Graham Nash Joins Neil Young in Spotify Boycott, Calls for His Solo Music to Be Pulled
Graham Nash is joining his former bandmate in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — Neil Young — in calling for Spotify to remove his solo music from the music streaming service due what medical professionals have said is COVID-19 misinformation shared on Joe Rogan’s Spotify podcast.
“Having heard the Covid disinformation spread by Joe Rogan on Spotify, I completely agree with and support my friend, Neil Young and I am requesting that my solo recordings be removed from the service,” Nash said in a statement obtained by TheWrap.
His statement continued: “There is a difference between being open to varying viewpoints on a matter and knowingly spreading false information which some 270 medical professionals have derided as not only false but dangerous. Likewise, there is a difference between misinformation, in which one is unaware that what is being said is false, versus disinformation which is knowingly false and intended to mislead and sway public opinion. The opinions publicized by Rogan are so dishonest and unsupported by solid facts that Spotify becomes an enabler in a way that costs people their lives.”
Last week, Young demanded Spotify remove his music from the service, saying he did not want to be associated with a platform that hosts “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which he said spreads “fake information about vaccines.”
“I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them,” he wrote.
Spotify removed Young’s music.
The list of artists joining the chorus calling for the removal of their music or content from the service, or offering support for Young, includes Joni Mitchell, Nils Lofgren (who is part of Young’s band Crazy Horse), and author and speaker Brené Brown.
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” Mitchell shared in a statement on Jan. 28. “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”
Her music was also removed.
For his part, Rogan issued an apology during a 10-minute video posted on his social media channels on Monday. During his commentary, though, he also said some people may have “a distorted perception” of him “based on sound bites or based on headlines of articles that are disparaging.”
“The problem that I have with misinformation, especially today, is that many of the things that we thought of as misinformation just a short while ago are now accepted as fact,” Rogan said.
Over the weekend, Spotify announced that a disclaimer will now air before Rogan’s show.
A rep for Spotify didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap on Tuesday about the Nash request.