The Ethics of Spotify’s Investment in the Arms Industry
In 2025, a growing number of artists and bands—including Massive Attack, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Deerhoof, and others—removed their music from Spotify to protest CEO Daniel Ek’s massive investment (€600 million) in Helsing, an AI-driven defense technology company specializing in battlefield data, weapons systems, and military drones.
These artists argue that the streaming model already places a heavy economic burden on creators, with low payouts and little transparency. Now, they say, this is compounded by a moral and ethical burden: “the hard-earned money of fans and the creative endeavors of musicians ultimately funds lethal, dystopian technologies.”
The controversy sparked the “No Music for Genocide” initiative, with more than 400 artists and labels blocking their music in certain territories, and some, like Massive Attack, seeking global removal from Spotify.
Spotify’s response has been to claim that Helsing and Spotify are “two totally separate companies,” and that Helsing’s technology is only deployed for “defense against Russian aggression in Ukraine.” Many artists and fans remain unconvinced, questioning whether any separation of profits can be meaningfully enforced in practice.
The Lennon Test: Would the Greats Approve?
This ethical dilemma prompts a deeper question: Would legendary peace advocates like John Lennon have tolerated their royalties being used to finance war technology? It’s hard to imagine the composer of “Imagine” accepting a system where the proceeds from his music could be redirected toward the development of military AI and drones.
Boycotts and Artist Reactions to Spotify’s War Profits
So far, these boycotts have not significantly dented Spotify’s user numbers or cultural dominance, but the long-term effects remain to be seen. As more artists and fans become aware of where their subscription fees and streaming royalties are going, the potential for a larger movement grows. The “yet” is crucial: the music industry’s history is full of moments when collective artist action has shifted public opinion and industry practices.
Reflection: When Music Serves Profit, and Profit Serves War
The revelations about Spotify’s investment in the arms industry perfectly reflect the current state of the world: no matter the original vision, mission, or purpose of a company—to solve a problem, to improve people’s lives—everything ends up being sacrificed on the altar of profit.
It’s understandable for a company to seek growth through innovation or optimization. But when a company founded to make music accessible to all chooses to invest in the arms industry, the connection is lost. It’s as if farmers started investing in AI, or the sports world in biochemistry: it simply makes no sense.
A private fund investing capital to generate interest and secure assets is classic business. But seeing Daniel Ek, who built an $8.5 billion fortune by making music “free” for the public—while profiting alone from advertising revenue and imposing rates that have devastated independent artists—invest those profits in the arms industry to further enrich himself is indecent. At this point, it’s hard not to react, and the only fitting response, even in English, might be: “fuck off.”
There are moments when one truly doubts human nature and its capacity for good. It seems that at a certain level of wealth, conscience fades and the responsibility that comes with power is ignored.
Music, Humanity… and the Choice We Must Make.
Why Your Streaming Choices Matter ?
At its core, music brings people together. It is celebration, communion, sometimes prayer. For millennia, it has accompanied rituals, joy, sorrow, struggle, and love. Art, delivered by ultra-sensitive souls, shares fragility and a vision of the world, awakens minds, and inspires reflection.
But in 2025, under the influence of consumer industry dictates, music has become just another industrial product. Creators, composers, producers, and artists are reduced to cheap labor—sometimes unpaid—serving the capital of a multinational like Spotify, which shamelessly invests the profits of our work in war.
It’s simply shameful that Spotify’s CEO displays this so publicly, with no embarrassment or discomfort. Nothing is hidden: everyone knows, and he clearly doesn’t care. This move by Daniel Ek draws a clear line as we approach 2026: profit above all, the exploitation of creators as the norm.
I’m speaking to you—creators, listeners, fans, users: those who pay every month for music. Despite all the money collected, the platform does not allow artists to live decently from their work, unlike its CEO. So I ask: does listening to your favorite artists on Spotify justify indirectly funding the war effort? Do you accept that the profits from your subscriptions are reinvested in the arms industry? Is music financing death?
And you, artists, who have been exploited for years, whose compensation is unilaterally decided… How do you feel knowing that the profits from your creations are being funneled into the industry of death?
Daniel Ek’s move is an opportunity for each of us to make a choice. Which side of the line do you want to be on? Will you continue to feed an industry that exploits creators and invests in war, or will you stand by your values, your independence, and choose other paths? There are alternatives. We can choose to stop funding this industry, unite, value our creations as luxury goods, and support ethical models.
The opportunity is here: let’s choose to defend what matters, to stand on the side of creation, emotion, and humanity.
Think about it, and make the right choice.
Steev 🤘
Sources and Further Reading
- Massive Attack remove music from Spotify to protest against CEO Daniel Ek’s investment in AI military (The Guardian)
- Artists Who’ve Left Spotify Over CEO Daniel Ek’s Military Tech Ties (Rolling Stone)
- Spotify faces boycott over CEO’s $700m investment in AI military defence startup (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre)
- Wikipedia: Criticism of Spotify
Steev Crispin
Limitless creative mind, music producer, and brand storyteller. Founder of ColorWorld Music, he blends music, branding, and visual arts to craft emotion-first experiences for brands, artists, and audiences worldwide. Known for his non-linear thinking and passion for innovation, he thrives on connecting ideas, people, and disciplines—always exploring new ways to move and inspire.