Deerhoof will remove music from Spotify, citing Daniel Ek’s A.I. investments

Long-running indie rock group Deerhoof will remove their entire catalogue from Spotify, the band revealed today in a press statement. Their decision is in part a response to a recent $694 million investment made by Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek’s investment fund Prima Materia into a company called Helsing, a German company specializing in A.I. software used in military operations and decision-making.

“‘Daniel Ek uses $700 million of his Spotify fortune to become chairman of AI battle tech company’ was not a headline we enjoyed reading this week,” the band’s statement begins. “We don’t want our music killing people. We don’t want our success being tied to AI battle tech.” The takedown of Deerhoof’s music from Spotify won’t be instantaneous, but the band are working to make sure that it happens “as soon as possible.”

The statement continues: “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.

“Computerized targeting, computerized extermination, computerized destabilization for profit, successfully tested on the people of Gaza, also finally solves the perennial inconvenience to war-makers–It takes human compassion and morality out of the equation.”

Deerhoof also cite long-standing criticisms of Spotify’s data practices in their decision. “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.”

Ek and Prima Materia first invested in Helsing in 2021, a move that led some artists to call for a boycott. This month, Helsing revealed that it would be expanding its portfolio from defence A.I to physical weapons including drones, planes, and submarines.

Read Deerhoof’s full statement below.