For years, we’ve tolerated — or perhaps ignored — the paradox of the music streaming system: artists receiving fractions of a cent per thousands of plays, while platforms rake in billions. We’ve pointed out that selling a CD, a T-shirt, or even playing a small live gig is far more profitable than ten thousand streams on Spotify. But now the issue has moved beyond economics. It’s a cultural, political, and deeply ethical crisis.
The tipping point? Weapons.
In 2021, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invested hundreds of millions of euros into Helsing, a European defense company specializing in AI-powered military technologies. But it wasn’t just a passive investment: Ek became chairman of the board. Helsing develops systems for automated warfare — drones, surveillance tools, targeting software — all designed to make killing faster, more “efficient,” and increasingly autonomous.
And it’s the money generated by the music we listen to every day that helps fund this dystopian reality. Every premium subscription, every ad, every stream contributes to the revenue Spotify produces — revenue now fueling the development of next-generation AI weaponry.
Artists are taking a stand
The backlash was swift. Indie band Deerhoof pulled their entire catalog from Spotify, declaring: “We don’t want our music killing people. We don’t want our success tied to AI battle tech.”
Other artists followed:
- Folk singer Leah Senior said: “As soon as I saw the connection between Spotify and AI weapons, something snapped inside me. Enough.”
- Melbourne band Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice refused to upload their latest album, stating: “Withholding our work — our labor — that’s the only tool we have.”
- The Dutch electronic label Kalahari Oyster Cult removed most of its releases, denouncing a platform that “underpays artists and reinvests its profits into war.”
The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) union called Ek “a warmonger who pays artists poverty wages.”
This isn’t just about unfair pay anymore. It’s about not wanting your art to be a silent accomplice to violence. The money generated from creativity is being funneled into creating weapons. What was once an economic protest is now a moral one.
Spotify’s second AI problem
On top of the military controversy, Spotify is also under fire for reportedly promoting AI-generated music by “fake artists” like Aventhis and The Velvet Sundown — music that racks up millions of streams and appears on official playlists. Many suspect Spotify is using algorithmic music to reduce its royalty payouts to human artists, replacing them with non-human alternatives.
It paints a bleak picture: human creativity is being devalued, both by underpayment and by quiet replacement.
What can listeners do?
The power now lies with listeners. Every stream is a vote. Every subscription is a contribution. And now, those dollars, those listens, are helping build machines designed to kill.
But we have alternatives:
- Cancel Spotify — It’s not a sacrifice. It’s a decision to disengage from an immoral system.
- Support artists directly — Buy their music, go to shows, use platforms like Bandcamp or Resonate.
- Talk about it — Share this issue with your friends and community.
We are closer than ever to an ethical Renaissance in music. We’re rediscovering the joy of live concerts, the intimacy of vinyl, the value of personal connection with music and musicians. We just need to take the next step.
Stop funding a system that betrays the very soul of music.
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