NEW YORK (REUTERS) – Singer-songwriter Neil Younger has requested workers of Spotify Expertise SA to stop their jobs whereas urging folks to withdraw their cash from massive American banks, in protests over coronavirus misinformation and local weather change.
Younger, in an announcement on his web site, criticised the music streaming platform’s chief government officer, Mr Daniel Ek, saying he was the principle drawback, within the wake of criticism of US podcaster Joe Rogan, who has courted controversy together with his views on Covid-19 vaccines and his use of racial slurs.
Spotify hosts the top-rated podcast “The Joe Rogan Expertise” podcast.
“In our communication age, misinformation is the issue. Ditch the misinformers,” Younger stated within the assertion.
The rock star pulled his content material from the streaming platform final month after objecting to his music being performed on the identical platform as Rogan’s podcast, over what Younger stated was deceptive data on vaccines.
A number of outstanding figures together with singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, guitarist Nils Lofgren and best-selling US professor and writer Brene Brown adopted go well with.
Younger additionally urged folks to maneuver their cash out of multinational banks JPMorgan Chase & Co, Citigroup, Financial institution of America Corp and Wells Fargo & Co, calling them “injury causers” for his or her funding of fossil fuels.
Rogan has apologised for each the racial slurs and the controversy over Covid-19 vaccines.
Younger’s feedback come a day after Mr Ek informed his employees that whereas he condemned the slurs utilized by Rogan, the corporate wouldn’t be silencing him.
Addressing workers of the music platform, Younger stated: “I say Daniel Ek is your massive drawback – not Joe Rogan. Get out of that place earlier than it eats up your soul.”
Younger additionally urged fellow musicians and artists to take their output elsewhere.
The platform noticed greater than US$2 billion (S$2.7 billion) wiped off its market worth final week amid the uproar over Covid-19 misinformation.
The corporate has stated it will add a “content material advisory” to any episode that features dialogue of the coronavirus.