Massive Attack have become the latest artist to remove their music from Spotify in protest of founder Daniel Ek’s investment of £520 million into the AI company ‘Helsing’, where he is also chairman. They follow artists such as Australian psych group King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Canadian post-rock group Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the Third Man Records-signed US band Hotline TNT, alternative US group Deerhoof, and Manchester band Wu Lyf. Helsing is a defence tech firm whose software uses AI technology to analyse sensor and weapons system data from battlefields to inform real-time military decisions. It also makes its own military drone, the HX-2.
Massive Attack also announced their signing up to the ‘No Music for Genocide’ initiative, in which a group of more than 400 artists and labels are now blocking their music from streaming services in Israel. Some members include MJ Lenderman, Amyl and the Sniffers, Rina Sawayama, Jockstrap, KeiyaA, John Glacier, Erika de Casier, Smerz, Wednesday, Nourished by Time, Mike, Yaeji, and Faye Webster. In their statement, Massive Attack said:
“Unconnected to this initiative and in light of the (reported) significant investments by its 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.
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.”
Massive Attack previously formed a syndicate for artists speaking out in support of the Palestinian people alongside Brian Eno, Kneecap, and Fontaines DC to protect musicians from being “threatened into silence or career cancellation.” They defend artists from organisations such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which reported Bob Vylan to police for leading a chant of “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury, as well as reporting the BBC for broadcasting the set.
Spokespeople from Spotify and Helsing were quick to note that Helsing was “not involved in Gaza” and its efforts were “focused on Europe defending itself in Ukraine”. Nevertheless, Massive Attack stated:
“In the separate case of Spotify, 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 endeavours of musicians ultimately funds lethal, dystopian technologies.”
Enough is more than enough. Another way is possible.
The actions of Massive Attack and many other artists on Spotify’s platform reflects a compounding dissatisfaction with the company’s treatment of issues surrounding fair artist compensation, investment by leadership into military technology, and continuing to provide their services in the region of Israel amid the country’s genocidal actions in Palestine.
