Fans of Joni Mitchell no longer need to feel blue about not hearing “Blue” on Spotify.
The 10-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, known for “Both Sides Now” and “A Case of You,” has returned her catalog to the streaming platform following a two-year protest.
Mitchell, 80, stood in solidarity with fellow Canadian-born rocker Neil Young in pulling their music from the service in 2022 due to COVID-19 misinformation spread by “The Joe Rogan Experience.” The polarizing podcast is the most listened-to broadcast on Spotify.
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” she wrote in an open letter. “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.”
Young, 78, returned his music to Spotify last week, more than a month after the Sweden-based company announced its new non-exclusive $250 million deal with Rogan.
Last month, “The Joe Rogan Experience” started streaming on other platforms including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Amazon Music.
“My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify,” Young wrote on his website, without specifically mentioning Rogan. “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.”
The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, who’s been openly critical of Spotify’s audio quality, added: “I hope all you millions of Spotify users enjoy my songs! They will now all be there for you except for the full sound we created.”
Mitchell, meanwhile, had not commented on her music’s return to Spotify by Friday evening.
