The significant move was the latest part of founder Daniel Ek’s strategy to withdraw catalogs from Spotify in protest against his €600 million (£520 million) investment in military AI company Helsing.
In June, Ek’s venture capital firm, Prima Materia, spearheaded a funding round for the defense tech firm. Helsing’s software leverages AI to analyze battlefield sensor and weapon system data, facilitating real-time military decision-making. Additionally, they plan to develop their own military drone, the HX-2. Ek also serves as chairman of Helsing.
The band has announced their participation in Music for Genocide, a new initiative where over 400 artists and record labels are removing their music from Israeli streaming platforms.
In a statement, the band expressed:
In light of the substantial investments made by CEOs in companies unrelated to the initiative and engaged in producing military drones and AI technologies for fighter jets, the band has made separate requests to labels to remove their music from Spotify across all regions.
We believe that the historical effectiveness of artists’ actions during apartheid in South Africa serves as a precedent for addressing the war crimes and genocide currently perpetrated by the state of Israel, which underscores the moral duties of artists.
Moreover, the financial strain on artists has now combined with moral and ethical burdens, ultimately affecting the hard-earned income of fans and the creative endeavors of musicians.
Enough is enough.
Alternative methods must be explored.
になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. A spokesperson for Spotify stated, “Spotify and Helsing are entirely separate entities.”
They further clarified that Helsing “has no involvement in Gaza” and that their operations “are focused on protecting Europe against threats from Ukraine.”
In a statement, Helsing asserted, “Currently, Helsing’s technology is not deployed in war zones outside of Ukraine, which is misleading.”
“Our technology is utilized in European countries for deterrence and to defend against Russian assaults on Ukraine.”
Australian psych-rock group King Gizzard and Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, alongside US alternative acts Deerhoof and Manchester’s Wu Lyf, have also joined in this effort.
In contrast to these bands, large-scale attacks cannot showcase their music on popular platforms like Bandcamp. After transitioning to Bandcamp, King Gizzard’s extensive catalog filled the top 27 spots on the site.
The No No Music for Genocide initiative features artists such as MJ Lenderman, Amyl and the Sniffers, Rina Sawayama, Jockstrap, Keiyaa, John Glacier, Erika de Casier, Smerz, and Wednesday. These artists have either modified their release territories or requested geo-blocking for their music.
Massive Attack has amplified their message through Instagram posts.
In 1991, the tragedy of apartheid violence in South Africa was alleviated from a distance through public boycotts, protests, and artists withdrawing their work. Complicity with such a regime was deemed unacceptable. The same principle applies to the state of Israeli atrocities in 2025. Many musicians are responding to the recently launched @Filmworkers4Palestine campaign, endorsed by 4,500 filmmakers, actors, industry workers, and institutions, supporting issues from @bds.movement, @NomusicForGenocide, and more. We urge all musicians to convert their grief, anger, and artistic contributions into consistent, rational, and impactful actions, aiming to end the suffering imposed on Palestinians for far too long.
Massive Attack, alongside Brian Eno, kNeecap, and Fontaine DC, have established a coalition of artists advocating for Palestinian rights, defending musicians against the threat of silence or the risk of career setbacks enforced by organizations such as the Israeli UK Lawfare Institute (UKLFI), which reportedly led Bob Billan in a controversial performance.
This coalition informed The Guardian: “This unified action aims to provide solidarity to artists who endure daily in the face of genocide, yet are apprehensive about using their platforms to voice their concerns due to the pervasive censorship in the industry and highly organized external legal pressures.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
