Neil Young to Remove His Music From Amazon: ‘Buy Local’ Because ‘Bezos Supports This Government’

In a powerful stand for independent commerce, veteran rock icon Neil Young has announced the removal of his entire music catalog from Amazon. The declaration was made on October 8 through the Neil Young Archives, the artist's official website, which has long served as his direct channel to listeners. He specifically instructed his followers to "Forget Amazon and Whole Foods. Forget Facebook," and instead to "Buy local. Buy direct." Young delivered a pointed critique of Amazon's leadership, asserting, "Bezos supports this government. It does not support you or me." This action sets his artistic heritage in direct opposition to a global corporate titan.

Neil Young's career, which now spans over five decades, has cemented his status as one of rock music's most outspoken and autonomous voices. His political convictions are well-documented, including his sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump, which was recently channeled into his track "Big Crime"—a song referencing "fascists" and alluding to "big crime in D.C. at the White House." According to music industry analyst Dr. Lena Shaw, "Young's career is a case study in ethical consistency. He repeatedly demonstrates that his values outweigh financial gain, a stance that challenges the very structure of the contemporary music market." This latest maneuver is a natural extension of his lifelong commitment to activism through art.

Young's statement framed the consumer's choice as a moral necessity, urging a fundamental rethinking of purchasing habits. "The time is here, forget Amazon. It is easy to buy local. Support your community. Go to the local store," he wrote. He portrayed the situation as a crucial trade-off, cautioning that "We all have to give up something to save America from the Corporate Control Age it is entering." This viewpoint resonates with a wider, growing public concern over the concentration of economic power in a handful of conglomerates and the resulting weakening of local business networks and self-sufficiency.

This is not the first time Young has leveraged his catalog for a cause. He previously pulled his music from Spotify in a widely publicized protest against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation spread by podcaster Joe Rogan on the platform. Just months earlier, in August, he announced his departure from Facebook, citing objections to the company's development of AI chatbot technology. These successive withdrawals establish a clear pattern: Neil Young is prepared to use the commercial weight of his legendary body of work to confront corporate conduct he finds objectionable, reinforcing his identity as an activist whose influence matches his musical legacy.