Artists Boycott Spotify Over CEO's Military AI Investments

Massive Attack Leads Growing Boycott Against Streaming Giant

British trip-hop band Massive Attack has announced it will remove its music from Spotify, joining a growing movement of artists protesting CEO Daniel Ek's investments in military technology. The band cited Ek's €600 million investment through his fund Prima Materia in German defense company Helsing, which develops AI-powered combat drones and battlefield analysis systems.

Protest Against Military Technology Funding

"Given the CEO's investments in a company that manufactures military ammunition drones and integrates AI technology into combat aircraft, Massive Attack has requested to remove our music from Spotify worldwide," the band stated. "Enough is more than enough. There is an alternative."

The controversy centers on Helsing's development of the HX-2 kamikaze drone and AI systems that analyze sensor and weapons data from battlefields to support military decisions. The company works with aircraft manufacturer Saab, weapons producer Rheinmetall, and the governments of Germany, Lithuania, and Estonia.

No Music for Genocide Campaign

Massive Attack is also joining the No Music for Genocide initiative, a cultural boycott campaign where over 400 artists and record labels are blocking their music on streaming services in Israel to protest ongoing violence in Gaza. This occurs through geoblock requests via their labels.

"Those successful boycotts prove that our creative work gives us influence and power," stated campaign organizers, drawing parallels to cultural boycotts during South Africa's apartheid regime.

Growing Artist Exodus

Other bands including Irish post-punk group Fontaines D.C., Australian psych-rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and artists like Godspeed You! Black Emperor have also removed their music from Spotify. Dutch artists are considering similar action, with Amsterdam-based label Kalahari Oyster Cult already pulling its entire catalog.

Merel Pauw, who performs as Elmer, told de Volkskrant: "I get 0 euros, while the entire platform runs on our hard work and passion."

Company Responses

Spotify maintains that Prima Materia is "an independent investment company co-founded by Daniel Ek" and not connected to the streaming service. Helsing defended its technology, stating it is "exclusively deployed in European countries for deterrence and defense against Russian aggression in Ukraine."

Artists are increasingly migrating to platforms like Bandcamp, where they can sell music directly to fans without supporting technologies they find ethically problematic.