Deerhoof Are ‘Quitting Spotify’ Over CEO Investing in ‘AI Battle Tech’ Company

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Deerhoof announced they are leaving Spotify after its CEO, Daniel Ek, invested nearly $700 million in defense company Helsing, which makes military drones and AI defense software.

“We don’t want our music killing people,” the band said in a statement, explaining why they’re planning on taking all of their music off the streaming platform. “We don’t want our success being tied to AI battle tech.” Spotify did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.

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Earlier this month, the European startup company Helsing announced that it had raised 600 million euros ($693.6 million) in a round of funding, which was led by venture capital firm Prima Materia, co-founded by Ek, and where he also serves as chairman of Helsing, as CNBC notes. Prima Materia has been investing in Helsing since 2021.

The band continued in their statement: “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 accused Spotify of “flushing itself down the toilet,” adding: “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.”

They added: “One of the claims often made about Spotify is that it theoretically makes one’s music discoverable by anyone who signs up, no matter how remote they may be from the self-proclaimed centers of hipness. But just because someone is far from Western gatekeepers does not mean they lack culture, or need to hear our band. Deerhoof is a small mom and pop operation, and know when enough is enough. We aren’t capitalists, and don’t wish to take over the world. Especially if the price of ‘discoverability’ is letting oligarchs fill the globe with computerized weaponry, we’re going to pass on the supposed benefits.”

Deerhoof noted they were not sure how soon their music would be removed from the platform, but that they plan to have it done “as soon as possible,” and that their various labels are supporting them in their decision. The band have released 20 albums since their 1996 debut, Dirt Pirate Creed, via multiple indie labels, including Kill Rock Stars, Polyvinyl, and Joyful Noise Recordings, who will have to each remove the group’s music from Spotify.

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