End of January Blues

 Today, we here in Pennsylvania count our blessings for not being under a blizzard warning. Sister Lara lives in an area that is getting pounded. Not fun. 

There are many news stories fighting for the top of my news feed, all important issues, but I keep seeing news about Spotify. I enjoy Spotify immensely, and am horrified that the business paid a shocking sum of money to have the exclusive rights for "The Joe Rogan Experience." I've never listened to it. Spotify's algorithm was good enough to not suggest it to me (not a match for NPR stuff and Rachel Maddow, probably), but I also was not paying attention to the whole topic of right-wing nuts. Wingnuts. I ignore them.

However, Neil Young's protest is totally understandable. I get it. And now that Joni Mitchell has followed suit, folk music playlists will have holes in them. (By the way, I didn't know that Neil Young had polio as a child. That makes vaccines all the more personal for him.)

Since I paid for a whole year with a gift card, I am going to ride this out--and feel a bit guilty. Actually, I'm feeling sorry for Spotify's customer service. I've only had to contact them once, and had a good experience. While customer service is getting pounded and abused, the company they work for doesn't seem to have much to say. 

Some of the people cancelling Spotify are moving to Apple Music, which I think is nuts--I mean, that's Steve Bannon's platform.  And then there are people who will go to YouTube Music, but they've hosted plenty of jerks, too. That's where Rogan was most prominent, before Spotify gave him a contract.

Honestly, I wish music services would stick to music. There are so many great podcast platforms, mostly free. And yes, I know Spotify is not really a music company--it's a big business. Rogan was wildly popular, so they bought him. I'm still wrapping my head around how I was barely aware of someone who is, evidently, THE most popular podcaster in the US. 

I am hoping Spotify ditches Rogan, and starts caring about their optics, if they can't care more about ethics. 

Okay, that's my rant. (We'll save cable and Fox News for another day.)

Whatchaupto?