Melbourne musician Fenn Wilson recently announced his decision to boycott Spotify, stating, "All I said was … this may not make a major difference to them, but they never really made much of a difference to us either." Wilson's band, Fenn Wilson & The Weather, is part of a growing movement among Australian artists who have removed their music from the streaming platform. Other artists include psych-rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, folk musician Leah Senior, and contemporary artist David Bridie. This trend is mirrored by American indie rock bands such as Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and Hotline TNT, who have also exited the platform.

The boycott stems from Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's recent billion-dollar investment in Helsing, a German military technology company specializing in artificial intelligence systems. Wilson expressed his discontent, saying, "If it's available on something that doesn't reflect who I am, then I don't think that it has a place there. To corrupt something that somebody has made with beautiful intent that harshly is unforgivable."

Listeners are also joining the boycott. Hiro, a former Spotify Premium subscriber, stopped his subscription after learning about Ek's ties to the weapons industry. He stated, "If I don't want to buy a canned beverage because its parent company invests a lot in Israel, why am I paying like $11, $15 so that the CEO can invest that money I paid to a weapons company?"

Dr. Sophie Freeman, a researcher at the University of Melbourne, noted that the current situation represents a tipping point. She explained, "People are definitely making the switch due to the news that Daniel Ek is investing in AI battle tech. But … this has been going on for a long time." The issue of low royalty payouts has been a longstanding concern. In 2014, Taylor Swift removed her music from Spotify to protest these payouts, which remain low today. On average, a single song stream generates about $0.004 in royalties, and songs must exceed 1,000 streams to earn revenue.

Despite Spotify reporting that royalties for Australian artists reached over $300 million in 2024, Wilson's experience contrasts sharply. He estimated his earnings from Spotify at around $200 since releasing his first album in 2019. Dr. Freeman added, "Australian artists are not well represented on streaming services. Both artists and listeners are really missing out."

Another factor contributing to the backlash is Spotify's increasing use of AI-generated music. Listeners are concerned about the potential for "fake" music infiltrating their playlists. Hiro expressed his discomfort, saying, "Hearing that it's a possibility that you could be duped into listening to something that was created by an algorithm instead of someone's hard work … and love into the music, I didn't like that."

In June, a band called The Velvet Sundown released an album on Spotify, appearing on various user-specific playlists. It was later revealed that the band was entirely AI-generated, raising concerns about the authenticity of music on the platform. Spotify has stated that it is ramping up efforts to ensure AI is not used to deceive listeners or impersonate artists.

Dr. Freeman highlighted the saturation of content on streaming platforms, noting that about 100,000 songs are uploaded daily. She remarked, "The promise of getting discovered on Spotify is kind of not being fulfilled now." She also pointed out that the differences in payouts among streaming services like Apple Music, TIDAL, and YouTube Music are minimal. For those wanting to support artists, she suggested buying music directly.

Spotify, founded in Sweden in 2006 and launched in Australia in 2012, has transformed the music industry by ending piracy and promoting subscription-based access. Wilson noted the pressure on musicians to be present on the platform, stating, "It felt like, if you weren't on Spotify, then you may as well not release it."

Amy, a podcast producer, criticized Spotify's narrative of empowering independent artists, saying, "The narrative that they sold about it being better for independent artists wasn't true at all." After reading a book by music journalist Liz Pelly, she canceled her Spotify account, citing the dominance of major labels in featured playlists.

The rise of streaming has changed listening habits, with many users prioritizing convenience over conscious engagement with music. Hiro mentioned, "My brain is just wired to prioritize the convenience and the immediacy of it. I'm slowly trying to get back into a more conscious listening experience."

Spotify has introduced new features, including higher-quality audio and AI-driven playlists, but some users remain skeptical about their value. Hiro commented on the AI DJ feature, saying, "That didn't stick with me … it kind of felt weird."

As the backlash against Spotify continues, the future of the platform and its relationship with artists and listeners remains uncertain.