Joni Mitchell’s beloved music catalog has returned to Spotify, seemingly marking the end of the musician’s two-year disagreement with the streaming service.
Fans noticed the change on Thursday, March 21, when the singer’s music reappeared on the platform. “JONI MITCHELL MUSIC BACK ON SPOTIFY THIS IS NOT A DRILL,” tweeted one excited listener. Another X user quipped, “Joni mitchell making more noise on the TL than any pop star this year.”
While all of Mitchell’s classic albums are now back on the platform, some of them are hiding in an unusual spot. Albums released before 1980, including 1971’s Blue and 1972’s For the Roses, are located under the “compilations” tab on a playlist titled “The Studio Albums 1968-1979.”
As of Thursday, Mitchell, 80, has yet to make a statement about what made her change her tune and rejoin. The iconic singer originally announced she was taking her songs off Spotify in January 2022.
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Her abrupt actions were in protest of the company continuing to distribute “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. At the time, Mitchell accused Joe Rogan of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines on his podcast.
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” the nine time Grammy winner wrote in a statement published on her website. “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.”
Young, 78, left the platform shortly before Mitchell that same month. His decision to depart was also because of Rogan’s podcast.
After Young walked away, Spotify cofounder and CEO Daniel Ek wrote an open letter seemingly about the issue.
“We know we have a critical role to play in supporting creator expression while balancing it with the safety of our users,” Ek’s statement read. “In that role, it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.”
Ek, 41, also revealed that a content advisory would be added to podcasts that discussed the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Earlier this month, Young, also had a change of heart and put his tracks back on Spotify, just like Mitchell.
He addressed the news via his website. “Spotify, the #1 streamer of low res music in the world — Spotify where you get less quality than we made, will now be home of my music again,” he stated on March 12. “My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at SPOTIFY.”
Young noted that he returned to the streaming service with “sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it.”
He added, “I hope all you millions of Spotify users enjoy my songs! They will not all be there for you except for the full sound we created.”
