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satanboy

satanboy

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Alternative group Deerhoof have pulled their entire catalogue from Spotify after the CEO invested a huge sum of money into artificial intelligence military software.

It was announced in June that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek led a €600 million investment into Helsing, an AI military start-up producing drones, aircraft and submarines. The company is also developing a new “Centaur” system to integrate “advanced AI pilots” into the cockpits of fighter aircraft. This investment has led to Ek being named chairman of the company.

Deerhoof announced the move in a statement on social media, which ruminated on the state of the industry at large. After stating that “it was a pretty easy decision” for the band, though they “don’t judge those who can’t make the same move” due to economic reasons, the band wrote, “AI battle tech is clearly emerging as the hot new big ticket item for the super-rich. It’s increasingly clear that the military and police exist primarily as the security detail for the billionaire class. The more of the killing you can get computers to do, the better your bottom line.”

The statement later slammed Spotify, stating, “Spotify is flushing itself down the toilet. Eventually artists will want to leave this already widely hated data-mining scam masquerading as a “music company.” It’s creepy for users and crappy for artists. Music-making lasts forever but this or that digital get-rich-quick scheme is sure to become obsolete.”

Many others have followed in their footsteps. The Amsterdam-based label Kalahari Oyster Cult has removed all releases on the streaming platform, including music from Spray, Maara, Flora FM and Fantastic Man.

faroutmag
 
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midnightrebels.com

Pennies for Artists, Millions for Missiles: The Real Reason Musicians Are Leaving Spotify

Artists are removing their music from Spotify because CEO Daniel Ek invested heavily in an AI weapons company. This action links long-standing frustration over low artist pay with the ethical concerns of streaming profits funding "AI battle tech," sparking a debate about platform capitalism.
midnightrebels.com midnightrebels.com

The worlds of music and military technology, once distant, have violently collided. At the epicenter of this collision is Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, whose personal investments in an AI defense firm have triggered an artist exodus, shaken the streaming giant, and forced millions of listeners to confront an unsettling question: What is my subscription fee funding? This is the story of how the capital generated by a global cultural platform became entangled with the development of autonomous weapons, and how a handful of artists turned a long-simmering labor dispute into a potent moral crusade.

The controversy ignited when it was revealed that Ek, through his investment firm Prima Materia, had not only poured hundreds of millions into AI defense company Helsing but had also taken the role of its chairman. In response, a growing number of musicians, led by the indie rock band Deerhoof, began pulling their music from Spotify, declaring they refuse to let their art be tied to “AI battle tech”. Their protest, however, is not just about ethics; it’s the explosive culmination of years of frustration over what many see as an exploitative economic relationship with the world’s largest streaming service. 1

The Last Straw: An Exodus Fueled by Pennies and Principles
For years, artists have struggled to rally public support against Spotify’s notoriously low royalty rates. The complexities of pro-rata payments and opaque financial structures often failed to capture widespread attention. Daniel Ek’s deep dive into the defense industry changed that overnight. The concept of “computerized extermination” is far more visceral and easier to grasp than fractional cents per stream.

The revolt was spearheaded by indie veterans Deerhoof, who announced the removal of their entire catalog with a blistering statement: “We don’t want our music killing people. We don’t want our success being tied to AI battle tech“. They crucially linked this moral stand to their economic reality, calling the decision “easy” because “Spotify only pays a pittance anyway“.
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Pffft, they don't even know what it is they're truly protesting. Typical artists.
 
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King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have finally re-uploaded their music to a streaming platform, using Bandcamp in a name-your-price model.

The Australian rock band joined a mass exodus from Spotify at the end of July to protest the investments of the company’s CEO, Daniel EK, in a firm called Helsing, which develops AI drone technology to be used within the military.

At the time, the band said: “We do not want our music killing people,” before adding, “We just removed our music from the platform. Can we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better?”
 
Wait until they find out what their taxes are paying for…
 
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King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have responded to the alleged AI band that curiously appeared in their place on Spotify after the Australian psychedelic-rock titans removed their discography from the platform.

faroutmagazine.co.uk

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard slam AI clone on Spotify

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have responded to the AI band that appeared in their place on Spotify after they removed their music from the platform.
faroutmagazine.co.uk faroutmagazine.co.uk
 
Spotify’s new Prompted Playlist feature lets you control the algorithm

Spotify has introduced a new personalization feature called Prompted Playlists, giving users greater control over the algorithm to create more deeply tailored playlists.

The Prompted Playlists feature lets users describe what they want to hear through a simple text prompt, and even set custom rules such as how frequently or when the playlist should be updated.

Spotify then draws on the user’s entire listening history to generate a truly personalized playlist. For each song recommendation, users will also get context and description on why it was chosen.

www.gsmarena.com

Spotify’s new Prompted Playlist feature lets you control the algorithm

It is currently in beta and only available to Premium users in New Zealand. Spotify has introduced a new personalization feature called Prompted Playlists,...
www.gsmarena.com www.gsmarena.com

newsroom.spotify.com

You’re in Control: Spotify Lets You Steer the Algorithm — Spotify

For the first time, Spotify is giving users the power to steer the algorithm. Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s Co-President, CPO, and CTO, shares the vision behind Prompted Playlist, and how a new era of listener control is taking shape. Spotify is entering its next chapter, and it felt worth...
newsroom.spotify.com newsroom.spotify.com

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