When Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invested €600 million in military technology company Helsing in June, Laura Burhenn from The Mynabirds didn't stay quiet about it.
Her "Disarm Spotify" video on TikTok and Instagram has had over 4 million views. The clip explained why she was pulling her music from Spotify and people in her comments seemed genuinely appalled.
But Laura didn't stop there. When Spotify rejected her protest song titled "Disarm Spotify," she resubmitted it as "Labor Day Love Letter" and released the monologue on the platform itself.
Laura's not alone. Many artists have pulled their music, including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Xiu Xiu, and Kadhja Bonet and more.
In last week's Drowned in Sound podcast, Laura explains how she feels about underpaid music funding AI drones, why "participation is perpetuation," and we discuss the platform where artists earn 10x more.
Watch on YouTube
If you're now already subscribed to our free weekly podcast, you can listen on Apple Podcasts or search "Drowned in Sound" wherever you get podcasts.
Disclaimer: Despite everything feeling like it's in freefall and musicians struggling in the streaming era, it ended up being a strangely hopeful conversation about creative solutions and the future.
I'm working on a resource about how to leave Spotify and reviews of the alternatives and I'm thinking of recording a special Q&A episode answering your questions about leaving Spotify. Send your Qs to sean@drownedinsound.org.
Which Music Streaming Service Are You Using Now?
I shared my thoughts on some of the platforms in this thread filled with reviews of the various platforms on our forums.