With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, Rogan clearly held enough clout over Young, who has an estimated less than half that each month. It would have been a no-brainer for Spotify to dust Young off like lint off a shoulder and carry on counting the clicks.
Young can afford the stand, having sold half of his publishing rights to the investment fund Hipgnosis last year, netting him about $230 million. But it is still a big step to slap away the largest growing music outlet. Spotify's subscriber base has increased dramatically in the last few Covid-ravaged years and has more than doubled since early 2017.
Young has history with Spotify, previously removing his songs claiming poor sound quality, but in choosing morality over money, Young's move will be music to the ears of fans who have suffered fools such as Eric Clapton and Van Morrison during these troubled times.
Perhaps other musicians too will consider there comes a time to contribute more to the collective good than going after the gold rush.
