India Arie and Graham Nash Join Artists Protesting Joe Rogan, Announce Plans to Leave Spotify
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India Arie and Graham Nash have announced their plans to follow those protesting Joe Rogan’s podcast by removing their music from Spotify.
“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, following in the footsteps of his former bandmate.
Young led the push to boycott the streaming service in an open letter published last week, in which he slammed Spotify for “potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread” on Rogan’s podcast.
In a Tuesday Instagram post, Arie also shared that she plans to pull her music from the platform, citing Rogan’s “language around race.”
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“Neil Young opened a door that I MUST walk through,” Arie wrote. “I believe in freedom of speech. However, I find Joe Rogan problematic for reasons other than his Covid interviews. For me, it’s also his language around race.”
“What I am talking about is respect — who gets it and who doesn’t. Paying musicians a fraction of a penny? And him $100 [million]? This shows the type of company they are and the company that they keep,” she continued. “I’m tired.”
In addition to Young, Joni Mitchell also demanded that Spotify remove her music in an open letter penned to the platform last week.
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” it read. “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.”
