Pictured: Joe Rogan doing his own ornithology research. Not pictured: Spotify hoping we forget this ever happened.

That Neil Young – and now Joni Mitchell – made such big news by yanking their music from Spotify because of the brain phlegm that it allows Joe Rogan to push, is sad. For a couple reasons:

One: No one artist born since 1945 – the year World War II ended (and Young was born) – has the spine to say Spotify is wrong and be willing to put their money where their mouth is and stop doing business with the content delivery giant.

Two: Many people can’t understand why it’s a big deal, or even recognize someone standing up for their beliefs in a tangible (monetary) way, against the biggest podcast in the U.S.

Of course, 76-year-old Neil Young and 78-year-old Joni Mitchell telling a corporate music money machine to fornicate itself would’ve been a bigger deal in 1969, when Young and Mitchell’s fortunes weren’t assured. Then it would’ve been a real risk. Now we just think old people are cute.

And, no disrespect to either deserving Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, but the cynic surely asks: How better to get publicity in their ancient years? This will probably help sales.

But the thing is, they mean it. Both happened to have polio as children, so they understand the value of vaccines. That matters … somewhere. And more of us should care.

Setting aside my usual bitter cynicism at not being as musically successful as those I write about … good for them, whether it’s effective or not.

It’s not. But … it could be, if their public stance is the first shifting bolder than eventually causes the avalanche.

Young started pushing earlier this month when he instructed his record label to tell Spotify he wanted his music removed from the service over Rogan repeatedly giving vaccine deniers the bandwidth to preach their stupidity.

Young joined 270 doctors, scientists and other healthcare professionals who petitioned Spotify in December saying the same thing: Joe Rogan is potentially costing lives, and that, “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young said.

Bravo Neil, but … not really a choice, is it?

Rogan has about 11 million listeners per episode, of which he does four or five a week, and each lasts up to three hours. Aaron Rodgers is a fan. That kind of math is an advertising exec’s wet dream.

Young and Mitchell together have almost 10 million listeners on Spotify, according to CNN. The Weeknd has more than 86 million. Even boring old Coldplay has almost 60 million. So Young and Mitchell have about as much leverage with Spotify as I do telling my daughters who to date. They might listen politely for a few seconds, because we once mattered. But ultimately, we’re just noise.

Those almost-10 million listeners can also go to Apple, Amazon and a bunch of other places to hear “Big Yellow Taxi” or “Heart of Gold.” Rogan’s broadcast is exclusive to Spotify. That means it’s Spotify or no Joe.

While he doesn’t claim one particular ideology, Rogan’s listeners likely skew young to middle-age, male and white. And relatively conservative … or at least Libertarian.

He likely pulls from the brighter section of Trump Town  (the ones who can figure out how to find a podcast). Rogan – who himself is no dummy, even if he likes to ignore reality – likely also pulls moderates who believe they’re open-minded, or the terribly ignorant fools who say none of this is political and they’re above politics, anyway.

When all those people are added up, it’s no choice,  at least on paper. Marjorie Taylor Greene getting an RBG tattoo is a better bet than believing Spotify cares more about two ’60s icons pushing 80 in 2022 than Joe Rogan.

So now what? What’s even possible? And do we want a corporate entity dictating speech?

Well, they already do, so that argument is irrelevant. No one who has ever signed the part of their employee handbook saying they understand and agree to abide can say squat about that. The First Amendment says the government can’t control your speech. It doesn’t apply to private employers.

That speaks to what’s possible. Of course corporations can mandate employees produce responsible content (remind me someday to tell the true story about the executive editor calling a meeting with my editor to decree I was no longer allowed to say squirrels eat people in the newspaper).

As far as “now what,” I’m curious to see if any artists young enough to not remember phones with cords will grow a pair and join the fun. Does anyone with real leverage have the courage to stand up and say giving space to lies that essentially kill people is wrong, and they won’t do business with Spotify until they address it? Mr. Weeknd? Justin Bieber? Dua Lipa? Adele? Ariana Grande? They all have enough money and other outlets to sell their music. But what really matters to them?

We’re waiting.

Follow music critic Tony Hicks at Twitter.com/TonyBaloney1967.