Neil Young announces departure from online streaming services

Musician Neil Young announced that he will be withdrawing his catalog from streaming services Wednesday, and he claims it's "not because of the money."

"It's about sound quality," the "Down by the River" singer wrote in a message to his fans on Facebook. "I don't need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution."

Young, 69, may blame sound quality for his imminent boycott from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, but his own digital music project, PonoMusic, may also have played a part. The Verge reports that Pono, a Kickstarter-funded media player/digital music combo, made its debut in Jan. with Young at the helm as founder and CEO.

"There is a way to do this right, and we are going to do it," Young wrote in a letter to PonoMusic visitors. "We will make music available in a way that has never been done, a way that allows for constantly attaining the best listening experience."

A wave of fans responded to Young's withdrawal with disappointment. Many claimed that they depended on online music services like Spotify Premium to access the rock musician's work on the go, while others argued that the exit will severely limit his accessibility to potential fans.

Quite a few fans, like Facebook user Isaac Rose, asserted that the issue of "technical perceptions of perfection" was superfluous, while other uses like Peter Gerstenzang claimed "no one else can REALLY hear the difference."

Young, who reached superstar status in the 1960s and 1970s, withdraws his catalog behind other musicians like Taylor Swift -- who pulled hers from Spotify last Nov. due to royalty issues. Unlike Swift, however, Young wrote that he'll reconsider returning to digital streaming, once the quality is improved.

"When the quality is back, I'll give it another look. Never say never," he said.