King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Remove Music From Spotify Following CEO Daniel Ek’s Military Investment

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have announced that they will be pulling their music off of Spotify. This comes in the wake of Spotify CEO Daniel Ek making multi-billion dollar investments into military technology. The iconic Aussie rock band is not the first musician/band to make a similar statement.

On their Instagram story, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard said: “Hello friends, A PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests millions in AI military drone technology,” the band wrote in an Instagram Story on Friday. “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.”

Daniel Ek has faced immense public scrutiny after investing €600 million (over $740 million USD) into Helsing, an AI German defense company. Acts such as Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu have pulled their music from the streaming giant, with the latter making similar statement to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: “We are currently working to take all of our music off of garbage hole violent armageddon portal Spotify. It is taking longer than we had hoped due to procedural complications but will be completed soon. Thanks for the support and patience.”

Musicians and music lovers alike have condemned Spotify and Ek for the decision. Many listeners are canceling their memberships, while more artists are directing their fans to listen to their work elsewhere. To add to the controversy, Spotify has come under fire for underpaying their artists. Many see this major investment decision as a slap in the face in the wake of these ongoing criticisms. The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) group made a statement against the investment, stating: “To build a fair and just music industry, we also must dismantle imperialism in all its forms. We stand against genocide and against the war machine, and encourage artists to build solidarity across the world.” They went on to call the move “warmongering” while musicians are being paid “poverty wages”.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard recently released their 27th studio album, Phantom Island. It was received well by fans and critics alike, with the band receiving praise for their continued commitment to innovation, creativity and versatility. Formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Victoria, King Gizzard has remained a cult favorite of rock fans for their quirky personality and vast discography.