In recent months, an international coalition of artists, labels, authors, and cultural figures has intensified its boycott of Israeli institutions, driven by concerns over human rights violations in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank. The movement has two prominent strands: a music-centric boycott known as “No Music for Genocide,” and broader cultural boycotts in literature and film.
Launched in September 2025, No Music for Genocide is a musician-led initiative calling on artists and record labels to geo-block (restrict access to) and remove their music from streaming platforms in Israel. The campaign frames this act as a way to protest genocide, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid.
The initial announcement included over 400 artists and labels. Among those early supporters were Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C., Kelela, Erika de Casier, Young Fathers, Mogwai, Black Country, New Road, Primal Scream, Loraine James, Nadine Shah, and independent labels like NTS, PAN, 10k, Bayonet, TraTraTrax, Motion Ward, and others. By early October 2025, the boycott had grown to include more than 1,000 artists and labels. Major names that joined through this later wave include Lorde, IDLES, MUNA, Paloma Faith, Pinegrove and Marc Rebillet, as well as labels such as Hyperdub and Planet Mu. These additional signatories reflect both a widening geographical spread and an increasing willingness among more prominent artists to align themselves publicly with the boycott. The organisers emphasise that culture alone will not stop violence, but it can help shift public opinion, resist normalisation, and hold institutions to account.
Parallel to the music boycott are similar efforts in literature, film, and visual art.
Over 1,000 authors, including winners of the Nobel, Booker, and Pulitzer prizes, have signed declarations refusing to collaborate with Israeli publishers that are complicit in the atrocities being committed. Signatories include Sally Rooney, Annie Ernaux and Arundhati Roy.
However there are some practical challenges: geo-blocking is technically complex, and ensuring compliance across streaming services can be difficult. Some artists have reported that their music briefly reappeared in Israel despite signing up, due to logistical issues with platforms or distributors.
