From “Apple Music trolls Spotify by calling itself ‘the home of Neil Young‘” posted Friday on CNN Business:
The messaging is a clear dig at Spotify (SPOT) and possibly an attempt by Apple (AAPL) to use Spotify’s PR headache to gain some ground. In the third quarter of 2021, Spotify reported having 172 million paying subscribers. Apple has not disclosed comparable subscriber numbers in two years, but one recent report suggested Apple Music remains well behind Spotify in the market.
Earlier this week, Young expressed in a now-deleted post on his official website that he no longer wanted his music on Spotify because of its relationship with divisive podcast host Joe Rogan. On his Spotify podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the comedian has made frequent false and inaccurate claims surrounding vaccines and Covid-19, while also hosting numerous controversial guests.
Cue the tweet:
The home of Neil Young.
Listen to his entire catalog on Apple Music: https://t.co/sUGtz4JbB9 pic.twitter.com/YgRMygUqhi
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) January 28, 2022
My take: A nice bit of Jobsian PR jiu jitsu.
This is a huge win for Spotify.
I find it troubling when renowned experts in a field have different opinions than professional bureaucrats and the news media calls it “controversial” and the government calls “problematic information” and “big tech” works to actively silence the “problematic information.”
There is a word for this. It escapes me at the moment.
With all due respect…seriously? Even assuming that 90% of the people don’t know who Neil Young is, he’s supposed to consider this in deciding whether to stand on his principles? One which, as you yourself point out, will certainly cost him money. See below – Neil had polio as a kid. And he’s Canadian by birth. I think its safe to assume that his stance on vaccinations and sound public health measures reflect these circumstances.
Other artists are taking sides, predictably.
I doubt many here know that both Neil and Joni had polio when they were children. Joni even had special adaptations to her guitars so she could play certain notes. Thus both know how important public health measures – including vaccinations – are in preventing serious illness and death.
That is true, thanks to the smart decision by Spotify. Neil wanted censorship, and got upset when he didn’t get it.
Clearly some outlets are so desperate to maintain any type of audience they’ll risk all of that to garner clicks and maybe some market share. When we’re past this global crisis many survivors might find they’ve learned a lesson or two. Credibility, once lost, is difficult or even impossible to recover.
Neil Young and Joni Mitchell (2 of many major musicians I’ve met in my career) have no worries about their musical careers, millions of fans like myself enjoy and respect their life work.
From my youth, I’ve sought medical advice from health care professionals, not politicians, newsreaders or musicians. I contracted COVID-19 in March, 2020 after staying several nights in a Manhattan hotel popular with tourists. It nearly killed me and left my lungs damaged from all the fierce coughing and seizures. I lost family members, friends & clients to COVID before the vaccines became available. I got all three vaccine doses as soon as I could. Anyone who downplays the value of an effective vaccine has no idea of the purpose of inoculation. George Washington personally vaccinated some of his troops against smallpox. Surgeons have worn face masks for a 100 years, for proven reasons. I watched outbreaks of AIDS, TB and malaria devastate overseas communities where I lived decades ago. Those experiences are burnished in my memory therefore I do not tolerate people or firms that play ratings games using misinformation about public health for personal gain.
Anyone who strongly holds beliefs that contadict science needs to thorough ask themselves if they’re the victim of a misinformation campaign and start cracking the books.
“Too many commenters on this thread seem to support [censorship].”
You need to be careful when you put words in other’s mouths. Per your statement, it’s either (1) allow misinformation (purposefully disseminated untruth) or (2) allow censorship. But there are other choices.
An example: It’s not censorship to follow misinformation with the facts. So insist that equal time be given for rebuttals. (It’s called “civil discourse”, btw). Isn’t it amazing how few times actual scientists are allowed to present the facts and instead we hear from vested interests alone?
“Oh no! You mean I won’t be able to lie with impunity?” That’s unAmerican!”
At base, the problem stems from control of the megaphone, so giving the alternative viewpoint equal time at the megaphone should be built in and required. Of course, megaphones cost money, which is why deep pockets get the most access. Well, If that means we the taxpayer need to step up and fund that equal time because the deep pockets are hogging the megaphone, then so be it.
Real Americans believe in a level playing field.
That’s just another of the myriad of reasons why I appreciate the broad range of perspectives shared by everyone on this platform in what I always find to be commenced in a very civil manner.
Thanks again for the broader perspective about this unique situation.
So?
That’s not censorship either!
https://wisdomquest.com/batches.mov