KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD Speak Out on Spotify Exit Over AI Military Tech: “We’re Just Trying to Find Positivity in a Dark Situation”

Australian psych-rock juggernauts King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have shed more light on their recent decision to pull much of their catalog from Spotify, a move sparked by CEO Daniel Ek’s investment in Helsing — a company developing AI-powered military drone technology.

The band initially broke the news with a blunt “f*** Spotify” post on social media, later expanding with a statement urging fans to pressure “Dr. Evil tech bros” to do better. The decision follows similar moves from Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof, and other artists voicing concerns over Spotify’s ethics, on top of the platform’s long-standing criticism for low artist payouts.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, frontman Stu Mackenzie said the choice was ultimately about staying true to the band’s values:

“We’ve been saying f— Spotify for years. I don’t feel like an activist, but this felt like the right decision for our music. The hard part was knowing we’d be taking our music away from people who want to listen to it.”

While Mackenzie doubts Spotify’s top brass noticed their departure, he sees the move as an experiment — and a chance to find “positivity in a dark situation.”

King Gizzard’s removal from the platform is no small loss; the group’s sprawling discography spans 27 albums and countless live/bootleg releases, drawing over 1.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify before the takedown.

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