Spotify’s top podcaster Joe Rogan has responded to claims about spreading misinformation amid Neil Young and Joni Mitchell taking down their music from the streaming service.
In a nine-minute video posted to Instagram, Rogan commented on the controversy by both defending his podcast and saying that he will take on recommendations to ensure that his content is not misjudged.
“I’m not trying to promote misinformation; I’m not trying to be controversial” he said.
“These podcasts are very strange because they’re just conversations and often times I have no idea what I’m going to talk about”
“That’s why some of my ideas are not that prepared or fleshed out because I’m having them in real time, but I do my best and they’re just conversations, which is the appeal and makes it interesting,”
“I think, if there is anything I could have done and can do better is [to] have more experts with differing opinions, after I have the controversial ones”.
More artists are taking down their music from Spotify with Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, India Arie requesting their music be removed as a stance against the spreading of COVID-19 misinformation. James Blunt weighed in on the debate by jokingly stating that he would release more music if Joe Rogan’s podcast wasn’t taken down from Spotify.
Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell said last Friday that “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”. Graham Nash also commented that “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 dales but dangerous”.
People online have been vocal about their feelings towards the situation with Twitter user @TurloughDonnell saying “The attempt to “cancel” Joe Rogan is modern day book burning. Nothing less. If the outraged bothered listening to his podcasts they would understand how important it is”. While American Independent writer Oliver Willis called out Rogan by saying “[he] is just the latest iteration of “we’re just asking questions” promotion of bs conspiracy theories that we’ve seen for decades. It’s the same thing!”.
Amidst the controversy Spotify has announced that they will now put a disclaimer on any podcast that discusses COVID.
