Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the Canadian post-rock band, has made a bold move by removing all their music from streaming services. This decision was implemented early in the morning, causing their tracks to vanish from popular platforms like Spotify, Tidal, and even smaller services such as Qobuz. The band has also been gradually pulling their discography from Apple Music, leaving only a couple of albums available.
Despite the abrupt disappearance of their music, no official statement has been issued by Godspeed You! Black Emperor regarding this move. This action, however, aligns the band with a recent trend where indie artists like Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard have also opted to withdraw their music from streaming platforms. The reason behind these exits stems from Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in AI military drone technology through the German company, Helsing.
Unlike their peers who removed select tracks, Godspeed You! Black Emperor has taken a more radical approach by eliminating their entire music catalog from streaming services. Currently, only one song from a compilation album remains on Spotify, hinting at a deliberate effort to distance themselves from these platforms.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard’s experience sheds light on the complexities of removing music swiftly. The Australian band, known for self-distributing their music, faced challenges with specific releases tied to labels. Similarly, Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s decision to keep their music exclusively on Bandcamp signals a shift towards alternative distribution models.
Constellation Records, the label representing Godspeed You! Black Emperor, confirmed the band’s request to pull their music from all digital platforms except Bandcamp. Both the band and the label have refrained from elaborating further on this decision at present.
Last year, Godspeed You! Black Emperor released their eighth studio album, “No Title As of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead,” which drew attention for its poignant title reflecting the conflict in Gaza. The band’s withdrawal from streaming services marks a strategic move in an industry where artists are reevaluating their relationship with major platforms amidst ethical and financial concerns.
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