Joni Mitchell’s music catalog has made a triumphant return to Spotify after a two-year absence, much to the delight of her fans. The singer's albums reappeared on the platform on March 21, sparking excitement among listeners. Classic albums such as 'Blue' and 'For the Roses' released before 1980 can be found under the 'compilations' tab on a playlist titled 'The Studio Albums 1968-1979'.
The 80-year-old iconic singer had initially removed her music from Spotify in January 2022 in protest of the streaming service's distribution of 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast. Mitchell, a nine-time Grammy winner, expressed concerns about misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines being spread on the podcast. Her decision to return to Spotify now comes without any official statement from her.
Neil Young, who also took a stand against Spotify due to the same issue, had previously left the platform but recently decided to bring his music back. Young emphasized the importance of sound quality on Spotify and expressed hope that users would be able to experience his music as intended.
Spotify's cofounder and CEO, Daniel Ek, addressed the situation by emphasizing the platform's commitment to supporting creator expression while ensuring user safety. Ek announced the addition of content advisories to podcasts discussing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Young's return to Spotify coincided with Mitchell's, indicating a shift in the stance of these iconic musicians towards the streaming service. Both artists have now made their music available to millions of Spotify users once again.