As Spotify continues doing damage control over podcast host Joe Rogan’s spread of COVID-19 misinformation, two more musical giants have announced they’re yanking their music from the streaming service.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that R&B hitmaker India Arie has pulled both her music and her podcast SongVersation from the platform in protest of Spotify’s continued support of Rogan.
In her announcement, Arie also cited Rogan’s recent comments that it was “weird” to call someone Black unless they were “100 percent African, from the darkest place, where they’re not wearing any clothes all day.”
Arie also took to ">Instagram to voice her support for singer Neil Young, who pulled his music from Spotify last week, resulting in the company’s stock plummeting.
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“Neil Young opened a door that I MUST walk through,” Arie wrote. “What I am talking about is RESPECT — who gets it and who doesn’t. … This shows the type of company they are and the company that they keep. I’m tired.”
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Following Arie’s announcement, singer Graham Nash also announced he would pull all his music from the service. In a lengthy statement, Nash cited Rogan’s continued spread of COVID-19 misinformation under the guise of “differing viewpoints.”
“There is a difference between being open to varying viewpoints on a matter and knowingly spreading false information which some 270 medical professionals have derided as not only false but dangerous,” he said.
“Likewise, there is a difference between misinformation, in which one is unaware that what is being said is false, versus disinformation which is knowingly false and intended to mislead and sway public opinion. The opinions publicized by Rogan are so dishonest and unsupported by solid facts that Spotify becomes an enabler in a way that costs people their lives.”
Spotify reportedly paid Rogan $100 million in exchange for exclusive rights to his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Earlier this week, the company announced it would begin issuing content warnings to listeners on podcast episodes dealing with COVID-19.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Rogan has repeatedly cast doubts on the necessity or effectiveness of vaccines, even going so far as to discourage some listeners from getting them. He has also hosted vaccine skeptics, COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, and ineffective treatments for the virus, including horse deworming medication ivermectin.
Related: It looks like shock jock Joe Rogan might be in deep trouble with Spotify
Jaquelope
I wonder if Rogan himself has been vaccinated, or if he follows the CDC guidelines. Maybe it would change his tune if he were to become infected (but not die), so he could actually see how things really are.
We could also hope that if he did catch it, it would ruin his throat/voice enough that he couldn’t spout his garbage anymore.
Paris in Santiago
He IS vaccinated
Bosch
Rogan is not smart enough to understand the consequences of his actions.
Dr Malone though, he knew exactly what he was doing. That’s a guy who will gladly sacrifice some people for fame.
dcintenn
Not only do I also think Rogan has been vaccinated, he’s also been infected with covid (no more than a month or so back). I do like his work the past few years in the mma community, but his recent antics concerning vaccines and this pandemic are (at best) idiotic. Worse case his comments could spur some loony tune listening to his broadcasts to do something stupid we’ll unfortunately watch on the evening news.
undertow41
Not vaccinated, already had covid and was very “open” about his experience. I find myself enjoying some of his podcast that you have to pick and choose the content you listen to. He’s actually more of a moderate Democrat who is a little bit ignorant to the facts partly due to being extremely baked for most of his interviews. I hope people with some intelligence worth saving on this planet wouldn’t consider Joe Rogan a source for medical information.
Jacity
He isn’t vaccinated and he did contract covid, about 6 months ago give or take.
bachy
We are in a war against a ruthless virus which has killed over 5 million people in 2 years. Now is the time to get with the battle plan outlined by our leadership under the guidance of the best medical research available in the modern world. It is NOT the time to be giving platforms to conspiracy theorists, quacks and medical community outliers – which does nothing but slow the progress and endanger the populace.
Soldiers in battle don’t whine about their individual “freedoms” – they recognize the dangers and work TOGETHER to conquer a common enemy. To conquer an enemy this powerful, we must work TOGETHER – to win back the freedom that the VIRUS is hellbent on eliminating.
Fahd
Scandinavian companies are usually leaders in corporate responsibility, so for a company based in Stockholm, I think Spotify should have exercised more corporate responsibility much earlier — certainly, before things got to this point.
Seems like a few audience advisories aren’t going to do it now; maybe they should develop a spin off company for wacko or disinformation podcasts, a sort of Rush Limbaugh service with lots of advisories. Might be a way for them to have their cake and eat it too.
SamB
India Arie and Graham Nash are currently irrelevant. They don’t have anywhere near the cachet that Rogan has now. There will probably be a few more dinosaurs leaving but Spotify invested too much into Rogan to just drop him.
cc423
Oh look. Another little, self-centered troll who thinks just because they can type, that their opinion matters to anyone. It does not. You do not matter one bit.
Mr. Stadnick
You’re right he is valuable to them and is more important than truth. He should be required listening. Someone should pass a law making it illegal to not listen to him.
Fname Optional Lname
Rogan is Trump without the orange tint! He decided he could cash in on feeding mindless lemmings half truths and/or downright lies then laugh all the way to his couch while he watches re-runs of “Fear Factor” and masturbates to exhaustion.
SamB
So many good points I don’t know where to start.
Bosch
Anyone who stands up for medical integrity is immediately bad in your eyes, huh?
Cam
Awwwww, the desperate right wing troll that always defends anti-LGBTQ bigots and attacks victims is defending Joe Rogan.
That just makes Rogan look even worse.
Varika
Funny how you deem these high-profile artists “irrelevant” as if you somehow think YOU are relevant.
Insta_DudeKembro
Yet the “irrelevant” India.Arie forced Rogan to apologize for his racism. Hmmm.
cuteguy
Trump started this anti vaccine garbage and yet in true Trumpf fashion, he was a proven hypocrite, getting not only the vaccine but also the booster. But it’s too late bc he already created this GQP monster. Joe Rohan is vaccinated but he’s preaching lies.
Bosch
Maybe the GQP are secretly just trying to kill all their supporters. We should stop interfering.
IWantAFullBeard
Just an idea – there will always be someone willing to say something stupid for money. Wouldn’t it be better if we put our energy into teaching people how to recognize BS rather than trying to cancel every single person now and into the future who says something dumb? Why doesn’t Aria, Young Nash, etc take the money they earn off of Spotify and donate it to schools, libraries, and non-profits teaching folks? I would be way more impressed by that.
Bosch
You’re right, they should, but that’s a long term strategy. These short term actions are an attempt at minimising the damage today.
Worst part is, the people know it’s BS. They just prefer the lie because it’s the opposite of what their perceived political opponents believe. They will absolutely risk death before agreeing with the opposition on anything.
v6origal97
I hope someone with the streaming cache of a Taylor Swift joins these folks and makes a dent on their profits?
DrunkkShamrock
I’m still waiting for the “major fallout”. Let me know when it happens. Who are those other “artists” you speak of?
Jim
Yes Joe Rogan is a washed up actor trying to make a buck as well as he can and if it harms other’s, so what!
IT is an interesting question though about what is considered Black? Majority African DNA?
I’ve always preferred the term black (as well as white etc.) but recently found out my cousins were African American (10%) but they’re not black!
And what effect does culture have.
I’ve always considered my self of German Heritage but come to find out my DNA is mostly Scandinavian! Maybe that’s why I hate liverwurst!!! But then again I love blood Sausage!!
BaltoSteve
Well that all depends on where in history you look. At one point, as long as you were 7/8ths Caucasian, you were considered white. But in the early 1900’s some states tightened that shit up and enacted the even more racist 1 drop rule, where if you had a single ancestor who was black, you were legally considered black. A pretty Effed up time in our history.
James Hart
Liverwurst is delicious.
I had a German neighbor (she was born in Germany) who introduced me to a wonderful sandwich.
Toast some white bread, generously spread butter and spicy mustard on the two slices, add slices of tomato, Swiss cheese, and liverwurst together on it, some salt and pepper, and you’ll have a delicious sandwich.
Try it; you may like it. 🙂
Ronbo
Balto, Since the Whoopie cancellation, I’ve added “multi-racial” to my resume. I might win the identity lottery!
I was a (dime a dozen) white gay guy a while back. Today, I’m multi-racial, gay, CIS, trans, straight, bi and pansexual – depending upon my mood and clothing.
Seriously. I’ve had sex with both women and men. My birth gender is male; but, I’m at least half female emotionally on the inside. I’ve worn female clothing on several occasions. I’m attracted to strong individuals including both male and female and I’d love to meet Elliot Page – a rare strong silent type.
And yes, try liverworst. Onions and mustard are not optional.
Ronbo
Quotations can be easily researched. Instead of allegations, I’d rather see the actual evidence.
Please post the quotations that are so hateful and vile. We make a mistake when we manufacture enemies to enhance our political identity.
Cam
Translation: The Troll account will keep posting stuff like this to deflect from Rogan’s anti-vaxxer past.
James Hart
Cam:
Enough already.
You accuse everyone of either being trolls or right-wingers. You would have made a good assistant to Senator Joe McCarthy in the early ’50s because you’re very much like his real collaborator: Roy Cohn.
Ronbo
I wish that George Carlin were alive and I’m glad that his work featuring the word “ni**er” has not been censored. Look up “George Carlin and ni**er” to see a great comedian and free-speech advocate.
You see kids, we have a First Amendment which allows people to say stupid shit. It also allows people to discuss complex issues which some find objectionable or inaccurate. Does anyone think that we should erase all of Redd Foxx or Richard Pryor because they used the word “ni**er”? Should all music where it appears be banned? That is the point both comedians, Carlin and Rogan, discussed.
Cam, calling names and lying are ways to shut down all conversations in grade school. I suggest you plug your ears and scream “na na na, I can’t hear you”.