Australian psychedelic-rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have pulled their entire discography from Spotify in protest of CEO Daniel Ek’s financial involvement in military artificial intelligence development. The band’s decision follows widespread controversy surrounding Ek’s personal investment in Helsing, a defence tech company that creates AI software to power and enhance military surveillance and weapons systems.
The band made the announcement on July 25, stating that none of their new or existing music will be available on Spotify going forward. Their latest release – a raw and experimental collection of demos – omitted the streaming platform, accompanied by a blunt message to fans on social media: “out everywhere except Spotify (fuck Spotify). You can bootleg it if you wanna.”
Then, explaining the decision, the band later elaborated: “Hello friends. A PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests millions in AI military drone technology. We just removed our music from the platform. Can we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better? Join us on another platform.”
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek – whose company has faced repeated criticism over artist royalties and controversial podcast deals – has served as chairman of Helsing since 2021. In 2023, he helped led a $1.07 billion funding round for the company. Helsing’s work includes integrating AI into military operations, such as real-time battlefield mapping and data processing for NATO-aligned European militaries. The ethical implications of such partnerships, especially when backed by figures associated with global entertainment platforms, have sparked outrage across creative communities.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – who currently have 27 studio albums, live albums and compilations available on the platform – have now joined the growing musician-led exodus from Spotify. The protest is being driven not just by dissatisfaction with royalty pay-outs, but by broader concerns about how technology and creativity intersect with the global military-industrial complex.
Experimental rock acts like Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof have also recently withdrawn from the platform. Californian art-rock band Xiu Xiu recently announced on that it was taking all of its music off “garbage hole violent Armageddon portal Spotify” as they “don’t want [their] music killing people”.
These artists are urging fans to follow them to Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Tidal, or other platforms more aligned with ethical transparency and artist-first models. As backlash against Big Tech continues to rise, King Gizzard’s bold move sets a precedent for music as both a political tool and a moral stand.
