Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek’s €600m (£520m) investment in the military AI company Helsing. The band cited a “moral and ethical burden” on artists whose work ultimately funds lethal technologies, noting that Helsing develops AI software for battlefield decision-making and manufactures military drones.
The announcement coincided with the band joining the No Music for Genocide initiative, in which over 400 artists and labels block their music from streaming services in Israel. Massive Attack emphasized that their Spotify withdrawal is separate from this initiative, highlighting the ethical concerns around Ek’s investment.
Spotify responded that the company and Helsing are separate entities, and Helsing clarified its technology is deployed only in Europe for deterrence and defense against Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Massive Attack join other artists—including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Hotline TNT, Deerhoof, and Wu Lyf—who have removed music from Spotify due to Helsing investments. The band also encouraged musicians to channel their support into coherent actions against human rights abuses, drawing parallels to historic artist boycotts during apartheid in South Africa.
