Neil Young Announces Surprise New Album, Rejoins Spotify — All the Details

Fans Rejoice as Neil Young’s Full Catalog Streams Again—But the Rock Icon Still Has a Bone to Pick with Spotify Introduction After a two-year protest that saw him yank classics like “Heart of Gold” and “Harvest Moon” from the world’s biggest music platform, Neil Young has quietly re-uploaded his entire discography to Spotify. Although the Canadian singer-songwriter hasn’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for the streamer—he still calls it “low-res Spotify”—the return ends one of the industry’s most closely watched artist boycotts. Why Young Pulled the Plug in 2022 Young’s original exit was prompted by Spotify’s exclusive deal with podcaster Joe Rogan, whose episodes about Covid-19 vaccines drew criticism for spreading misinformation. Frustrated that the platform would “host dangerous life-threatening disinformation,” Young demanded his music be removed in January 2022. He also urged fellow artists like Joni Mitchell to follow suit, sparking a broader conversation about platform accountability. Why He’s Back Now In a March 2024 statement on his Neil Young Archives site, the 78-year-old rocker conceded that competing services such as Apple Music and Amazon Music now carry much of the same podcast content he opposed, making a Spotify-only protest “unsustainable.” More pragmatically, he admitted that staying off the largest streamer drastically reduced access to his music worldwide. The Sound-Quality Grievance Continues Young’s gripes aren’t limited to misinformation. Long a champion of high-resolution audio, he still blasts Spotify for compressing tracks and diminishing “the full sound we created.” His long-defunct Pono hardware player and current Xstream initiative underline his mission to deliver studio-grade fidelity. Industry watchers expect Young to keep lobbying Spotify for a lossless tier—an upgrade Apple Music and Tidal already offer. Fan Reaction and Streaming Impact • Search traffic for “Neil Young Spotify” surged within hours of his catalog’s return, signaling pent-up demand. • Playlist placements have already pushed perennial favorites like “Old Man” back into Spotify’s Viral 50 in multiple regions. • Analysts say the move adds roughly 1.5 billion annual streams to Spotify’s ledger, boosting its classic-rock cachet. Did He Pull Out Again in 2025? On April 1 2025, music site Jambands reported that Young had removed his catalog “once more.” Although the story went viral, it was later clarified as an April Fools’ prank, underscoring the ongoing drama surrounding Young’s relationship with streaming platforms. What’s Next for Neil Young • New Music: Rumors persist of an upcoming Crazy Horse studio album, with sessions allegedly wrapping at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu earlier this year. • Tour Prospects: Insiders say Young is eyeing an autumn run of “climate-action” benefit shows that would double as a 60th-anniversary retrospective. • Activism: Expect continued advocacy for high-resolution audio and sustainable touring practices, causes that have become cornerstones of Young’s late-career identity. Bottom Line Neil Young’s Spotify detour is over—for now. While the rocker hasn’t softened his stance on audio quality or platform responsibility, the return of his catalog restores a vital slice of rock history to millions of listeners and re-ignites debates about the ethics of music streaming.