Yesterday, Neil Young gave Spotify an ultimatum: choose him, or choose Joe Rogan. But he wasn’t going to let Spotify choose them both.
“They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young,” Neil Young wrote in a letter to his manager and label, “Not both." Young demands Spotify remove his music over "false information about vaccines" https://t.co/f1u4bDAu1L
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 24, 2022
Apparently in his twilight years, he’s softened somewhat on the value of free speech.
Love Neil Young’s music but what a f**king plank. In 2006 he did the ‘Freedom of Speech’ Tour, now he’s opposed to freedom of speech. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/sTJ7zP8PL7
— Right Said Fred (@TheFreds) January 25, 2022
Right Said Fred said it right.
Meanwhile, Young’s wife, actress and activist Daryl Hannah, said it very, very wrong:
inherently harmful disinformation used as propaganda does not = free speech
☮️— Daryl Hannah (@dhlovelife) January 25, 2022
a private company choosing not to profit off & promote propaganda – is not censorship
— Daryl Hannah (@dhlovelife) January 25, 2022
We’re willing to give her a pass on the second one … a private company can do what they want. And if what they want is to continue to generate revenue from Joe Rogan’s massively popular podcast as opposed to clinging to diehard Neil Young fans, they’re within their power to do so.
But her first tweet is just flat-out nuts.
I mean it literally does. https://t.co/kAQ3luSZID
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) January 25, 2022
It absolutely does though. https://t.co/fZj4tm1lEp
— Spicy Orange Will (@spudhawg) January 25, 2022
Sorry, Daryl, but it does.
Nah it does. You’re wrong. https://t.co/P1bUidIdsC
— Josh (@joshgivesup) January 25, 2022
Wrong AF. Problematic, too.
It literally does though
Will even one of these people stop for a second and consider who gets to classify things as “inherently harmful disinformation used as propaganda” https://t.co/giNuZOCSL9
— Vegito Main Lives Matter (@J_Weenus) January 25, 2022
And who defines disinformation? You? https://t.co/KhErBnR96X
— Retro (@RetroActiveGM) January 25, 2022
Who gets to decide what "inherently harmful disinformation" is? You?
What makes you more worthy than others? Nothing.
That's why free speech is needed, even if you don't like some speech in particular. https://t.co/wVBhjkK4j4
— G. F. Spooner (@gfs399) January 25, 2022
This is naturally a lie. Which ironically is free speech! https://t.co/ZMX6QUAves
— Andre Tarquinio (@81sportsfan) January 25, 2022
The tweet below could easily be construed as being exactly what they say should be banned. https://t.co/PjIdYCSeZd
— Meme Space Nine (@meme_space_nine) January 25, 2022
Oh dear. This is awkward.
I vote to keep Joe Rogan. Neil Young can do what he wants to.
— Bruce (@BruceDavisFla) January 25, 2022
Best of luck to Neil in the future.