Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek’s €600m (£520m) investment in military AI company Helsing. Ek’s venture capital firm, Prima Materia, led Helsing’s latest funding round in June. The company develops AI-driven software for battlefield decision-making and produces military drones, including the HX-2.
The band said the decision reflects a “moral and ethical burden” on artists, noting that revenue from their music could ultimately fund lethal technologies. They announced the move alongside joining the No Music for Genocide initiative, a campaign in which more than 400 artists and labels block their music from streaming services in Israel.
Massive Attack emphasized the historical precedent of effective artist action during apartheid South Africa, calling for a similar response to “the apartheid, war crimes and genocide now being committed by the state of Israel.”
A Spotify spokesperson said the company and Helsing are separate entities and that Helsing’s technology is used solely for defense in Europe against Russian aggression in Ukraine. Helsing also confirmed that its systems are not deployed in any other conflict zones.
The band joins other acts, including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Deerhoof, who have also removed music from Spotify due to Ek’s investment in Helsing. Unlike independent artists, Massive Attack cannot host their music on platforms like Bandcamp, which has helped other acts achieve major visibility.
Massive Attack previously formed a syndicate supporting Palestinian artists, alongside Brian Eno, Kneecap, and Fontaines DC, aimed at protecting musicians from legal threats and industry censorship when speaking out on human rights issues.
