Last week, Neil Young issued an ultimatum to Spotify after growing frustrated with podcast king Joe Rogan spreading COVID-19 misinformation on the platform. “They can have Rogan or Young,” he declared. “Not both.”
Spotify chose Rogan; a firestorm ensued. Joni Mitchell and some other musicians ditched the service, while author Brené Brown paused her Spotify-exclusive podcast. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, who have a big Spotify deal, voiced “concerns.” The company’s stock has shed billions in value over the past week, prompting founder Daniel Ek to respond Sunday by publishing a set of platform rules and promising to add content advisories.
But the message was clear: whether to defend free speech or secure profits, Spotify was standing by Rogan. And some are wondering whether the episode is about to set off a mass exodus of musicians, perhaps enough to endanger Spotify’s enviable position atop the streaming heap.
