Joni Mitchell’s music is available on Spotify again, over two years after she removed her songs from the streaming service along with Neil Young, to protest what they saw as promoting COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
Spotify now has the songwriter’s popular songs like “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Both Sides Now” available for listening.
The 80-year-old singer, who recently performed at a tribute concert for Elton John and Bernie Taupin organized by the Library of Congress in Washington, had announced in January 2022 that she was supporting Young and taking her music off Spotify due to “irresponsible people” spreading harmful lies.
Young had issued Spotify an ultimatum that year, to decide between featuring his music or Joe Rogan’s podcast, which he accused of sharing false information about vaccines.
Last month, Spotify reached a multiyear agreement with Rogan, ending its exclusivity deal and making his show accessible on other platforms.
Although Mitchell did not comment on her music's return to Spotify, in a recent post on his website, 78-year-old Young wrote, “My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at SPOTIFY.”
“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, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said.
A Spotify spokesperson refused to comment to ITK about Mitchell and Young’s songs being available again on its service.
