King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard launch a ton of music, however you received’t have the ability to hear it should you’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 brand new demo assortment 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 beneath.
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 asserting their Spotify departures, Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu cautioned that it could take time to get their music off the platform, principally attributable to label offers and different contractual problems. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard usually are not 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 mission King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have ever launched completely by an outdoor label is 2022’s Satanic Slumber Social gathering, a collaborative EP with fellow Australian rockers Tropical Fuck Storm that was issued through Joyful Noise Recordings. As of publication, it’s the lone mission 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 Social gathering EP was a part of a take care of Tropical Fuck Storm, and the label will proceed nevertheless 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 resolve 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 might be nonetheless growing their stay present and don’t match the algorithmic mildew are primarily 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 possible 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 growing 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 thousands and thousands to the army industrial complicated.”
