Massive Attack made two large announcements yesterday. The UK-based triphop band that became one of the defining acts of the genre, announced they’re leaving Spotify and blocking their music from being played in Israel. The effort comes thanks to Spotify’s CEO’s investments in AI warfare finally convincing them to leave the platform, alongside a host of other issues they had with the platform.
Over 400 artists and labels have joined in a boycott of Israel in blocking their music from Israel as part of the “No Music for Genocide” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to force more attention on what nearly every human rights organization, from the United Nations to Amnesty International, have called a genocide in Gaza. Massive Attack, specifically, pointed to the work of artists in the 80’s to end the apartheid in South Africa, and now hope to similarly influence the world to turn against Israel’s genocide.
How many artists will it take for people to take notice?
No Music for Warfare
“The economic burden that has long been placed on artists is now compounded by a moral & ethical burden”
– Massive Attack on why they’re leaving Spotify
Massive Attack seems to have been bothered by Spotify’s starvation of the music industry through low payouts. However, the moral imperative to leave the platform seemingly became too great when the CEO of Spotify, who became a billionaire as a result of that position, was able to make majority investments in an AI warfare company making drones and software that can identify potential targets. Weapons of war became a step too far.
Massive Attack joins Xiu Xiu, Deehoof, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and others in leaving the platform over AI-powered weapons of war.
No Music for Genocide
Major labels blocked their artists’ music in Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including Sony, UMG, and Warner. However, Israel’s actions in Gaza, which the UN, Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, Amnesty International, International Association of Genocide Scholars, Genocide Watch, Humans Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, and many others have rightly identified as genocide, have not influenced major labels to pull their music from Israel. Indie artists and labels have, instead, had to pick up the slack. However, now, artists on major labels, such as Massive Attack, MØ, and Primal Scream have asked their labels to block their music in Israel. As of this writing, Massive Attack’s catalog is still on Spotify, so the removal from Israel may also take a few days.
“In 1991 the scourge of apartheid violence fell from South Africa, aided from a distance by public boycotts, protests, and the withdrawal of work by artists, musicians and actors. Complicity with that state was considered unacceptable. In 2025 the same now applies to the genocidal state of Israel. As of today, there’s a musician’s equivalent of the recently announced @filmworkers4palestine campaign (signed by 4,500 filmmakers, actors, industry workers & institutions) – it can be found @nomusicforgenocide & supports the wider asks of the growing @bds.movement . We’d appeal to all musicians to transfer their sadness, anger and artistic contributions into a coherent, reasonable & vital action to end the unspeakable hell being visited upon the Palestinians hour after hour.”
– Massive Attack on joining the protest against Israel
The movement is called “No Music for Genocide,” and it seeks to block music in Israel. Culturally starve the nation to influence its people as well as the governments of the world to take action and stop the genocide happening in Gaza. Artists point to the 1980’s, when similar movements helped influence the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1991.
The nomusicforgenocide.org website helps indie artists and those on indie labels block their music in Israel. It’s a simple geo-block, that would pull rights for the music to be streamed, downloaded, or played on the radio in Israel. Artists joining this boycott are far too many to list, but Massive Attack joins artists like Mannequin Pussy, Amyl & the Sniffers, Kneecap, MIKE, MØ, Faye Webster, Japanese Breakfast, Primal Scream, Deerhoof, and many others.
A number of my friends are in bands, and have gone through the measures to pull their music out of Israel. The process itself is quick, though they were told their music may take 2-3 days for the block to go into effect. The same is likely true of the other bands pulling their music from Spotify or Israel.
Join In!
You can also back the boycott, both of Spotify and of Israel. Obviously the easiest way is to leave Spotify. However, you can also target your support for the bands you want to reward for speaking out. Find those bands that are being outspoken. No Music for Genocide is trying to keep a list, although it’s hard to keep it updated with so many indie artists joining in. Consider streaming their music on a platform that pays artists more, like Tidal or Apple Music. Better yet, since many are indie artists, find them on Bandcamp, which is only for indie artists and those on indie labels. Buy their music. Grab a record, a CD, a cassette, some merch, or just get the digital download to add to your library. Show your support for these bands so others feel safe to join in.
We make decisions every day that could make a difference if we just think about them a little more. Small actions add up, especially when we work together.
Other ways are to support the people of Gaza directly. A number of Palestinians have set up crowdfunding pages. If you feel more comfortable going to a larger group, Doctors Without Borders is still working hard to bring resources and aid to the people of Gaza. They’re being attacked for their efforts and need support too. The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is another great option. Unicef and World Central Kitchen are also great options.
When you’re done, call your representatives and ask them to take a stand against genocide. Everyone, no matter how small you think you are, can make a difference.
Sources:
- Tom Breihan, Stereogum
- Danielle Chelosky, Stereogum
- Eddie Fu, Consequence
- Andre Gee, Rolling Stone
- Scoop Harrison, Consequence
- Laura Snapes, The Guardian
- Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork