After a hiatus of over two years, Neil Young has made a comeback to Spotify. In January 2022, he had removed his music from the platform due to concerns about vaccine misinformation on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Joining Young in this move were other artists like Joni Mitchell, Indie.Arie, and his bandmates from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. However, some of them have since reuploaded their music on Spotify.

Recently, Billboard reported that Young’s decision to return coincides with the end of Spotify’s exclusive deal with Rogan. In a statement on his Neil Young Archives website, he expressed optimism for improved sound quality on Spotify and voiced support for high-resolution streaming options like Qobuz and Tidal.

Despite Spotify’s announcement of a HiFi tier back in February 2021, the actual implementation of this feature is still pending as per Bloomberg reports from June 2023.

The absence of Neil Young’s music on Spotify has been felt financially, with estimated losses of around $300,000 in recorded music and publishing royalties according to Billboard in September.

As of now, Neil Young’s music is yet to be restored on Spotify, and the streaming service has not provided any updates in response to inquiries from the music publication.

Nevertheless, Young’s decision to rejoin Spotify highlights a growing trend in the music industry for platforms to prioritize high-quality audio experiences. This move reflects changing expectations among both artists and listeners for top-notch streaming services.