Over 400 musicians have joined forces in a sweeping boycott campaign dubbed “No Music for Genocide,” removing their music from streaming platforms in Israel as a form of protest against the country’s military actions in Gaza. The movement includes prominent artists such as Massive Attack, Faye Webster, Arca, Rina Sawayama, Fontaines DC, and Japanese Breakfast, who have collectively decided to geo-block their music within Israeli territories on major streaming services including Spotify.
Musicians unite in global stand against Israel, withdrawing their art from streaming platforms in protest of Gaza conflict.
The boycott represents a significant expansion of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement into the cultural sphere, with participating artists drawing parallels to similar actions taken against apartheid South Africa decades ago. This initiative coincides with the 20-year anniversary of the BDS movement. Massive Attack has formally requested Universal Music Group to remove their entire catalog from Israeli streaming platforms, while other artists have specifically targeted Spotify due to CEO Daniel Ek’s alleged investment connections to military technology companies.
Founded in 2005 by Omar Barghouti, the broader BDS movement has advocated for international sanctions against Israel for nearly two decades, though critics note its limited success in changing Israeli government policies. The music streaming boycott aims to increase cultural and economic pressure by targeting everyday entertainment consumption within Israel, framing the action as a moral imperative against what participants characterize as war crimes.
The boycott has not gone unchallenged, however, with over 1,200 entertainment industry leaders releasing an open letter rejecting the cultural isolation of Israel.
Opponents, including figures like Mayim Bialik and Rebecca De Mornay, argue that the boycott unfairly censors Israeli culture and potentially fuels antisemitism rather than contributing to peace or resolving the hostage crisis in Gaza.
Despite the growing boycott movement, Israeli cultural resilience remains evident as Israeli films continue to receive international accolades. For many participating musicians, this stance represents a significant career decision that could impact their revenue opportunities from international audiences, similar to challenges faced by independent artists building their careers. Massive Attack specifically cited CEO Daniel Ek’s €600m investment in Helsing, a company producing military technology, as a key motivation for their withdrawal from streaming platforms.
The controversy has sparked broader debates about the effectiveness of cultural sanctions and whether such actions disproportionately impact ordinary citizens while failing to influence government policies. Many artists participating in the boycott have utilized social media platforms to amplify their message and engage directly with fans about their decision to remove their music from Israeli streaming services.
