Two weeks after Neil Young announced his return to Spotify following a two-year boycott, Joni Mitchell has followed suit, her classics back on the streaming platform.
In January 2022, Mitchell joined in solidarity with Young by pulling her music from the platform. Spotify removed Young’s music from streaming after he criticised the platform. He accused it of allowing the spread of COVID misinformation by hosting Joe Rogan‘s podcast and issued an ultimatum: “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”
Mitchell agreed with Young’s stance, writing a blog post at the time: “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.”
With Neil Young’s music back on Spotify, Joni Mitchell has again returned, seemingly in solidarity. Her albums, including her debut Song To A Seagull, which just celebrated its 56th anniversary, 1970’s Ladies Of The Canyon, 1971’s Blue, 1974’s Court And Spark, 1979’s Mingus, 1985’s Dog Eat Dog, 2000’s Both Sides Now, and more are now back on the platform.
At the time of publication, neither Mitchell nor Spotify commented on her music’s return to the streaming service.
Young wrote earlier this month explaining his decision to return to Spotify: “My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I opposed at Spotify.
“I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did with 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. Qobuz and Tidal, where my music is presented, are all High res as well.”
Last month, Joni Mitchell made her debut performance at the Grammy Awards. Also, she won her tenth Grammy for Best Folk Album for Joni Mitchell At Newport, a recording of her performance at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival, her first time on stage in nine years.
