The band cited a ‘moral and ethical burden’ placed on artists by revenue from their work ultimately funding lethal technologies
Massive Attack have become the latest act – and first major-label one – to pull their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek investing €600m (£520m) in the military AI company Helsing.
In June, Ek’s venture capital firm Prima Materia led the defence tech firm’s latest funding round. Helsing’s software uses AI technology to analyse sensor and weapons system data from battlefields to inform real-time military decisions. It also makes its own military drone, the HX-2. Ek is also chairman of Helsing.
The band made the announcement at the same time that they signed up to a new initiative, No Music for Genocide, in which a group of more than 400 artists and labels are blocking their music from streaming services in Israel.
In a statement, the band said:
