In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, veteran rock musician Neil Young has announced he is providing free access to his complete music catalogue to all residents of Greenland. The offer, revealed on Tuesday via the artist's personal blog, grants Greenlanders unlimited streaming of his extensive discography for an entire year, with the possibility of renewal.
A Musical Gift Amid Geopolitical Strain
Young's initiative comes at a time when Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, has found itself at the centre of increasing geopolitical tensions between the United States and NATO allies. In his blog post, Young expressed a hope that his music and music films might alleviate some of the stress and threats facing Greenland's population.
"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. "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."
Practical Details of the Offer
To access the free catalogue, applicants are required to have a Greenland-based mobile phone number, ensuring the offer is specifically directed towards residents of the territory. Young framed the gesture as "an offer of Peace and Love," highlighting its symbolic nature against a backdrop of international discord.
Stark Contrast to Amazon Music Stance
This generous offer stands in stark contrast to Young's recent decision to withdraw his music from the Amazon Music streaming platform. The move was a direct protest against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has publicly supported former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Young explained his position clearly last week, stating: "Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president. 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."
Representatives for Amazon Music did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment regarding Young's withdrawal. Similarly, Young's management team has not replied to further inquiries about the Greenland initiative or the Amazon decision.
History of Streaming Platform Disputes
Neil Young has a long-established history of contentious relationships with major streaming services. Most notably, he removed his music from Spotify in protest against podcaster Joe Rogan's episodes discussing COVID-19 vaccines, though he later relented and his catalogue was reinstated.
The artist, famous for classic hits such as "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Heart of Gold," has also previously expressed dissatisfaction with Spotify's audio quality standards. At his insistence, much of his music was absent from the platform for several months starting in 2015 due to these concerns, though it remains available there and on Apple Music today.
This latest act of musical philanthropy underscores Neil Young's continued willingness to use his artistic legacy as a tool for political and social commentary, while directly supporting communities he perceives as facing undue pressure.
