Streaming giant Spotify has pulled Neil Young’s music back catalog from its servers at the 79-year-old rocker’s request, but fortunately there are still plenty of ways you can get a fix of his music.
Young’s music was removed from Spotify overnight, after the Crazy Horse singer published an open letter criticising the service for continuing to host the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which he accuses of spreading misinformation about vaccines.
And his decision appears to have resonated with many Spotify subscribers; #Spotifydeleted is currently the number three trending term on Twitter and there are multiple posts from users saying they are following Young's lead and quitting the service.
Spotify has since made its content policies publicly available, detailing exactly what is and what is not allowed on the platform.
Apple Music listeners watching #Spotifydeleted trending pic.twitter.com/emFevdns7LJanuary 27, 2022
Goodbye @Spotify. You’ve chosen profits and greed over science, ethics and doing the right thing. #cancelspotify #Spotifydeleted #SpotifyPremium pic.twitter.com/zsNG2ur7nQJanuary 27, 2022
Whether you agree with Young and are now leaving Spotify, or are staying on the platform but want to listen to classic albums such as "Harvest Moon" and "After the Gold Rush" elsewhere, you have plenty of options.
We've rounded up some of the best music streaming services that do contain the rocker's enviable back catalog and explained how much they cost and what quality options they offer. So read on to find out where you can still stream Neil Young's music online.
Neil Young Archives / Xstream
Young's entire back catalog can be streamed in high-resolution audio via his own website Neil Young Archives. The service was set up in response to rival content streaming providers limited to playing at a low or moderate resolution, and uses adaptive technology to deliver the highest quality streams for your setup.
You also get access to exclusive content, videos and live events depending on the subscription plan you choose; these range from $19.99/year to $99.99/year. A subscription will also cut the price of the standalone downloads available from the companion XStream store, all which can be purchased in the high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz format.
- Streaming quality: CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz to high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz
- Subscribe to Neil Young Archives
Apple Music
Apple's streaming service Apple Music contains Young’s entire back catalog, including live albums, all the way from 1968's self-tilted "Neil Young" through to 2021's "Barn". Other available content includes quick links to most popular songs, live and promotional videos as well as an artist biography. There's also a comprehensive list of compilation albums featuring tracks by Young and similar artists.
Apple Music doesn't offer a free subscription tier, so you'll need to pay $9.99/month or $99/year to access it, although there are Apple student discounts available.
- Streaming quality: Apple Music Lossless at 24-bit/48kHz and Hi-Res Lossless up to 24-bit/192kHz
- Subscribe to Apple Music
Amazon Music Unlimited
Like Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited still holds Young’s entire back catalog. As well as old favorites such as "Harvest Moon" and "Heart of Gold," you'll find podcasts related to Young, plus Playlists and Stations and a Similar Artists section.
Amazon Music has several tiers, and it's important that you subscribe to the right one if you're looking for a specific artist such as Neil Young. The free Amazon Music tier only gives you access to "top playlists" and includes ads and should be avoided, while Prime subscribers can use Amazon Music Prime, which loses the ads and adds offline listening. But the catalogue is still limited, so you'll instead want to pay $9.99/month for the full Amazon Music Unlimited package. Prime subscribers get it for $7.99/month and there are separate plans for students and families.
- Streaming quality: 16-bit/44.1kHz and up to 24-bit/192kHz
- Subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited
Qobuz
The French streaming service Qobuz has long been a go-to destination for fans of high-resolution music, and it offers a comprehensive content library from Neil Young all at CD-quality or above. As well as a full biography there are also album reviews and the album list runs through Young's entire back catalog, with some albums in hi-res and others in CD-quality.
Qobuz costs $10.83/month for unlimited streaming of its 70m-plus FLAC files in up to 24-Bit/192kHz quality, or there's a $15/month option that also gives you discounts on hi-res downloads.
- Streaming quality: 16-bit/44.1kHz and up to 24-bit/192kHz
- Subscribe to Qobuz
Tidal
Despite some initial grumblings concerning Tidal's use of MQA for its hi-res Masters format, you can still find a full complement of Neil Young tracks and albums on the streaming service, but only in up to 1411kbps CD-quality. Nevertheless, there's an extensive catalog of tracks and albums spanning five decades and including live albums and compilations, as well as links to curated playlist, similar artists and music influences.
Tidal has a free tier, but you can only listen to curated playlists and sound quality tops out at 160 kbps. The $9.99/month HiFi plan is the one that will suit most people, but for the really high-res options you'd want to go for the $19.99/month HiFi Plus tier, which includes tracks in up to 9216 kbps quality plus Sony 360 Audio and more.
- Streaming quality: 16-bit/44.1kHz and up to 24-bit/96kHz
- Subscribe to Tidal
