Neil and Joni, the Great Canadians

Reading some other stuff on this. There’s a good article in Financial Times that mentions how Neil Young’s catalog had a surge on other streaming services that wiped out whatever he lost via Spotify. “Neil Young is the 711th biggest artist in the US and 1,134th worldwide, yet by foregoing 60 per cent of his streaming income “in the name of truth”, all other streaming services boosted their love of “Heart of Gold” (and many other Young hits) by 300 per cent. “ This part sums it up fairly well: “Then again, maybe both Young and Spotify had the last laugh. The former has banked $150mn for songs that can’t be heard on the world’s biggest streaming service, bagged his own show on Sirius and now dominates the landing pages of Apple Music and Amazon. Meanwhile, Spotify has slapped a “Learn About Covid” banner next to Rogan’s podcasts, enjoyed more marketing than money can buy, introduced streaming to an audience that’s never heard of it and will surely reach the milestone of half a billion monthly active users faster as a result.” And after all that …I’m betting none of the people that don’t believe in the vaccine have changed their minds.

The way a racist pretends to apologize for his racism. Yeah, he's got a lot to say that people should use to decide important issues.

People making life decisions based on intentional false information sounds a bit wonky to me.

Here's the latest dumbass to make decisions based on easily provable falsehoods, help spread those easily provable falsehoods, and die because of it.

Everyone has a responsibility to not spread demonstrably false information that endangers the public.

My quip about his being Canadian-American was only a tongue in cheek reference to the title of this thread. You’re 100% right it has nothing to do with anything. As far as him hurting his own income…you’re joking right?

Going back to my more general rant about anti Vax whackadoodles from a few days back, earlier this week a bunch of Vax mandate protesters descended on Canberra to protest outside our Federal Parliament House. All well and good, I don't agree with their views, but in our free country peaceful protest (which this was) is perfectly acceptable.

Presumably, they wanted our leaders to hear their thoughts. Which is where the problem starts. Parliament wasn't sitting on the day. This is a matter of public record. So these clowns were yelling at an empty building.

Adjust the scorecard... its now Reality 248, Anti Vax loonies 0. Hell, that was such a stupid own goal, I'm deducting a point. Reality 248, loonies -1.

Conservatives don't seem to believe in taking a moral stand against anything except democracy. Weird.

Exactly Billy! oh BTW unless Spotify loses one of the top 100 on this list. they will be fine. I can't fine a true Rocker until ACDC at 102.

Hopefully Rogan doesn't ask his listeners to jump off a bridge!

The whole thing is rather silly to me. In a month this ‘news’ won’t be talked about…and nobody will care. Personally I think anyone who lives their lives based on what the Joe Rogans of the world blab about need to do some serious self evaluating.

Nils is still on Spotify. I'm overdosing on Valentine right now. Just in case...

Not sure you can MagicRat. It only gets worse. The Joe Rogan fans are out on full display anyway.

I can well imagine the level/nature of debate on this matter on the other place!

Oh, and that's great about Dave Grohl if true, he's always seemed principled to me.

Rumor has it Dave Grohl is also leaving Spotify. Maybe all the pro-vaxxers are right and these principled stands won't have any effect. On the other hand, in the past few days, Spotify has lost $4,000,000,000 worth of value, so at this point, it surely seems to be having an effect.

Also, to the surprise of no one, the other place has been discussing this and it's a cesspool. There are one or two over there I've thought about inviting over here, but haven't, in part because I don't recall ever seeing their names before.

No one should be hated for using Spotify, I've heard it's been overall a great platform for streaming music, stuff no one would have heard of otherwise. I've never had it but didn't ever feel a need or use for it, listen to what I want whenever I want and I ain't paying another platform for streaming, Netlix and Amazon are all my cheque book can handle. Movies are all I stream for the streaming sites I pay for.

I don't have the energy for the anti-vaxers anymore. I can't change shit with reasonable dialogue and scientific evidence, the genie is out of the bottle... We won't get rid of the virus, nor them.

Don't hate me, but Spotify is how I listen to music. It's convenient and cheap, I know it has nothing to do with music and all with making a profit, but is there a more practical alternative to streaming?

I'm too old school to use Spotify despite it's a Swedish company and that I probably should support it for patriotic reasons. I buy records or download songs for free in mysterious ways. I read a funny meme on the Young-Spotify issue. People younger than 40 don't know who Neil Young is. People in their 40's to 60's don't know that Neil Young is still alive and people older than that don't know what Spotify is.

Hadn't heard that 'bout Crosby, love how these old codgers are leading the pack in integrity though.

David Crosby tweeted that he would remove his music in solidarity with Neil and Joni but he no longer owns the music and it's not his decision. He has been one of the most vocally outspoken against Spotify and the piss poor royalties they pay artists so I know he would do it too.

I haven't really followed this story but I've done some reading the last couple of days.

I think the scarier, broader picture should be more at the front and centre.

Streaming platforms are here to stay, sadly.

I have a free Spotify account which I seldom use.

I think I last utilised it to listen to the Bruce/Obama podcasts.

It seems that, to Spotify, a podcast by a "libertarian" freak show, beloved of right wing trash, is of a greater commercial imperative to the organisation than the back catalogues of some pretty major artists.

I find it sad that the art output of these guys is of such minimal value.

I listen to a great deal of podcasts, primarily sporting or cultural in nature.

It seems to be a growth industry.....somehow, how the money making model of podcasts works passes me by.....advertising revenue I'd guess?

Another more general disressing factor is how a global pandemic became immediately, and overtly, politicised.

I recall posting on the Corona virus thread here that it was really sad it had to be properly placed in the "politics" section.

It seemed to immediately become a cause celebre for "libertarian" types who seemed intent on boasting about how they were going to fight to lead "normal" lives while the pandemic continued.

These people have, unquestionably, caused other people to die.

In the name of their personal liberty.

They probably don't see the irony in this.

Now it's the anti-vax moon units who are front and centre, fuck knows what their motivation is.

The world is such a depressing, fucked up place just now.....on such a wide variety of levels.

Nils has removed his music, too.

There are some articles referencing Young's own spread of misinformation on his album The Monsanto Years that may have contributed to the anti-science stance that the anti-vaxxers are taking today. I don't know how much truth there is to that, but it's something to be considered.