Musicians' artistic ventures are unwittingly financing lethal, futuristic technologies with worrisome connotations, prompting Massive Attack to depart from Spotify in protest against Daniel Ek's military AI investments. It's time for a change.
In a bold move, British trip-hop group Massive Attack has withdrawn their music from Spotify, joining a growing list of artists who have taken a stand against the streaming giant's ties with military technology.
The band's decision comes in response to Spotify's chairman, Daniel Ek, being the founder of Helsing, a military AI company. The group considers the No Music for Genocide campaign imperative, and by exiting Spotify, they have signed up to this group that blocks their music from streaming services in Israel.
Massive Attack's statement explains their decision, citing the apartheid, war crimes, and genocide now being committed by the state of Israel. They draw a historical parallel with effective artist action during apartheid South Africa.
This move means that Massive Attack would be unable to use Bandcamp, which is reserved for independently-signed artists. However, they have alternatives. Other streaming services that don't invest in military tech are available for Massive Attack, and they also have their own website as an alternative.
The No Music For Genocide group, which consists of over 400 artists and labels, includes other notable names such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Amyl and the Sniffers, Faye Webster, Rina Sawayama, Wednesday, and many more.
It is worth noting that Helsing's technology is deployed in European countries for deterrence and defense against the Russian aggression in Ukraine only. However, this seems to be a concern that the band has chosen to address by withdrawing from Spotify.
Massive Attack is the first major label group to exit Spotify in protest, setting a precedent for other artists who may share similar concerns. The band's withdrawal from Spotify has resulted in their music being removed from the platform in all territories.
As the music industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how other artists and streaming platforms respond to these developments. For now, Massive Attack's music can be found on their own website, where they continue to make their voice heard.
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