Rock legend Neil Young doesn’t like traditional streaming services. Last year he removed his entire back catalogue from Spotify and co. citing the poor quality audio experience.
“I don’t need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution,” he barked at the time.
Instead, Young pushed his Kickstarter-backed Pono Player which offered .FLAC audio files at premium prices, but that’s seems to have faded from all view.
Now the Rockin’ in the Free World singer has changed his tune.
His entire discography is now available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify, joining the previously available lossless audio offering on Tidal.
A spokesperson for Young confirmed to Pitchfork: “We are happy to have Neil Young’s entire catalogue back on Spotify!”
To be fair to Young, at the time, he did say he would “give it another look” when the quality improved, but there’s no evidence Spotify and Apple Music have upped their respective games in that department this year.
Is the decision more to do with the concession that hi-res audio hasn’t really taken off as Young envisioned?
