Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Caribou and hundreds of other musicians have united in a major call for Live Nation to stop its operations in Israel. This collective action reflects deep frustration among artists who believe the live-music giant’s business ties to Israel are ethically problematic amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The movement underscores how political pressure is increasingly intersecting with the music industry.

According to NME, the open letter urging Live Nation to drop its Israel subsidiary has been signed by a broad roster of artists including pioneering British trip-hop act Massive Attack, ambient music legend Brian Eno and electronic musician Caribou. Their statement, organized through a group called Musicians For Palestine, demands that Live Nation cease to operate Live Nation Israel and adopt ethical policies that avoid complicity in oppression. The signatories argue that Live Nation’s Israeli activities glorify the country’s military actions in Palestine and contribute to what they describe as ongoing systemic violence. 

The campaign has garnered more than 600 signatures and expands upon broader calls from activist groups such as the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel to pressure global entertainment companies over their ties to the conflict. Critics of Live Nation point to the company’s acquisition of Israeli entertainment firms and its promotion of concerts in the region as part of an entrenched infrastructure that, in their view, normalizes the situation. 

Many of the signing artists have long histories of activism around the Palestinian genocide. Massive Attack has been outspoken about Gaza and has taken part in cultural boycott efforts as part of the No Music For Genocide movement that advocates for musicians to withhold their work from Israeli platforms. Brian Eno’s political engagements include past boycott efforts targeting Israeli cultural institutions dating back decades. 

Supporters of the letter view it as a necessary stance for the music community to use its public platform to oppose what they see as complicity and to push for accountability in the industry.