Massive Attack Tell UMG to Pull Their Music From Spotify

Photo Credit: Massive Attack by Rod le Hiboo / CC by 2.0

Massive Attack joins King Gizzard, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and others in protesting Spotify by pulling their music from the streaming platform.

Progressive trip hop band Massive Attack has announced their intention to pull their music from Spotify, expressing solidarity with other artists who have removed their music from the streaming platform. Massive Attack, like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and other independent bands, have indicated the removal was inspired in part by Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek’s military investments.

“In light of the (reported) significant investments by [Spotify’s] CEO in a company producing military munition drones and AI technology integrated into fighter aircraft, Massive Attack have made a separate request to our label that our music be removed from the Spotify streaming service in all territories,” the band wrote on Instagram.

“The economic burden that has long been placed on artists is now compounded by a moral and ethical burden, whereby the hard-earned money of fans and the creative endeavors of musicians ultimately funds lethal, dystopian technologies,” Massive Attack’s statement continued. “Enough is more than enough. Another way is possible.”

In recent weeks, numerous artists have removed their music from Spotify, primarily in protest of Daniel Ek and his venture capital fund Prima Materia’s investments in Helsing. The defense company operates in the UK, Germany, and France and sells software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to inform military decisions.

Among the artists to have pulled their music from Spotify recently include Hotline TNT, Young Widows, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, WU LYF, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, and Deerhoof.

In a statement posted on Wednesday, September 17, Helsing pointed out that “misinformation spreading” that the company’s technology is deployed “in war zones other than Ukraine” is incorrect. “Our technology is deployed in European countries for deterrence and for defense against Russian aggression in Ukraine only,” the statement asserts.