King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard launch a ton of music, however you received’t be capable to hear it for those who’re completely a Spotify listener. The prolific Australian rock band has pulled practically its whole catalog off the streaming platform with out a lot warning or fanfare.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard first signaled their departure by saying “fuck Spotify” whereas selling a new demo collection that’s unique to Bandcamp. They later defined, in an Instagram story, that they oppose army investments made by Spotify co-founder and chief govt Daniel Ek’s funding fund Prima Materia. See their full assertion under.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s departure comes after Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu additionally signaled intent to depart Spotify, with each acts additionally citing their opposition to the Prima Materia investments.
When saying their Spotify departures, Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu cautioned that it will take time to get their music off the platform, largely attributable to label offers and different contractual issues. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard will not be tasked with the identical points, nonetheless, as they’ve all the time shared music by way of their very own labels, Flightless, KGLW, and (P)Doom.
The one challenge King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have ever launched completely by way of an outdoor label is 2022’s Satanic Slumber Party, a collaborative EP with fellow Australian rockers Tropical Fuck Storm that was issued through Joyful Noise Recordings. As of publication, it’s the lone challenge left on King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s Spotify web page.
When reached by Pitchfork, Joyful Noise’s label supervisor, Jake Saunders, defined that the Satanic Slumber Celebration EP was a part of a cope with Tropical Fuck Storm, and the label will proceed nonetheless each bands would love. “In the event that they ask us to take it down, we’ll,” he wrote through e-mail. “We serve the artist, and it’s their proper to determine what platforms to promote their music on.”
Saunders continued, “We’re grateful for artists like King Gizz, Thor Harris, Xiu Xiu, Adam Harding/Dumb Numbers, and Deerhoof for placing their foot down. We live amongst giants.”
He additionally wrote: “Labels and artists which are nonetheless creating their reside present and don’t match the algorithmic mould are basically being held hostage by Spotify. No disrespect to King Gizz, however they’re a profitable touring band with the power to take a stand. Their Spotify royalties are probably a drop within the bucket in comparison with what they will make on the highway. Joyful Noise has a wholesome webstore and a Bernie Sanders–esque subscription mannequin that enables us to launch not-so-Spotify-friendly bands. But, for creating artists and labels, Spotify is held as a precedence throughout a number of sectors of the business. Our solely hope is that Spotify turns into so uncool that folks begin to uncover music elsewhere, hopefully on a platform that isn’t run by somebody giving hundreds of thousands to the army industrial complicated.”
