King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard has moved to remove all of its music from Spotify in protest of CEO Daniel Ek's investment in the arms industry. The Australian group announced the measure on their social media, accompanying it with a forceful message reflecting their ethical stance toward this type of corporate behavior. "Fuck Spotify," they bluntly wrote, while also releasing a new collection of demos available exclusively on Bandcamp.
The group's decision follows those of other artists who have denounced the direct links between Spotify's top executives and military technology companies. Ek, who has led the platform since its founding, has led an investment of more than €2021 million in Helsing, a German company specializing in artificial intelligence applied to weapons, since 600. King Gizzard's rejection is in response to these moves, and they have made it clear that the withdrawal is not a simple symbolic gesture: "The entire catalog will be deleted," confirmed a spokesperson for the band, although they acknowledged that the process could be delayed due to legal and distribution issues.
A break motivated by ethical and political principles
The split with Spotify reflects King Gizzard's stance on business practices it considers incompatible with its values. Their complaint has resonated with fans and colleagues, such as the bands Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu, who have also begun removing their albums from the service in recent weeks. As the members of Deerhoof expressed: "We don't want our music to kill people," an idea that has resonated deeply with parts of the independent music industry, weary of relying on platforms whose profits end up being tied to the war industry.
The Australian group, known for its consistent album releases and creative independence, has taken the opportunity to encourage its fans to seek alternatives. They highlighted Bandcamp as their preferred platform (where they released their new demos) and noted that their discography is still available on Apple Music, Tidal, and other services. They also emphasized that the only work remaining (for now) on Spotify is the collaborative EP. Satanic Slumber Party, released in 2022 alongside Tropical Fuck Storm and under the umbrella of Joyful Noise Recordings, the label that has the final say on its availability.
The role of Daniel Ek and the reaction of the music industry
Daniel Ek's personal investments have placed Spotify at the center of a growing controversy over the responsibility of technology companies in the arms industry. Helsing, the company Ek has invested in, develops artificial intelligence for drones and defense systems, which has raised eyebrows in parts of the music community. The debate goes beyond the issue of streaming payments—a classic source of conflict between Spotify and independent artists—and connects with business ethics: should music be linked to arms companies be normalized?
King Gizzard has been particularly direct in his communication: "Can we pressure these technocrats to do better?" he asked his followers. They enjoy a rare degree of autonomy thanks to their control over their catalog and the absence of major record label contracts, which allows them to react quickly to situations they consider unfair. The support of other labels, such as Joyful Noise, has helped ensure that almost their entire repertoire has been lost in a matter of days.
Independent bands and the difficulty of boycotting Spotify
King Gizzard's movement has sparked a debate within the music world about the real difficulty for emerging artists or artists without their own structure to imitate this type of boycott. While their decision has been applauded by smaller labels and some established figures, the reality is that many musicians rely on Spotify's algorithm to reach new listeners, which reduces their room for maneuver in similar situations.
However, King Gizzard's reaction highlights the industry's priorities and encourages music fans to rethink where and how they listen to their favorite artists. Social media and specialized forums are abuzz these days with debates about the responsibility of platforms and the need for alternatives that respect both creators and the public. In their public messages, the band has not hesitated to openly call for a shift toward ethical platforms where music is not associated with military interests.
