Spotify under fire for 'spreading vaccine misinformation' via Joe Rogan podcast

Following Neil Young's lead, Joni Mitchell has removed her music from streaming service.

Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has announced that she will remove her music from Spotify following the lead of Neil Young in protesting the popular streaming service giving voice to misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines.

Mitchell acted in the aftermath of Wednesday's announcement by Spotify and Young that the platform would remove his music following the his objection to his songs playing on the same service that offers a podcast by prominent vaccine skeptic Joe Rogan.

"I've decided to remove all my music from Spotify," Mitchell said in statement published on her website. "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," she added.

Earlier this week, Young shared a letter on his website addressed to his manager and his record label demanding that Spotify no longer carry his music, writing, "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both." The letter was later deleted from the site.

Rogan, who began his career as a stand-up comedian, has long stirred controversy with his views on the pandemic, government mandates and Covid-19 vaccines. Being the host of a top-rated podcast on Spotify, Rogan questioned the need for vaccines on his show and said he used ivermectin instead, which is an anti-parasite drug that has no proven benefit against the coronavirus.

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