. How typically juvenile of the frequent commenters here.

I'd bet Young expected they would probably remove his music from their platform rather than remove Rogan. Young did not want his music to be associated in any way with what he considers dangerous mis- or disinformation from Joe Rogan, and neither did he want Spotify to profit by playing his songs if they were also going to allow Rogan a platform to promulgate (what Young considers) dangerous and false propaganda). So, he said: "Remove me or remove Rogan from your platform." Spotify removed Young.

Mission accomplished.

walter said...

Cheese,
The inpatient Covid "protocol" reimbursement requires rigid adherence.
Doctors face reprimand from admin and licesure boards if they stray.
As usual, guvmint designs incentivize destructive behavior and results.

guitar joe said...

The more I think about this move by Neil, the more I wonder if there's something more at stake here--an experiment, maybe. If listeners really want to hear him and let Spotify know, the people who own Young's songs can negotiate a higher royalty. This is a win for him. He gets some publicity, doesn't lose much dough, and appears to be taking a stand. If a lot of other musicians follow suit, it might have an impact because, again, it might lead to a renegotiation of payment. Streaming doesn't pay much.

LH in Montana said...

It's likely he just doesn't want to be on Spotify and the show gave him a good excuse. The WSJ reported yesterday that Neil had pulled his music off of Spotify and all other streaming services in 2015:

He said he didn’t need his content “to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution”

But, one year later he was back on Spotify. Oh, and he started his own subscription service.

Jim at said...

Rolling Stone ranked him the 15th greatest guitar player ever. Right ahead of les paul and James Burton.

Well, if Rolling Stone said it ...

/rolls eyes

The dude blew chunks at that concert.

Mutaman said...

"The dude blew chunks at that concert."

Eloquently put, Robespierre.

Robert Cook said...

Placing Young ahead of Les Paul in a ranking of guitarists is WACK!

LA_Bob said...

John Althouse Cohen said, "We’d be more free … and could do more “rocking” … if everyone would get vaccinated."

Hey, John, do you ever read stuff like this?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-vaccines-are-a-tool-not-a-silver-bullet-if-wed-allowed-more-scientific/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Douglas B. Levene said...

This was a purely cynical and successful attempt by Neil Young to gain some publicity and gin up album sales. No one has listened to Neil Young in a thousand years. I saw him once, in Boston at the Boston Tea Party (the successor on Landsdowne Street), and he was great, but I've moved on and he hasn't. I Haven't listened to him in a long time. I have tried but his new stuff (anything post 1974 or so) is all boring. Anyway, his albums are now trending in the I-Tunes store and that's what he wanted, and that's what he's getting.

Mutaman said...

"Robert Cook said...

Placing Young ahead of Les Paul in a ranking of guitarists is WACK!"

Big stretch from "Young is not as significant a guitar player as Les Paul" to "Young is incompetent." Anyhow who you going to listen to- Robert Cook or these guys who voted:

Trey Anastasio, Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Brian Bell (Weezer), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket), James Burton, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Gary Clark Jr., Billy Corgan, Steve Cropper, Dave Davies (The Kinks), Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing editor, Rolling Stone), Tom DeLonge (Blink-182), Rick Derringer, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Melissa Etheridge, Don Felder (The Eagles), David Fricke (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), Peter Guralnick (Author), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band), Brian Hiatt (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Lenny Kravitz, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Jon Landau (Manager), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Nils Lofgren (The E Street Band), Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe), Doug Martsch (Built to Spill), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Brian May, Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Roger McGuinn (The Byrds), Scotty Moore, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Tom Morello, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Brendan O’Brien (Producer), Joe Perry, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Robbie Robertson, Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes), Carlos Santana, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marnie Stern, Stephen Stills, Andy Summers, Mick Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Vieux Farka Touré, Derek Trucks, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Nancy Wilson (Heart)

Mutaman said...

I think the biggest omission from the RS list is Pete Anderson, Dwight Yoakam's former guitarist. Also, where's Don Rich?

Lost of quibbles but to call Neil Young a "lousy" guitar player is pretty moronic.