Why indie musicians are pulling their songs from Spotify
What's the story
A growing number of indie musicians are ditching Spotify, a popular music streaming service. The trend is part of a larger global movement against the platform's low artist payouts. This month, San Francisco hosted a series of discussions titled "Death to Spotify," where attendees discussed how to decentralize music discovery, production and listening in capitalist economies.
International response
'Death to Spotify' discussions
The "Death to Spotify" discussions, held at Bathers Library, attracted speakers from indie station KEXP, labels Cherub Dream Records and Dandy Boy Records, and DJ collectives No Bias and Amor Digital. The events sold out quickly and drew international interest. Organizers received requests from as far away as Barcelona and Bengaluru asking how they could host similar events in their cities.
Critical perspective
What does 'Mood Machine' say?
The "Death to Spotify" discussions come as the global movement against the streaming service gains traction. In January, music journalist Liz Pelly released Mood Machine, a critical history arguing that Spotify has ruined the industry and turned listeners into "passive, uninspired consumers." Pelly argues that Spotify's model relies on paying artists very little, especially those who agree to be "playlisted" on its Discovery mode.
Artist backlash
Backlash against Ek's investments
The criticism of low payouts took a personal turn this summer when Spotify's billionaire co-founder Daniel Ek was targeted for his investment in Helsing, a German company developing military tech with AI. Artists like Massive Attack, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, and Hotline TNT pulled their music from the service in protest. However, Spotify has maintained that "Spotify and Helsing are two separate companies."
Event goals
More on the discussions
Inspired by the boycotts and Pelly's book, Stephanie Dukich and Manasa Karthikeyan initiated the "Death to Spotify" discussions. The pair wanted to explore their relationship with streaming services and how they could remove their files from these platforms. The discussions were not just about quitting Spotify but also about questioning algorithmic listening, royalty theft, and AI-generated music.
Commitment questioned
Will this trend last?
Despite the rising tide of boycotts, one question remains: will musicians and listeners stick with this long-term? Many big-name musicians have pulled their catalogs from Spotify in the past, only to return later. However, Eric Drott, a music professor at the University of Texas at Austin, believes this new wave of boycotts is different as they are led by less famous artists who are now questioning whether streaming benefits them.
Alternative exploration
Alternatives to streaming services
Some artists are already exploring alternatives to Spotify. Hotline TNT's Will Anderson says there's "a 0% chance" his band will return to the platform. They sold their new record directly through Bandcamp and a 24-hour Twitch stream, generating thousands of dollars. Pop-rock songwriter Caroline Rose released her album Year of the Slug only on vinyl and Bandcamp, inspired by Cindy Lee's Diamond Jubilee.