Artists Bolt as ‘Garbage-Hole’ Spotify Faces Backlash Over CEO’s AI Weapons Bet
Spotify is reeling after Australian psych-rockers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, avant-garde groups Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu, and dozens of smaller acts announced they’re pulling their music in protest of CEO Daniel Ek’s personal €600 million stake in Helsing, a defense startup building AI-powered drone and targeting systems. Artists blasted the streamer as a “garbage hole violent Armageddon portal,” arguing that listener royalties are now underwriting warfare tech and calling on fans to cancel subscriptions.
The revolt erupted on social media this week, sending #DeleteSpotify trending worldwide and sparking think-pieces about ethical streaming. Industry analysts say the departing catalogs represent hundreds of millions of streams and could accelerate subscriber churn in niche genres where loyalty is strong. Labels and managers report a spike in inquiries about alternative platforms like Bandcamp and Tidal, while consumer-rights groups are pressuring lawmakers to scrutinize Big Tech owners’ side investments.
Spotify has yet to comment beyond reiterating that Ek’s venture-capital activities are separate from the company. But with high-profile departures mounting and more artists hinting at walkouts, the controversy threatens to tarnish the platform’s brand just as it pushes into higher-margin audiobooks and AI-generated playlists. Investors are watching closely: shares dipped 4 percent in after-hours trading as analysts warned of reputational risk in an increasingly values-driven market.
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