Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek investing €600m (£520m) in military AI company Helsing, which produces AI-enabled weapons systems and drones. The band said the move reflects a “moral and ethical burden” on artists whose work indirectly funds lethal technologies.
Ek’s investment comes through his venture capital firm, Prima Materia, which led Helsing’s latest funding round. Helsing’s technology is currently deployed in Europe for defense against Russian aggression in Ukraine, according to the company, which denied involvement in other war zones. Spotify said it is a separate entity from Helsing.
The band’s announcement coincides with the No Music for Genocide initiative, in which more than 400 artists are blocking their music from streaming services in Israel. Massive Attack emphasized historical precedent, comparing the campaign to artist boycotts during apartheid in South Africa, and called for musicians to take a stand against modern-day atrocities.
Massive Attack join other artists, including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Deerhoof, in removing their music from Spotify over Ek’s investment. Unlike independent acts, Massive Attack cannot move their catalogue to Bandcamp due to their major-label status.
The band has previously advocated for Palestinian rights alongside Brian Eno, Kneecap, and Fontaines DC, forming a syndicate to protect artists from censorship or legal threats for speaking out. Massive Attack stressed their action is about solidarity with artists “living day after day in a screen-time genocide” and resisting industry and legal pressures designed to silence them.
