Nils Lofgren’s music is said to no longer be available on Spotify. Guitarist Neil Young and Joni Mitchell join forces with this decision. They also had their music removed from the streaming platform. The occasion is a protest against the spread of misinformation about the corona vaccination by Spotify – especially through podcasts like the “Joe Rogan Experience”.
Lofgren explains his motivations in the following statement: “A few days ago my wife Amy and I found out that Neil and Daryl [Hannah] have joined hundreds of healthcare professionals, scientists, doctors and nurses to call attention to the spread of lies and misinformation about Spotify, which has the potential to hurt and kill people. When these heroic women and men who spend their lives healing and saving ours cry out for help, they are not turned away for money and power. You listen and stand by them.”
After Young and Mitchell, Lofgren has his music removed from Spotify
The guitarist is referring to one open letter, published by a group of doctors, scientists, professors and health workers. In addition to Spotify, Netflix is also urged to do something against the spread of potentially dangerous misinformation about the corona vaccination.
This letter prompted Young’s decision to remove his music from Spotify. Mitchell soon followed suit. Now Lofgren decided to do the same: “As I write this letter, my music from the past twenty-seven years has been removed from Spotify. We’re also reaching out to the labels that own my earlier music [die Songs von damals] to be removed as well”.
“Raise your sword and start swinging it”
The guitarist is also encouraging other musicians to join him: “Music is the sacred weapon of our planet, uniting and healing billions of souls every day. Raise your sword and start swinging it. Neil always has. Stand by him, us (Joni Mitchell!) and others. It is a powerful action that all can take now to honor truth, humanity and the heroes who risk their lives every day to save ours.”
Joe Rogan’s podcast is considered particularly problematic. His show “Joe Rogan Experience” is notorious for spreading false reports about the corona pandemic. Among other things, Rogan has in the past urged his young fans not to be vaccinated. He also invited the controversial virologist Dr. Robert Malone for an interview. He compared the security measures to combat the corona pandemic with the Holocaust. He also claimed that the public is being “hypnotized” by the government during the pandemic.