The argy-bargy of the music industry has divided musicians and audiences alike. The Spotify debacle on whether to continue to be part of the platform and artists selling their catalogs for huge sums has caused a big stir among artists. Anyone who is or isn’t directly affected by these decisions is ready to give their opinion, including Joe Lynn Turner. The singer spoke to the Real Music Observer about his perspective on the current issues in the industry, including Neil Young’s actions that don’t add up.
“Neil Young and the whole Spotify thing,” Turner began his words. “Meanwhile, people don’t realize, but he is Black Rock, and he sold his catalog for like 50 million or more, you know, and here he is parading around like, you know, he’s this virtue signaling, you know, warrior.” Young wanted to cut ties with Spotify to protest the platform for allowing the spread of Joe Rogan’s COVID conspiracy theories. Several of his friends in the industry followed Young’s move to show support.
Turner added, “Meanwhile, he just put 50 million or more into his pocket by some of the most corrupt people on the face of this Earth that’s causing a lot of problems, and now they’re back on Spotify, so what the hell does it matter that didn’t last very long.” Neil Young sold half of his catalog’s worldwide copyright and publishing rights almost two years ago.
“So again, why don’t people revisit these people who don’t hold true to their values?” continued Joe about Young’s actions contradicting one another. “I don’t understand it. What are we doing here? We’re listening to a lot of jibber-jabber, a lot of propaganda, but we’re not holding people speak to the fire. People have to have accountability. If you said this, stand by it, okay, tell me what you mean. If you want to retract it, fine, retract it publicly; okay, no problem. Yeah, I mean, what’s fair is fair, that’s all.”
On the one hand, Young sold his catalog to companies that distribute to Spotify; on the other, he didn’t want to be a part of the platform. For Turner, you have to stick to one statement, and if you want to change it, then it has to be done publicly, or else people, including himself, get the wrong idea about your intentions.
