Just Days After Neil Young Reverses Course, Joni Mitchell Also Quietly Returns to Spotify

Photo Credit: Elaina Finkelstein / Library of Congress

More than two years after following Neil Young and pulling her music from Spotify, Joni Mitchell’s body of work is back on the streaming platform.Only days after Neil Young’s music inexplicably returned to Spotify, Joni Mitchell’s music is back on the streaming platform. It’s been more than two years since the legendary artists pulled their catalogs from the Stockholm-based streaming giant in protest of what they called amplifying misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine.

In 2022, Mitchell announced she was standing “in solidarity” with Young and having her catalog removed from Spotify over the “irresponsible people” who were “spreading lies that are costing people their lives.” Young had given Spotify an ultimatum in either featuring his music or Joe Rogan’s podcast, which he accused of spreading misinformation about vaccines.

That move followed over 270 health professionals who signed an open letter asking that Spotify develop a “counterinformation” policy because of Joe Rogan’s podcast, where the host promoted “fringe” ideas “not backed in science.”

Last month, Spotify signed a multi-year deal with Joe Rogan, ending its exclusivity agreement and making his show available on other platforms.The 80-year-old Mitchell has yet to issue a statement about her music returning to Spotify, but 78-year-old Young spoke out about his choice, writing, “My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify.”

“I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all, so I have returned to Spotify, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it,” Young continued.

Spokespeople for Spotify have declined to respond to media requests for comment.