The protests against both Spotify and Israel are growing in tandem.
Artists have known for a long time that Spotify’s streaming payout rates worth much less than a fraction of a penny (see Liz Pelly’s recent book on the nefarious practices of the company), but recent €600m investments from Spotify’s owner Daniel EK in the military AI company Helsing have created a moral reckoning for many musicians.
So far this year, we’ve seen the likes of Deerhoof, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, WU LYF and in an local Irish context, artists like Uly (who put up a song called ‘Spotify is shite pass it on’), Super Extra Bonus Party and Rory Sweeney remove their catalogues from Spotify in light of this news. I’m sure there’s more.
This week, Massive Attack have become the first major label act (Universal Music Group) to announce they have requested the removal their music from Spotify for this reason, and also added their name to the recently founded No Music For Genocide campaign which lists 400 artists who will no longer stream their music in Israel.
“In support of the “No Music For Genocide” initiative, Massive Attack have made a formal request to our record label (Universal Music Group) that our music be removed from all DSP streaming services in the territory of Israel.
Unconnected to this initiative & in light of the (reported) significant investments by it’s CEO in a company producing military munition drones & AI technology intergrated into fighter aircraft, Massive Attack have made a seperate request to our label that our music be removed from the Spotify streaming service in all territories.
In our view, the historic precedent of effective artist action during apartheid South Africa and the apartheid, war crimes and genocide now being committed by the state of Israel renders the “No Music For Genocide” campaign imperative.
No Music for Genocide
Artists include Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C, MJ Lenderman, Kneecap, Ben Howard, Yaeji, Clarissa Connelly, Arca, Efterklang, King Krule, Amyl And The Sniffers, Sudan Archives, BadBadNotGood, David Holmes, Smerz, Faye Webster, Primal Scream, Mogwai, Julia Holter, Kelela, Sleaford Mods, Vegyn, Lankum, Young Fathers, Wednesday, Water From Your Eyes, Black Country New Road, Erika De Casier, Oklou, M(h)aol, Japanese Breakfast, The Mary Wallopers, Rina Sawayama and Nourished By Time are among the 400 names so far who will geoblock access to their music, a digital equivalent of a cultural boycott of Israel, and allows artists to take control of their music in solidarity with Palestine.
A list of independent labels including Arbutus, Pan, Leaving Records, Constellaiton, Black Acre, Shopping Records, Phantom Limb and NTS have also signed up to the campaign.
The statement from No Music For Genocide says:
“No Music for Genocide is a new cultural boycott initiative asking artists and rights-holders to remove their music from streaming platforms in Israel in response to its genocide in Gaza; ethnic cleansing of the Occupied West Bank; apartheid within Israel; and political repression of Pro-Palestine efforts wherever we live. This is a decentralized, global volunteer movement with no institutional backer.
This tangible act is just one step toward honoring Palestinian demands to isolate and delegitimize Israel as it kills without consequence on the world stage. The successful cultural boycotts against apartheid South Africa prove that our creative work grants us agency and power. When we wield it together, we add unified pressure to a growing, global, interdependent movement, from Hollywood to the docks of Morocco. We don’t boycott to target individuals: this is a rejection of apartheid Israel’s cultural industry, which works hand in hand with global music and media institutions to whitewash apartheid and genocide.
NO ART FOR APARTHEID, NO MUSIC FOR GENOCIDE.”
The music industry has already boycotted Russia
The music industry’s dealings with Russia after it invaded Ukraine has already readily achieved what the No Music For Genocide campaign is doing in Israel, therefore highlighting the double standard in place.
Within a few months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, every major label either unilaterally removed their entire catalogue from Russia or closed operations entirely, implicitly or explicitly condemning Putin’s actions while donating to Ukraine. No such measures have been taken against Israel, or in support of Palestine, after decades of illegal occupation and 23 months into Israel’s accelerated genocide.
The difference is that the criticism of Israel’s genocidal actions has remained limited for nearly two years now, as thousands have been killed, while industry players continue to exercise caution and appeasement in Israel’s case.
Spotify staff and Helsing respond
Daniel Ek is the chairman of Helsing, as well the CEO of Spotify.
Helsing’s software uses AI to analyse sensor and weapons system data from war battlefields to inform real-time military decisions. It also makes a military drone called the HX-2.
Helsing responded to these artist developments:
“Currently we see misinformation spreading that Helsing’s technology is deployed in war zones other than Ukraine. This is not correct. Our technology is deployed to European countries for deterrence and for defence against the Russian aggression in Ukraine only.”
A Spotify For Artists employee named Joe, also responded to the Massive Attack Instagram post, saying:
“Spotify and Helsing are two totally separate companies. And while I can’t speak for Helsing, I’m well aware they’re not involved in Gaza. I know because I had the same questions myself, and asked. Helsing’s efforts are focused on Europe defending itself in Ukraine. If you want to talk about Spotify and royalty payouts, happy to have a conversation. Thank you for hearing me out”
What these statements miss out on is the wider context of the morality of Daniel Ek becoming so rich off the valuation of his company Spotify, wealth which was created by the artists on the platform, which he has cashed out and been funnelled into military technology, and how artists and creatives don’t like the link their music has to this fact.
It was the same issue that prompted a dozen or so Irish acts to lead the way in pulling out of SXSW in 2024, in protest at the US military involvement.
Joe from Spotify’s message also presumes a military tech company is out to do good in one anointed and “good” territory only but that’s not how the warfare industry works.
As a comment in response to Joe puts it:
“It’s artists refusing to be complicit in militarized AI funded by their streams. Spotify profits from art, while its CEO bankrolls autonomous kill systems.
That’s the tension. Not cents per stream.”
The luxury of ignorance is not afforded to those whose work is exploited in more ways than one in today’s modern streaming economy.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
