You’re still beautiful, James Blunt.
Blunt joined the growing number of musicians speaking out against Joe Rogan’s podcasts on Spotify, but the “You’re Beautiful” singer took a more lighthearted approach.
On Saturday, Blunt tweeted that he would release “new music” if Spotify did not remove “The Joe Rogan Experience” from the streaming platform. Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren have already pulled their catalogs to promote Rogan’s promotion of COVID-19 misinformation on his popular podcast.
“If @spotify doesn’t immediately remove @joerogan, I will release new music onto the platform,” Blunt tweeted with the hashtag, #youwerebeautiful.
If @spotify doesn’t immediately remove @joerogan, I will release new music onto the platform. #youwerebeautiful
— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) January 29, 2022
The hashtag was a self-deprecating dig at Blunt’s biggest hit, which was released in 2005, Entertainment Weekly reported.
>> Spotify pulls Neil Young’s music after ultimatum over Joe Rogan’s podcast
Blunt is noted for poking fun at himself on Twitter. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic he tweeted, “During lockdown, while many other artists are doing mini-concerts from their homes, I thought I’d do you all a favor and not.”
During lockdown, while many other artists are doing mini-concerts from their homes, I thought I’d do you all a favour and not.
— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) March 25, 2020
Young, 76, posted a note on his website Wednesday, calling Spotify “a very damaging force via its public misinformation and lies about COVID-19.” His music was pulled from Spotify on Friday.
Mitchell joined the protest on Friday, stating, “I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. 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.”
>> Joni Mitchell pulling music off Spotify over misinformation: ‘I Stand With Neil Young!’
Lofgren posted on Young’s website on Saturday. The guitarist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band as well as Crazy Horse, on Saturday joined Neil Young and Joni Mitchell as singer-songwriters who have removed their music from the streaming service to protest the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast.
It is unclear what Blunt’s stance is on the Spotify issue, and people who responded to his tweet were divided in their opinion.
>> Nils Lofgren latest musician to pull music from Spotify
“You think censorship is funny?” one person responded.
Others urged Blunt to stand with Young by pulling his own music from the platform, with one person tweeting in response, “We need action, not jokes.”
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