Why it's time to quit Spotify

Have music artists finally had enough of the multi-billion dollar streaming platform? Laura Burhenn makes music as The Mynabirds and has played in the Postal Service's live band. When she learned Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invested $700 million in military AI startup Helsing, she pulled her music and uploaded a protest monologue. Her "Disarm Spotify" TikTok videos sparked millions of views and a wave of artist departures followed. Recent acts that have taken their music down include King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. In this episode, we're not just talking about streaming rates but getting into the wider systemic issues with music being turned into bombs. Featured voices from the movement: Novo • Violetta Zironi • Naley By Nature • Dan Mangan Edited by: Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio Chapters: 00:00 – Musicians boycotting Spotify: the fury and the interconnected issues 04:00 – When music money becomes military funding: the Daniel Ek investment 09:00 – AI drones and the dystopian timeline we're already living 13:00 – The snowball effect: how individual protest becomes movement 18:00 – Platform alternatives: Qobuz, ethics, and where artists go next 23:00 – Releasing protest music on the platform you're protesting 27:00 – Artists participating in their own devaluation: the bigger picture 35:00 – From DC punk to Palestine solidarity: political music evolution 40:00 – Why outspoken artists stay silent about their own platforms Continue the Conversation: Email [email protected] with your platform organising experiences Join the discussion about collective action in the creator economy Subscribe to DiS newsletter for weekly insights on music and resistance Try Qobuz (Ethical Streaming Alternative): Artists get paid 10x more than Spotify. Human-curated playlists. High-quality audio. Start your free trial via DiS (supporting independent music journalism). Links: Laura Burhenn on Instagram The Mynabirds on Bandcamp Laura's piece for Drowned in Sound