IDLES, Lorde and MUNA have joined the ‘No Music For Genocide’ boycott, announcing their intention to pull their music from streaming in Israel.
IDLES, Lorde, MUNA and now over 1000+ artists have joined the No Music For Genocide movement.
The initiative launched in September, calling for artists and rights-holders to boycott the state of Israel and its military actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Several artists, including Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C., Amyl and The Sniffers, Hayley Williams, and more, have joined the movement by removing their music from Israel via geo-blocking.
Paloma Faith, Obongjayar, Pinegrove, Marc Rebillet, and Sir Chloe have also joined the movement, which No Music For Genocide’s Instagram confirmed. London-based electronic music label Hyperdub Records has also joined the boycott, removing its catalogue from streaming in Israel.
The No Music For Genocide movement launched in September and within a week, saw over 400 musicians quickly sign up for the effort. In a month, over 1000 artists have joined the movement. Massive Attack announced their participation early last week, sharing a statement via social media that read: “In support of the No Music For Genocide initiative, Massive Attack have made a formal request to our record label (Universal Music Group) that our music be removed from all DSP streaming services in the territory of Israel.”
A statement from ‘No Music For Genocide’ at the time of launch read: “Culture can’t stop bombs on its own, but it can help reject political repression, shift public opinion toward justice, and refuse the art-washing and normalisation of any company or nation that commits crimes against humanity.
“This initiative is one part of a worldwide movement to erode the support Israel needs to continue its genocide. We’re inspired by the escalating efforts in pursuit of that goal, from the recent Film Workers For Palestine pledge to Spain’s ban of Israel-bound ships and planes to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to Demilitarise Brooklyn Navy Yard to dockworkers in Morocco who’ve refused to load weapons onto vessels ordered by Tel Aviv.
“Many of our peers have felt, like ourselves, unsure how to use music in this moment. Our first goal with No Music For Genocide is to inspire others to reclaim their agency and direct their influence toward a tangible act. We are grateful to all the artists, managers, and labels who have already committed to this first step, and we’re excited to expand this initiative together. The more of us there are, the stronger we will be. This is just the beginning.”It’s important to note that despite artists requesting their labels to remove music via geoblocking, the process can still take some time, especially if different rights holders are involved. Earlier last week, Paramore’s music had briefly reappeared on streaming platforms in Israel despite the band joining the boycott last week. In a response via Instagram stories, Williams would thank her fans for holding her accountable and clarified that “my team have been relentless in trying to help get it done”.
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