"Deerhoof Abandons Spotify in Disapproval: Band Leaves Platform Due to CEO Daniel Ek's Massive Investment in Artificial Intelligence Weapons Technology"

In a surprising move, US indie rock band Deerhoof has announced the removal of their entire back catalogue from Spotify. The band's decision stems from Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's investment in Helsing, a German company specializing in AI military software.

Deerhoof, known for their unique and experimental sound, have expressed their disapproval of Ek's involvement in funding AI-based military drone and combat aircraft technology through Helsing. In a statement, the band said, "We do not want our music associated with AI battle tech. We view it as the hot new big ticket item for the super-rich, with the military and police existing primarily as the security detail for the billionaire class."

The band's latest album, "Noble and Godlike in Ruin," will now find a different route to market. Deerhoof, who released their debut album, "The Man, the King, the Girl," in 1997 on a 4-track cassette, have traditionally earned a lot more from touring compared to their Spotify royalties. They acknowledged that other artists and labels may rely on Spotify for a significant portion of their income, but remain unsure about the duration of their Spotify takedown, promising it will be as soon as possible.

Daniel Ek became involved with Helsing in 2021 through his investment company Prima Materia, which pledged to invest $1 billion into European "moonshots." Prima Materia became an early investor in Helsing, allowing Ek to become its chairman. Helsing is a defense company that provides precision mass and autonomous capabilities to democracies. The company specializes in data harvesting tech for sensors on drones, used for mapping out battlezones and real-time reconnaissance.

Other artists who have followed Deerhoof's lead in removing their music from Spotify include King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and Hotline TNT. Deerhoof remains open to the possibility of more big names following suit in removing their music from Spotify, stating, "We believe that the more killing can be done by computers, the better the bottom line, implying a negative view of AI battle tech."

The band thanked their various labels for their support on the tricky decision to remove their music from Spotify. Deerhoof has always been vocal about their opposition to AI battle tech, stating that they do not want their success tied to such technology. They consider Spotify a data-mining scam that is creepy for users and crappy for artists, and expect more artists to leave the platform.

"Deerhoof Abandons Spotify in Disapproval: Band Leaves Platform Due to CEO Daniel Ek's Massive Investment in Artificial Intelligence Weapons Technology"