British trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack joined a growing music boycott of Israel over the Gaza war. The band, with 8 million Spotify listeners, asked their label Universal to remove their music from streaming in Israel and also pulled from Spotify due to CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in a defence firm.
Massive Attack is supporting No Music for Genocide, a collective of over 400 artists and labels that are geo-blocking music in Israel. Inspired by Film Workers for Palestine, this initiative protests Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The group’s website provides guidance for artists on how to block their content in the region. According to AFP, Massive Attack’s tracks are still available in Jerusalem, but the band is working to change that.
Massive Attack targeted Spotify for Ek’s €600 million investment in Helsing, an AI defence startup. They said fan money funds “lethal technologies.” Spotify claims the companies are separate, and Helsing only supports Ukraine against Russia. The band, long-time anti-war activists, linked this to Gaza concerns.
📱 Massive Attack have vowed to remove their music from Spotify in protest at defence investments made by the music streaming platform’s founderhttps://t.co/5833F9q0HS
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 19, 2025The boycott draws from the anti-apartheid South Africa movement. In 2022, after Russia’s Ukraine invasion, Spotify closed its Moscow office and removed pro-war artists. Major labels like Sony and Universal halted Russian operations. Massive Attack’s actions fit this pattern of cultural response to conflict.
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With Western governments resisting economic sanctions, artists like Massive Attack use their influence to build pressure. The Gaza war has killed over 43,000 Palestinians, per local health officials. Cultural boycotts amplify calls for a ceasefire and aid, influencing public opinion.
Massive Attack’s boycott of Spotify and Israel highlights artists’ role in global issues. As more join the No Music for Genocide campaign, it continues to grow.
