He was only able to do so with the approval of rights-holders Warners and Hipgnosis. The singer-songwriter conceded that even the most successful musicians often lack the legal power to remove their songs from Spotify. Young launched a boycott of Spotify seven years ago in protest at the sound quality of its streams but was persuaded to return. Neither responded to requests to comment. Queen guitarist Brian May has also urged his fans to get the jab after a “horrendous” battle with Covid.

Music stars who might sympathise with Young include Sir Elton John, who featured in an NHS video encouraging people to get vaccinated and has been forced to cancel shows this week after testing positive for Covid. His passionate advocacy for vaccinations is partly influenced by his childhood experience as a polio sufferer.

Young was “losing 60 per cent of my world wide streaming income in the name of Truth.” Warner Records/Reprise and Hipgnosis – which purchased 50 per cent of Young’s song catalogue last year in a $150m deal – would take a significant financial hit with the decision. How will Neil Young fare as a streaming presence now that he’s taken his music off Spotify, the service that accounted for close to half of his streaming revenue prior to his initiating a break amid the ongoing Joe Rogan.

Neil young spotify streaming numbers