Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor has pulled practically their whole discography from main streaming providers together with Spotify.
Pitchfork reported on Sunday (August 17) that the band eliminated their catalog from Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music. Their label, Constellation Information, confirmed the transfer to the information outlet with out offering extra data.
Nevertheless, two albums from Godspeed’s earlier catalog — F# A# ∞ (1998) and Carry Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven (2000) — stay briefly accessible on Apple Music via their former label Kranky, Pitchfork stated.
A consultant from Kranky informed the information outlet: “Kranky has at all times granted artists management over how their music is introduced and disseminated.”
The band’s music stays out there for buy and streaming via direct-to-fan platform Bandcamp.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s withdrawal marks the newest within the present wave of artist departures from streaming platforms.
Final month, Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard grew to become the newest act to withdraw their music from Spotify in protest over CEO Daniel Ek‘s funding in European protection expertise firm Helsing, based in 2021, which focuses on AI protection software program but additionally makes drones just like the HX2.
In an announcement posted on an Instagram story, King Gizzard stated: “Howdy associates. A PSA to these unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests thousands and thousands in Al navy drone expertise. We simply eliminated our music from the platform. Can we put strain on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do higher? Be part of us on one other platform.”
King Gizzard joined a rising record of artists to chop ties with Spotify over Ek’s Helsing funding. Experimental rock band Xiu Xiu additionally introduced plans to go away Spotify over Ek’s transfer. The band wrote on Instagram: “Spotify makes use of music cash to put money into AI battle drones.”
San Francisco-based Indie rock band Deerhoof began the wave of exits, writing on their web site on June 30: “We don’t need our music killing individuals. We don’t need our success being tied to AI battle tech.”
In June, Ek led a €600 million funding spherical for Helsing and assumed the chairman position. The protection startup, based in 2021, creates AI-powered navy methods together with the “Centaur” expertise that integrates synthetic intelligence into fighter plane operations.
Whereas Godspeed didn’t disclose the rationale for pulling its music from Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music, the band has been politically engaged. Final yr, they dropped an album referred to as No Title As of 13 February 2024 28,340 Useless, referencing the Palestinian dying toll in Gaza as reported by Gaza’s Well being Ministry, in accordance with Pitchfork.
Previous to the newest withdrawals from Spotify, different artists like Joni Mitchell, Neil Younger, and Crosby, Stills & Nash have additionally determined to tug their music from the platform over the current years.
In January 2022, Younger introduced that he was pulling his music from the streaming platform over its internet hosting of the Joe Rogan Expertise podcast. Nevertheless, in March 2024, Younger’s music returned to Spotify now that the podcast is now not unique to the platform.
After Younger’s return, Joni Mitchell’s music additionally reappeared on the platform two years after she eliminated her catalog from Spotify in protest of what she and Younger perceived because the platform’s amplification of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
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