Spotify is under fire from the movement Death to Spotify, who calls for decentralized music, protesting low artist pay, algorithmic listening, and Daniel Ek's investments in war technology
The Spotify is back in the spotlight of music, but this time not for a new update or hit list. A global movement, known as Death to Spotify, has targeted the most powerful streaming player, accusing it of the commercialization of music, low artist pay and the controversial investments of its co-founder, Daniel Ek, in companies linked to military technology.
What started as a series of discussions in San Francisco has grown into a global movement that wants to put music back where it belongs: with the creators and the listeners. From Berlin to New York, artists, producers and fans are uniting against a platform that, they say, has turned music listening into a cold, algorithmically controlled experience.
The basic idea behind the Death to Spotify It’s not just a reaction to low pay. It’s a cultural and ethical stance against a system that, as the movement’s supporters say, “washes away the art” and strips music of its humanity. Participants call it “the decolonization of sound” — an attempt to make music personal again, independent and free from Spotify’s commercial algorithms.
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Journalist Liz Pelly, in her book Mood Machine, describes Spotify as a platform that has altered the audience’s relationship with music. Playlists, he notes, act like “musical mats,” tailored for every activity — from morning coffee to midday workout — but remove any trace of search and passion. Instead of exploration, users simply “press play.”
The criticism isn't limited to the business model. The revelation that Daniel Ek invested in the German company Helsing, which is developing artificial intelligence for military use, gave new impetus to the movement. Many artists saw this investment as proof that Spotify no longer has anything to do with artistic creation.
In 2025, several well-known bands, including Massive Attack, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, and Hotline TNT, pulled their music from the platform, stating that they did not want to support a company indirectly linked to the war industry. Spotify’s response was distant: “These are two different companies,” a spokesperson said, without commenting further.
At the same time, over 500 artists participated in the campaign. No Music for Genocide, pulling their content from the streaming service in Israel. Among them were names like Björk, Paramore, Lorde and Marina. This mass move reinforced the image of a music world that is starting to react collectively against practices it considers unethical.
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The debate over streaming royalties is nothing new. For years, musicians like Taylor Swift and Thom Yorke have openly questioned Spotify’s model. Swift had her entire discography taken down for three years, while Yorke called Spotify “the last desperate gasp of a dead body.” Although both have since returned, their reactions have set the stage for a more informed conversation about the value of art in the digital age.
But the new generation of artists isn't content with just making statements. Hotline TNT frontman Will Anderson recently said that "Spotify's end game is to not even think about what you're listening to." His band has sold hundreds of copies of its new album Raspberry Moon via Bandcamp and Twitch, proving that musicians can survive without depending on Spotify.
Other artists, like Caroline Rose, are now choosing to release their music exclusively on physical formats or through platforms like Bandcamp. Rose said it was “unreasonable to put your heart and soul into something that ends up being available almost for free online.” This attitude reflects a general disillusionment with the platform, but also a trend back towards more authentic forms of artistic interaction.
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But beyond individual movements, organizations like UMAW (Union of Musicians and Allied Workers) are taking more collective action. Its co-founder, Joy DeFrancesco, argues that “only through unity can things change.” UMAW, with campaigns like the one that pressured the South by Southwest festival to cut ties with the arms industry, shows that the music community can influence the decisions of big companies.
The proposed law also moves in the same context. Living Wages for Musicians Act, promoted by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in the United States, aims to establish fairer remuneration for artists featured on Spotify and other platforms.
His message Death to Spotify It's not about shutting down the app. It's about changing the mindset around music consumption. The movement's creators are calling on the public to think more consciously about how and where they listen to music, to look for new ways to support artists, and to resist the "comfort zone" created by algorithms.
Spotify, for its part, remains the world’s largest listening platform, with billions of streams every day. But behind the shiny facade, a generation of musicians and listeners seems poised to rewrite the rules of the game — not to punish, but to remind us that music isn’t about numbers, data, and clicks. It’s about experience, emotion, and community.
And perhaps, this is the real revolution that started from Death to Spotify.
