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Increasing number of artists join Spotify boycott over CEO’s AI weapon investments | by Chris Cooke | Jul 28, 2025 | Complete Music Update | 3-min. read |

Last month it emerged that Spotify boss Daniel Ek had put more money into - and was now Chair of - AI defence tech company Helsing. That has prompted criticism from a number of artists, with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard now joining Deerhoof in pulling their music from Spotify in protest

The number of artists boycotting Spotify is slowly increasing with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard the latest to pull their music from the streaming service in protest over its CEO Daniel Ek investing in the arms sector via his venture capital business Prima Materia.

In a statement on Instagram, the band wrote, “A PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests millions in AI military drone technology. We just removed our music from the platform. Can we put pressure on these Dr Evil tech bros to do better? Join us on another platform”.

Ek’s venture capital fund first invested in German AI defence tech company Helsing in 2021, a move which caused some criticism within the music community at the time. His involvement in the company has been back in the spotlight since it emerged last month that Prima Materia had led a €600 million funding round at Helsing, and Ek himself is now Chair of the defence business’s board.

Deerhoof were among the first bands to respond to that latest investment, announcing late last month that they had pulled their music from Spotify in protest. They said, “We don’t want our music killing people. We don’t want our success being tied to AI battle tech”.

Californian rock band Xiu Xiu also joined the boycott last week, stating on Instagram, “We are currently working to take all of our music off of garbage hole violent armageddon portal Spotify”, and adding, “please cancel your subscription with Spotify”.

Spotify has been on the receiving end of artist boycotts before of course, most notably in 2022 when Neil Young removed his music in protest over the Joe Rogan podcast, which was a Spotify exclusive at the time. Young objected to COVID misinformation that had been given airtime on Rogan’s show, while other artists joined the boycott over racist language that had been used on the podcast in the past.

However, even that headline grabbing boycott led by an artist as high profile as Young had little impact on Spotify’s subscriber numbers. It did prompt Spotify to ramp up its content moderation rules though. But it would probably take a pretty significant boycott to have any impact on Ek’s investment choices.

As an Irish Times article on the latest boycott notes, Ek’s investment in Helsing - which “makes military drones and AI software for the enhancement of weapons systems” - appears to be “a very smart investment: the company, which was founded in 2021, has more than doubled its market value over the last year, and is now worth an estimated €12 billion”.

How easy it is for artists to join the Spotify boycott depends partly on how they release their music and the deals they’ve signed with any labels.

MORE AT:
https://completemusicupdate.com/increasing-number-of-artists-join-spotify-boycott-over-ceos-ai-weapon-investments/?ref=cmu-daily-newsletter

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November 06, 2026
The next stage of midterm results grief: denial

It’s an amazing thing… Seeing the people who have been cheering on the policy that led to this catastrophic defeat, now pretending they never did.

I won’t name names. Don’t need to. It’s literally out of Orwell’s 1984.

People who were cheering on the Iran war yesterday now calling for the Oscar “neocons”.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to have so little shame…

The other coping mechanism is denial. Now people claiming the election was stolen due to fraud.

A lot of people providing a graph that shows 20 million more votes in 2026 and 2024. Conveniently not comparing it to 2018.

I don’t think it was fraud. But even if it was, the Republicans had all three levers of power since getting elected on solving fraud to solve the fraud.

If they did not defeat the fraud, and are now defeated by that fraud, that is on their inability to get the job done.

00:02:51
November 06, 2026
Russell Brand CONVICTED

Clip from today's show.

00:10:24
November 05, 2026
Funny is funny

Maybe I’m not old enough to have heard it before, but I did not see this punchline coming.

Legit lol

00:00:26
February 17, 2024
Appearance on Richard Syrette

I did a quick hit on Richard Syrette yesterday. Gotta keep Canadians apprised of the U.S. madness.

Appearance on Richard Syrette
The Barnes Brief, Podcast Format: Monday, July 17, 2023

Closing Argument: Birthright citizenship is deeply American, and wholly Constitutional.

The Barnes Brief, Podcast Format: Monday, July 17, 2023
Declaration of Independence

Audio podcast style.

Declaration of Independence

Its REALLY SIMPLE FOLKS!!!!! Young men DIDNT SHOW UP, because the Leftards HATE US, and the Right COULDNT CARE LESS about us. As a country we have been SOOO WORRIED about CATERING to YOUNG WOMEN, we've LITERALLY stolen ANY REASON young men HAD to CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY!!! WHY are they gonna BREAK THEMSELVES just so they can END UP LIKE ME???? SMFH. This country IS ALREADY FUCKING DONE if YOUNG MENS ISSUES are NOT ADDRESSED!!!!
Theyre NOT even DEMANDING ALOT!!! They JUST WANT the POSSIBILITY of ONE DAY HAVING A WIFE AND KIDS!!!! Ya know, "THE AMERICAN DREAM!!!" INSTEAD BOTH SIDES seem to be HAPPY to hand OUR SONS FUTURES, TO ILLEGAL FUCKING ALIENS!!!!

Questions for Bourbon with Barnes: Thursday, November 5, 2026

Ask in replies and answering Live at 9ish eastern tonight.

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The Barnes Brief: November 6, 2026
I. THE INTRODUCTION
 

Special Notices

 
A. Art of the Day 
  • A common source of painting over the years: the Charles Bridge in Prague, it’s broad pathway bordered by statues of saints over the centuries blessing the passers by. In the eye’s view awaits towering buildings criss-crossing the ages of architecture, from the Romanesque to the Cubist, the Gothic sprites to Rennaisance palaces, from the Baroque glamor to the Art Nouveau throwbacks. Prague — the place where a local biker barking at you on Kafka street seems strangely in sync with the wild styles that speak to you across its skyline, where a visit to a local cafe invites you back into a 12th century cave where dissidents hid out and plotted revolutions.  All of it you can glimpse from the bridge that bridges time itself across its skyline. 
 
B. Wisdom of the Day
 
  • "No man is big enough to run this great Republic. There never has been one. Such domination was never intended. Tranquillity, stability, dependability—all are assured in party sponsorship. and we mean to renew the assurances which were rended in the cataclysmal war.” Warren Harding, July 1920. 

 
C. Appearances & Publications
 
 
D. Daily Picks
 
E. *Bonus: Board Post of the Day
 
II. THE EVIDENCE: BARNES LIBRARY
 
A. Food & Medicine
 
B. Economics
 
C. Politics
 
D. Geopolitics
 
E. Culture & History
 
III. HOMEWORK: Ten of the Top Cases for Sunday Show
  1. Dhillon out. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/05/us/politics/harmeet-dhillon-resigns-doj-civil-rights-unit.html
  2. Brennan potential prosecutor out. https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6203924-reding-quinones-doj-resignation/
  3. Big Tech demands right to harm kids. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/meta-v-bonta-complaint.pdf
  4. Trump project blocked. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/chutkan-trump-memorial-arch-blocked-opinion.pdf
  5. Ukraine abuse exposed. https://courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/gandzyuk-and-others-v-ukraine-echr-judgment.pdf
  6. Immunity at SCOTUS. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/nielsen-scotus-cato-amicus.pdf
  7. Brand convicted. https://www.reuters.com/world/comedian-russell-brand-found-guilty-rape-2026-11-05/
  8. Business reviews and libel law. https://courthousenews.com/minnesota-high-court-urged-to-shield-negative-google-reviews-from-defamation-suits/
  9. Panhandling ban held unconstitutional. https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/files/202311163.pdf
  10. European censorship laws expand. https://rmx.news/article/prison-time-for-discussing-the-great-replacement-french-left-wing-lawmakers-push-for-new-draconian-law/
 
IV. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Classes in the Constitution — Presidential Impeachment
  • The Constitution confers the power of removal of the President through impeachment to Congress, and Congress alone.
  • First, Section 2 of Article I governing the legislative powers of the federal government provide the House “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” acting as the grand jury function in the impeachment process. The Senate has no role in initiating impeachment, and can only act if the House acts first. The absence of super-majority requirements provide the House to allow impeachment by a mere majority of it’s members present, like any other legislative act.
  • Second, section 4 of Article II cabins what can constitute grounds for impeachment can result in removal, conditioning it upon three substantive claims — treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors, No specific definition is given of what constitutes “high crimes” but its analogy to treason and bribery provide some direction, as does the historical understanding of the term at the time of ratification — the kind of criminal act that endangers the Constitutional republic and cannot be answered by awaiting a Presidential election.  Treason itself is Constitutionally constricted definitionally in section 3 of Article 3 to “consist only in leving war, or in adhering to their Enemeies, giving them aid and comfort.”
  • Third, Section 3 of Article I imposes further substantive constraints on Impeachment by limiting the legal consequences of impeachment “shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States” while coequally providing that conviction in impeachment does not act as double jeopardy against subsequent criminal prosecution.
  • Fourth, Section 2 of Article 3 removes jury trials from “cases of impeachment” and removes the judicial branch from the Presidential impeachment process except for one limited role: the Chief Justice presiding over the trial.  Under Clause 6 of Section 4 of Article I, the Constitution confers the “sole power to try all impeachments” to the Senate, requiring a “concurrence of two thirds of the members present” to convict.
  • Fifth, the judgment of conviction is not appealable to any other body, and the Senate’s declaration according to its own roles immedietly effects “removal from office.” It has no retroactive or retrospective effect on the legality or validity of any prior Presidential act, even if that act is the grounds for impeachment and conviction itself. Other than Chief Judge setting the rule for evidence admission, the interpretation of the impeachment clause and its impact is left to the judgment of the House and Senate alike. Theoretically, a Chief Justice could impose a different intepretation on the substantive meaning of the conditions of conviction, given its power to “preside over” the trial, but has generally not been interpreted or applied in that manner. 
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The Barnes Brief, Halloween Weekend, 2026
I. THE INTRODUCTION
 

Special Notices

 
A. Art of the Day 
  • Mysterious without malevolence, a Sleepy Hollow kind of invite, in the deep woods of deep fall, the kind pumpkins waiting like hitchhikers on All Hallows Eve to greet a pleasant hello, the wavy trees just spooky enough to give a premonition of concern without too much fear, the road part inviting to the curious, part concerning to the wary traveler. Welcome to All Hallows Eve. 
 
B. Wisdom of the Day
    • “The Harvest Moon glows round and bold,
      In pumpkin shades outlined in gold,
      Illuminating eerie forms,
      Unnatural as a candied corn.
      Beware what dare crawls up your sleeve,
      For 'tis the night called Hallows Eve.” Richelle Goodrich. 
 
C. Appearances & Publications
 
 
D. Daily Picks
 
E. *Bonus: Board Post of the Day
 
II. THE EVIDENCE: BARNES LIBRARY
 
A. Food & Medicine
 
B. Economics
 
C. Politics
 
D. Geopolitics
 
E. Law
III. HOMEWORK: Ten of the Top Cases for Sunday Show
  1. Right to sue judges. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/us-v-maddox.pdf
  2. Government funded ads stopped. https://courthousenews.com/judge-blocks-3-maga-ads-over-concerns-they-breached-taxpayer-funded-propaganda-law/
  3. NFL verdict reinstated. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ninth-circuit-nfl-opinion.pdf
  4. Zuckerberg suit. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/meta-zuckerberg-stock-control-bid-class-action.pdf
  5. 2ndA & CIA. https://courthousenews.com/fourth-circuit-considers-second-amendment-argument-from-man-arrested-near-cia-headquarters/
  6. Candace vs Macron. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/macron-owens-dismissal.pdf
  7. United sued for high costs by employers. https://www.plansponsor.com/six-employers-accuse-unitedhealth-of-breaching-fiduciary-duty/
  8. Ninth Circuit allows blocking DHS elections investigation. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUpCfn3tnQMXEyk7nC1yD-ls2ZHeeK19/view
  9. Abortion right questioned. https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/10/30/26-5558.pdf
  10. Comey indicted. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.297297/gov.uscourts.dcd.297297.1.0.pdf
IV. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Classes in the Constitution — Governing Elections
  • Article I establishes how individuals become members of the House of Representatives; first, they must be “chosen every second year”; second, they must be chosen “by the People”; third, the represenation must be by the “several states”; fourth, the voters must be as broad the qualifications for voting for a member of “the most numerous branch of the state legislature.” Article I limits the qualifications for holding office to age (25 years or older), duration of citizenship (7 years minimum), and an inhabitant of the state claiming to represent (at time of election). Of note, the number of representatives within a state depend upon a required census and apportionment.
  • Article I further establishes state control over elections to federal office, subject to Congressional oversight. As Clause 2 of Section 4 of Article 1 provides: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senator and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislatire thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.”
  • The first aspect confers control over the “times” of “holding elections" to Congress to “each State”; the second aspect confers control over the “places” of "holding elections” to “each State”; the third aspct confers the “manner” of holding such elections to “each state.” Of note, the power conferred is not given to the state as a whole; rather, in each case, the power is conferred only upon “the legislature thereof.” Note the power is not conferred upon the judicial branch or executive branch of the state, nor to lower county , city or town functionaries of the state. The power to control federal elections is conferred solely upon the legislature of the state. Notably, Congress’ supervisory power is equally constrited to “the times, places and manner” of holding federal elections which they can only “make or alter” by a passed “law.”
  • Of particular note, the “judge of the elections, returns and qualifications” is solely the Congress itself under section 5 of Article I.  Article 2 confers no particular elections power on the Presidency. Article 3 confers no particular elections power on the Judiciary. Congress may, under its power to regulater the “times, places and manner” of elections confer power upon the executive branch or the judicial branch as it seels fit as long as it does not delegate legislative-making power to those bodies.  
  • The Constitutional qualification to it all is the Bill of Rights, restricting the state method of governing election that may condition access to the ballot or expression by the voter according to status. The First Amendment prohibits states from limiting the freedom of assemply and association, of which elections remain the paramount form. The Tenth Amendment protects the right of the people preserved against all governments. The Fifteenth Amendment protects the “right of citizens of the United States to vote” without regard to race. The Nineteenth Amendment protects “the right of citizens of the United States to vote” regardless of gender. The Twenty Fourth Amendment protects “the right of citizens of the United States to vote” regardless of “poll tax or other tax.” The Twenty Sixth Amendment protects “the right of citizens of the United States to vote” regardless of age once a person is at least 18. The broad 14th Amendment provides for Congress to pay laws protecting all property and liberty from incursion or intrusion by the state, manifested in the Civil Rights Acts and Voting Rights Act laws of Congress that, in turn, confer power upon both the Exeuctive branch and the Judicial branch accordingly.
  • Aside from matters arising under the Bill of Rights or special Congressional legislation, the Constitution otherwise confers all powers of regulating federal elections solely and exclusively to the legislature of each state. 
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The Barnes Brief: Weekend of October 24, 2026
I. THE INTRODUCTION
 

Special Notices

 
A. Art of the Day 
  • I love globes and maps, especially those with a vintage flavor or ancient maps of how we perceived the world in the past, to show quickly the world can change, how connected so many part of the world can be, the ever present reality of geography in history and contemporary geopolitics, continuing to shape the world we inhabit and how rapidly it we can shift. 
 
B. Wisdom of the Day
  • “Each betrayal begins first with trust.” Martin Luther. 

C. Appearances & Publications
 
 
D. Daily Picks
 
E. *Bonus: Board Post of the Day
 
II. THE EVIDENCE: BARNES LIBRARY
 
A. Food & Medicine
 
B. Economics
 
C. Politics
 
D. Geopolitics
 
E. Law
 
III. HOMEWORK: Ten of the Top Cases for Sunday Show
 
  1. ICE Detentions. https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/28830924/sosnava.pdf
  2. ICE & Elections. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/california-nurses-vs-mullin-preliminary-injunction.pdf
  3. ID & Elections. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/scanlan-v-coalition-open-democracy-order-scotus.pdf
  4. DOJ sues Alaska over Senate race. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.akd.80263/gov.uscourts.akd.80263.1.0.pdf
  5. Bias rejected in Italy trial. https://courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/berlusconi-v-italy-echr-2026-judgment.pdf
  6. Tommy Robinson trial. https://courthousenews.com/british-far-right-activist-defends-messages-to-journalists-in-harassment-trial/
  7. DEI reversal cites AI judges. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/fifth-circuit-mississippi-dei-injunction-reversed.pdf
  8. 2A win in NY. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/buffalo-fed-body-armor-ruling.pdf
  9. Instacart discrimination. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/civil-rights-division-and-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-secure-5000000-joint
  10. 2A protects switchblades. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.225116/gov.uscourts.ca5.225116.136.1.pdf
 
IV. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Classes in the Constitution — Presidential & Vice Presidential Replacements
 
  • Section 4 of Article II the Constitution provides the President “shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The House gets to be the sole judge of what constitutes a "high crime and misdemeanor" for impeachment while the Senate gets to be the sole judge of what facts constitute "a high crime and misdemeanor." 
  • Clause 5 of Section 2 of Article I vests the power of Impeachment solely to the House of Representatives. Given no specific requirement as to support to impeach, the majority vote default rule presides historically.
  • Clause 6 of Section 3 of Article I vests the power to try impeachments solely in the Senate, requiring "Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present." This means Senators who absent themselves from the Chamber may be excluded potentially from the baseline required to reach two-thirds. 
  • Clause 6 of Section 1 of Article II provides that the Vice President obtains the powers of the President — “all executive powers of the federal government — “in case of” either “removal, death, resignation or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said Office.”
  • In the instance both are removed, resigned, die, or are unable to discharge the duties, then Congress may legislate what Officer shall then act as President. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 provides that the Speaker of the House becomes the officer who becomes President in case of Presidential and Vice Presidential absence, followed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and then the cabinet in priority of when that cabinet office was first established. In that last instance, the Secretary of State is first, the Secretary of Treasury second, and the Secretary of Defense third.
  • The Twenthy Fifth Amednment slightly amends that process, still proving the succession protocols. In the case of removal, or death or resignation, “the Vice President shall become President.” Replacement of the Vice President requires Presidential nomination and “confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.” 

 

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