August 4, 2025 | 07:39 pm
SPOTIFY is facing criticism and calls for a boycott. According to a report by Middle East Eye, the reason behind this is CEO Daniel Ek's decision to invest in Helsing, a German startup that deals with AI-powered combat drones and military software. Ek is known to have invested 600 million euros in the company.
The news, announced on June 17, 2025, continues to draw attention and protests from musicians, activists, and social media users. They accuse Ek of using profits from music streaming services to fund the military industry. They openly urge fans to unsubscribe as a form of resistance against the platform.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
According to a report by Fader, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, an Australian rock group, removed all their music from Spotify on July 25, 2025. The decision was announced directly by the band through an Instagram Story post. "“Hello friends. A PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests millions in AI military drone technology. We just removed our music from the platform. Can we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better? Join us on another platform," they wrote.
Xiu Xiu
Through their Instagram account @xiuxiuforlife, music group Xiu Xiu announced on July 24 that they have removed their entire music catalog from Spotify. The process took longer than expected due to procedural complications. Xiu Xiu closed the statement with thanks to their fans and an invitation to unsubscribe from Spotify. "Thanks for the support and patience. For all the reasons you already know, please cancel your subscription with Spotify," they wrote.
Leah Senior
Australian folk musician Leah Senior joined the boycott of Spotify. She announced her decision on July 1, 2025, through her Instagram, @leahseniormusic. Leah highlighted two main reasons for her move, namely underpaying artists and the Helsing investment. "As well as grossly underpaying artists, Spotify is now funding weapons technology. I am in the process of getting my labels to take my music," she said.
Dr Sure's Unusual Practice
Dougal Shaw, the vocalist of the post-punk band Dr Sure's Unusual Practice, is boycotting Spotify, starting from their latest album, Blue/Bubble. Shaw realized that the boycott would not have a significant impact on the company. "I am trying to think of a way to do it that might help mobilize a wider boycott. It's hard to feel like it has any impact as a smaller artist, but if we can get more established artists on board I think it can be powerful," Shaw said, as quoted by The Music Network on Monday, July 7, 2025.
Deerhoof
Indie-rock band Deerhoof announced on June 30, 2025, that they will remove all of their music from Spotify. The decision was communicated through a lengthy statement uploaded on Instagram. "We don't want our music killing people." Deerhoof directly criticized Spotify, calling the platform a data mining fraud and get-rich-quick scheme. They stated that they are unable to confirm when exactly their music will disappear from Spotify, but they have started the removal process.
Laura Burhenn
Singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn responded to the Spotify issue through her personal Instagram account @laurabird on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. In the video, Burhenn criticized the platform's business model. "For as long as they’ve existed, [Spotify] have grossly underpaid musicians, but the money they’ve been making from subscriptions has been lining their pockets, and now we know where it’s gone," said Burhenn. She urged artists and listeners to simultaneously unsubscribe. "Your labor, your money has gone directly to fund the war machine," she said.
Editor’s Choice: From Newcomers to Superstars, How Much Do Artists Make on Spotify?
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