Rock legend Neil Young has stepped into global politics with a very rock ’n’ roll gesture – offering Greenlanders a full year of free access to his digital music archives as an act of what he calls “peace and love”.
The Canadian-American singer-songwriter announced the offer on his website, saying he hopes it will help “ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats” Greenlanders have been facing following remarks by former US president Donald Trump about annexing the Danish territory.
Trump had earlier claimed Greenland was vital for US national security, though he later softened his stance, saying he wanted “immediate negotiations” and insisting he would not use force.
Never one to shy away from controversy, Young – one of Trump’s most outspoken celebrity critics – framed the move as a symbolic protest. In a message signed “love earth”, he referred to the Trump administration as “our unpopular and hopefully temporary government” and encouraged other organisations to follow his example.
Access to the Neil Young Archives normally costs about $25 (£18) a year, depending on the subscription plan. Greenlanders will be able to claim free access using a Greenland-registered mobile phone number for verification.
Young’s long-running feud with Trump is no secret. Earlier this month, he wrote online: “Wake up people! Today, the USA is a disaster. Donald Trump is destroying America bit by bit with his staff of wannabes… He has divided us.”
In 2020, Young even took legal action in an attempt to stop Trump from using his songs at campaign rallies.
The rocker has also clashed with big tech in recent years. He called for a boycott of Amazon over owner Jeff Bezos’s political donations, and famously pulled his music from Spotify in 2022 over concerns about vaccine misinformation on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Artists, including Joni Mitchell and India Ari,e joined the protest.
Young returned to Spotify in 2024, explaining that the move did not signal a change in his views, but came after Rogan’s podcast stopped being exclusive to the platform.
Born in Canada, Young later moved to the United States and now holds dual citizenship, but as his latest gesture shows, his activism remains as global as his fanbase.
Source: BBC