Spotify has started trending on every social media and none of those responses are positive. Ever since the platform removed Candian Singer Neil Young‘s music from the library, Spotify has come under a number of attacks. “Delete Spotify” and #cancelspotify is trending on Twitter. The problem started ever since the 76-year old rock star demanded that Spotify either remove his work or remove Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Neil Young took to public and put a public letter on his website, which has now been deleted. In this letter, Young mentioned how Rogan is spreading wrong information about COVID vaccines. In the letter, titled, ‘A Message to Spotify’, Young said that Spotify as a platform has become a damaging force by spreading misinformation about COVID and vaccination. In another letter, ‘Spotify: In the Name of Truth’, Young expressed how the listeners who are starting new on podcasts, are being faced with wrong information and possibly practicing the same.
Young himself expressed how he could not support the platform as it hosts someone who can continue to spread extreme misinformation about the deadly pandemic. As a result, Spotify removed Neil young while hosting Comedian turned podcaster Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Rogan’s show has been a deal of contention for even healthcare workers. Around two hundred and seventy health care professionals came together to send an open letter to Spotify. They urged the platform to address the wrong information being broadcasted on Rogan’s show. Not only is Rogan promoting anti-parasitic ivermectin for COVID 19 treatment, which has not been approved or is backed by scientific evidence, Rogan has also had a guest appearance of Dr. Robert Malone who has been a well-known vaccine skeptic.
“The Joe Rogan Podcast” was the #1 podcast on Spotify in 2021. Therefore, the effect that the podcast has on people is massive. Even since the trend started, Spotify has released a statement that it works on balancing the safety of listeners as well as the freedom of creators. Therefore, while it has removed around 20,000 episodes related to COVID-19, Spotify has yet to do anything about Joe Rogan.
The trend of #cancelspotify has gained massive popularity on Twitter. However, at the same time, people are mocking the trend relentlessly. The matter has divided Spotify users into two extremes, one completely abandoning the platform while the other going as far as to get the Premium account.
Amidst the chaos, Apple Music took over the trend to ensure their stats grow and troll Spotify at the same time. The Apple Music app has a section titled, “We Love Neil” which was previously not there. The company has continued to feature Neil Young via its Twitter account and notifications to its users.
As #cancelspotify rages onto the internet, many famous personalities such as Sarah Reese Jones and Carolyn Boyle have publicly expressed that Spotify is damaging and at the end of the day, replaceable.
With a drop in users, it is only a matter of time to see how Spotify reacts to the situation. While it has expressed worry about creative freedom, the platform has taken no action against the podcaster. Spotify has earlier expressed how they only host the services and are not responsible for what the people have to say.
