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Spotify, the world’s biggest music streaming platform, is facing a growing backlash after its CEO, Daniel Ek, renewed his investment in a German company developing AI military technology.
The move has prompted a number of independent musicians to remove their work from the platform in protest, reigniting the long-standing debate over artist compensation and corporate ethics in the digital age.
The controversy centres on Ek’s investment firm, Prima Materia, which recently participated in a new €600 million funding round for Helsing, a startup specializing in AI systems for military drones and warfare. Ek has been involved with Helsing since 2021 and also serves as its chairman.
This substantial financial commitment has been a major point of contention for artists who have long criticized Spotify’s business model, which is often seen as paying musicians a paltry fraction of a penny per stream.
Australian psychedelic-rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard were among the first and most prominent acts to pull their entire catalogue from Spotify, posting a blunt message on Instagram: “We can’t support a platform that profits from destruction.” They were quickly followed by other acclaimed indie acts, including Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof, who made their own statements condemning Ek’s investments.
In a scathing public letter, Deerhoof equated their streaming revenue to the human cost of war. “We don’t want our music killing people. We don’t want our success being tied to AI battle tech,” the band wrote, capturing the sentiment of many artists who are choosing to take a moral stand.
For now, the boycott remains largely symbolic. The artists leading the charge, while having sizable audiences, are independent, and their collective absence is unlikely to make a significant dent in Spotify’s bottom line. Industry observers note that it would likely take a high-profile, major-label artist like Taylor Swift to truly pressure the platform.
However, the growing discontent highlights a deeper issue. Musicians are grappling with the ethical dilemma of supporting a platform that funnels money into advanced military AI, even if leaving means forgoing their primary means of reaching a global audience.
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