Overview

• The band has fully removed its recordings from Spotify in protest of Daniel Ek’s multimillion-euro funding of Helsing’s military AI drone programs.
• Frontman Stu Mackenzie described the move as staying true to a long-held stance against Spotify and acting on the band’s ethical principles.
• Ek co-founded Prima Materia, which has invested more than €600 million in Helsing, a Munich-based company developing artificial intelligence for drones.
• Artists have also criticized Spotify’s low payouts of roughly $0.003–$0.005 per stream and a requirement that tracks reach 1,000 plays in a year before generating royalties.
• King Gizzard’s withdrawal joins a broader push by musicians urging fans to follow them to alternative platforms that align with their values.