King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard launch a ton of music, however you gained’t be capable to hear it if you happen to’re completely a Spotify listener. The prolific Australian rock band has pulled almost its total 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 brand new demo assortment that’s unique to Bandcamp. They later defined, in an Instagram story, that they oppose navy investments made by Spotify co-founder and chief government 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 go away 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 problems. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard aren’t tasked with the identical points, nevertheless, as they’ve at all times shared music by their very own labels, Flightless, KGLW, and (P)Doom.
The one challenge King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have ever launched completely by an out of doors label is 2022’s Satanic Slumber Celebration, 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 take care of Tropical Fuck Storm, and the label will proceed nevertheless each bands would really like. “In the event that they ask us to take it down, we’ll,” he wrote through electronic 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 can be nonetheless growing their dwell 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 flexibility to take a stand. Their Spotify royalties are possible a drop within the bucket in comparison with what they’ll 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 growing artists and labels, Spotify is held as a precedence throughout a number of sectors of the trade. Our solely hope is that Spotify turns into so uncool that individuals begin to uncover music elsewhere, hopefully on a platform that isn’t run by somebody giving tens of millions to the navy industrial complicated.”
