<\/p>\n
Molly Stubbs<\/strong><\/p>\n Welsh indie music duo Rogue Jones have become the latest in a string of artists to remove their music from Spotify, opposing the CEO\u2019s controversial investments and the platform\u2019s deliberately engineered \u201cpopularity contest.\u201d<\/p>\n The Carmarthenshire band, made up of married singer-songwriters Ynyr Ifan and Bethan Mai, took to social media to explain their decision.<\/p>\n In a bilingual Instagram post, they said they had pulled their music from the streaming service because \u201cIn a world where greedy men are wrecking the place, it\u2019s easy to feel helpless but your voice is powerful and we need to make ripples of change whenever we can and strive for a fairer future.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to take this small stand and hopefully make people think about where their money goes and to listen to music in a way that places value on it.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to Recordiau Libertino and Recordiau Blinc for supporting our decision.\u201d<\/p>\n They cited the $600m investment made by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek in Helsing, a military AI company, via his venture capital firm Prima Materia, as well as Spotify\u2019s $150,000 donation to the Trump Inauguration<\/a> first reported by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.<\/p>\n More generally, the band explained that artists\u2019 tracks are being used to create AI music which directly competes with real artists\u2019 work, and \u201cSpotify is a model that encourages paying for streams & followers and getting on playlist eg Discovery Mode. This turns music into a false popularity contest where money pays for plays.\u201d<\/p>\n Rogue Jones then suggested some alternatives to Spotify, including Bandcamp, Qobuz, and buying physical music from record shops or directly from artists.<\/p>\n Rogue Jones join a growing number of artists distancing themselves from Spotify in protest over ethics and artist treatment, with Californian indie band Deerhoof the first to gain media attention for their decision to leave in June 2025.<\/p>\n Australian group King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announced the removal of their tracks from the platform in July, writing on their Instagram story: \u201cA PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Eks invests millions in AI military drone technology. We just removed our music from the platform.<\/p>\n \u201cCan we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better? Join us on another platform.\u201d<\/p>\n Massive Attack also pulled their catalogue from Spotify in September after joining the No Music for Genocide campaign, becoming the first major-label group to do so.<\/p>\n In a statement, they explained: \u201cIn our view, the historic precedent of effective artist action during apartheid South Africa and the apartheid, war crimes and genocide now being committed by the state of Israel renders the No Music for Genocide campaign imperative.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the separate case of Spotify, the economic burden that has long been placed on artists is now compounded by a moral and ethical burden, whereby the hard-earned money of fans and the creative endeavours of musicians ultimately funds lethal, dystopian technologies.\u201d<\/p>\n A Spotify spokesperson told the Guardian<\/a>: \u201cSpotify and Helsing are two totally separate companies.\u201d<\/p>\n They also clarified that Helsing is \u201cnot involved in Gaza\u201d, instead being \u201cfocused on Europe defending itself in Ukraine\u201d.<\/p>\n Rogue Jones\u2019 fans were supportive in the comments of their Instagram post, which has garnered just under 500 likes since it was posted on 29 October.<\/p>\n Comments included \u201cAmen! \ud83d\udc4f\u201d, \u201cChwarae teg,\u201d and \u201cDa iawn. Fi wastad wedi gweld bod yr holl platforms ma yn dibrisio gwaith cerddorion ac mewn cyngrair a tyrants y diwyduant ar lein. (Very good. I\u2019ve always seen that all these platforms devalue the work of musicians and are in league with tyrants who operate online.)\u201d<\/p>\n Rogue Jones\u2019 Spotify description now reads \u2018Ni gadael wedi Spotify\/We\u2019ve left Spotify\u2019, with only their 2023 single Triongl Dyfed available to play. To listen to their acclaimed music, visit the duo\u2019s Bandcamp here <\/a>or their Qobuz here<\/a>.<\/p>\n For the price of a cup of coffee<\/strong> a month you can help us create an \n<\/blockquote>\n
\nSupport our Nation today<\/h2>\n
\n independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by
\n the people of Wales.<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n