Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek investing €600m (£520m) in the military AI company Helsing. Ek’s firm, Prima Materia, led Helsing’s latest funding round, with the company developing AI technology for battlefield analysis and military drones.
The band said the decision was driven by a “moral and ethical burden,” arguing that revenue from their work on the platform ultimately funds lethal technologies. The announcement coincided with their support of the No Music for Genocide initiative, a campaign where over 400 artists and labels block music from streaming services in Israel.
Massive Attack emphasized the precedent of artist boycotts during apartheid South Africa, linking it to current concerns over war crimes and genocide in Israel. They called for musicians to take action and criticized the economic and ethical pressures on artists through streaming revenue.
A Spotify spokesperson stated that the company and Helsing are separate entities and that Helsing’s technology is deployed only in Europe to defend against Russian aggression in Ukraine. Helsing also said reports of its technology being used elsewhere are incorrect.
Massive Attack join other artists, including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Deerhoof, and Wu Lyf, in removing music from Spotify due to Ek’s investment. Unlike independent acts, Massive Attack cannot host their music on Bandcamp, which is only available to independent labels.
The band has previously supported Palestinian artists through a syndicate with Brian Eno, Kneecap, and Fontaines DC, providing solidarity against censorship and legal threats from organizations such as UK Lawyers for Israel.
