2 hours ago
1
Neil Young has donated a year’s worth of access to his music and documentary archive to the people of Greenland after the territory’s future became the subject of a fraught dispute with the US.
“I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government,” Young wrote in a statement on his website, Neil Young Archives, which offers comprehensive access to the 80-year-old songwriter’s recorded and live catalogues and other output.
“It is my sincere wish for you to be able to enjoy all of my music in your beautiful Greenland home, in its highest quality. This is an offer of Peace and Love. All the music I have made during the last 62 years is yours to hear. You can renew for free as long as you are in Greenland. We do hope other organisations will follow in the spirit of our example. LOVE EARTH.”
On 22 January, US president Donald Trump walked back his insistence on claiming “right, title and ownership” of Greenland and said that the “framework of a future deal” with the territory had been reached. He also withdrew the threat of tariffs against eight European countries after Nato allies deployed troops in response to Trump threatening to take the Arctic island by force.
Young’s offering came as he reiterated his objection to Amazon on the basis of CEO Jeff Bezos’s support of Donald Trump. In 2024, Amazon donated $1m to Trump’s inaugural fund. In October, Young announced he would be removing his music from the corporation’s streaming platform, Amazon Music (his CDs and vinyl records remain available to buy).
“Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president,” Young wrote this week. “The president’s international policies and his support of ICE make it impossible for me to ignore his actions. If you feel as I do, I strongly recommend that you do not use Amazon. There are many ways to avoid Amazon and support individual Americans and American companies that supply the same products. I have done that with my music and people who are looking can find it in other places.”
Young advised would-be listeners to purchase his LPs and CDs from record stores and to find alternative digital options to stream his music – although he has previously spoken out against most of the major streaming companies.
In 2022, Young removed his music from Spotify in protest at Joe Rogan’s podcast, which the platform then hosted exclusively, after the presenter spread misinformation about Covid. In 2024, however, Young returned to Spotify, shortly after Rogan’s podcast became available on platforms including Amazon, Apple and YouTube.
At the time, Young wrote on his website: “My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify. I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all, so I have returned to Spotify.”
In his new post, Young wrote that his decision to pull his music from Amazon Music was “unfortunately harmful to my record company in the short term but I think the message I am sending is important and clear.”
Earlier this month, Young made three posts deploring the actions of ICE in Minneapolis, including the fatal shooting of Renee Good. Young wrote of Trump that “every move he makes is to build instability so he can stay in power”.
Young recently announced a European summer tour kicking off at the Eden Project in Cornwall on 17 June. Elvis Costello and the Imposters will support on select dates.
