Following the controversy surrounding Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removing their music from Spotify, Joe Rogan responded to the legendary musicians who are against Rogan’s alleged spreading of COVID misinformation on his podcast through the same streaming service.
Last week, Young wrote an open letter claiming he wanted to remove his music from Spotify because of Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on which he has interviewed numerous people and discussed the COVID vaccine. Mitchell and Nils Lofgren also took their music off the service to support Young and his opinion. Last night, Rogan responded in an 11-minute-long Instagram video.
Rogan said his podcast is a series of conversations intended to be entertaining. Alongside interviewing artists, Rogan has interviewed medical professionals and made a point that COVID information is constantly evolving. He said he is recently confused by the word “misinformation,” claiming its definition seems to change all the time. The podcast host furthered by explaining he isn’t upset with the iconic ’60s musician: “I’m very sorry that they feel that way. I most certainly don’t want that. I’m a Neil Young fan. I’ve always been a Neil Young fan … I’m not mad at Neil Young.”
Rogan also said he is “open” to the idea of interviewing “more experts, with differing opinions, right after I have the controversial ones.”
In the midst of all the commotion, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek issued a statement yesterday explaining that Spotify would launch a COVID-19 information hub, which will give podcasts that discuss COVID a content advisory linking to the hub. “One of the things that Spotify wants to do,” Rogan said, “that I agree with, is at the beginning of these controversial podcasts, specifically these ones about COVID, is to put a disclaimer and say that you should speak with your physician and that these people, the opinions they express, are contrary to the opinions of the consensus of experts, which I think is very important. Sure. Have it on there. I’m very happy with that.”
Rogan closed his response by telling of another experience he had with Young, when he was 19 working concert security and walked off the job at a Young show because the crowd was too rowdy. Rogan also sang a little part of Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” and misidentified Rickie Lee Jones’ “Chuck E’s In Love” as a Mitchell song.
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