UMAW

Read the article here: www.404media.co/spotify-publ...

Disrespectful and egregious behavior from Spotify yet again. Streaming services have free rein to warp, mimic, and underpay artists, and it must end. We need strong regulations to protect musicians on all platforms, not just Spotify. We need the Living Wage for Musicians Act NOW.

UMAW continues our condemnation of Israel’s brutal siege and forced starvation of Gaza, and the participation of the US government in the ongoing genocide. We urge all labor unions and artist organizations to take up the task of solidarity with Palestine.

Smalls has said of his participation in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla: “People have to understand that unions have a responsibility to protect, to be the shield for the working class. And that doesn't exclude Palestinian people...
an injury to one is an injury to all.”

Smalls, the only Black crew member on the Handala, is currently still detained and has been singled out and physically brutalized by the Israeli occupation forces.

UMAW calls for the release of Chris Smalls (labor organizer, musician, and Amazon Labor Union founder) and all Gaza Freedom Flotilla activists. Smalls was on the Handala, a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the siege, when it was violently intercepted by Israel.

Xiu Xiu and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have both removed their music from Spotify to protest Daniel Ek’s investment and involvement in AI military technology. Musicians don’t want our art funding the war machine! Daniel Ek, do you see the trend?

The Living Wage for Musicians Act includes language specifying that the additional royalty only goes to human creators.

Make Streaming Pay - United Musicians and Allied Workers — United Musicians and Allied Workers United Musicians and Allied Workers celebrates the introduction of the Living Wage for Musicians Act – led by Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Jamaal Bowman – to Congress. By creating a new streaming royalty, ...

Every streaming service needs meaningful regulation around AI to protect real, human artists. We need the Living Wage for Musicians Act! Sign on to support the LWMA here: weareumaw.org/make-streaming-pay

AI music devalues art made by human musicians struggling to make a livable wage. Spotify created a music ecosystem of AI musicians on playlists and a cycle of bot music listened to by bot audiences. It’s mediocre and lifeless, and it only serves tech bros and the wealthy.

Deerhoof’s statement (2/2)

Deerhoof’s statement (1/2)

Deerhoof is taking their music off of Spotify 💪 Their statement (in full below) says “Spotify is flushing itself down the toilet” after Daniel Ek’s announcement of his $700 million investment in AI weapons technology.

Deerhoof’s statement (2/2)

Deerhoof’s statement (1/2)

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek becomes chairman of AI military start-up following €600 million investment Ek had previously invested €100 million in Helsing, a software specialist that currently produces drones, aircrafts and submarines for military use

read the article: mixmag.net/read/spotify...

UMAW understands that in order to defend humanity, we have to build a society that values what connects us, like music and culture. We stand against genocide and against the war machine, and encourage artists to build solidarity across the world.

The only people that stand to benefit from war are the billionaires who profit off of destruction and suffering. When CEOs say invest in “defense”, they are really investing in war machines.

The people running our music industry are the same people “doubling down” on AI military technology. To build a fair and just music industry, we also must dismantle imperialism in all its forms. Daniel Ek is a warmonger who pays artists poverty wages 🤮

UMAW stands in solidarity with World Cafe Live workers in Philadelphia! Staff are citing wage disruption, a hostile work environment, and senior staff being pushed out of their jobs as reasons for the protest. Venue workers deserve fair pay and fair treatment. 💪

Yet another slimy statement from the company that controls the dominant share of streaming. Daniel Ek won’t protect musicians against AI — his “philosophical” question diminishes the real work that real artists do every day, as do Spotify’s poverty-wage payouts. We need the LWMA!

BREAKING: Resolution 368 PASSES! Thank you @cmshahanahanif.bsky.social for sponsoring the resolution in support of the Living Wage for Musicians Act 💪

New Yorkers, come to City Hall tomorrow 5/28 at 2pm to support the Living Wage for Musicians Act! Rsvp here: actionnetwork.org/events/join-...

Musicians deserve to be paid fairly for our work 💪

New Yorkers! We need your help. RSVP here: actionnetwork.org/events/join-...

Kneecap say terrorism charge is ‘political policing’ Northern Irish trio say charge against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is intended to stifle criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza

Artists must stand together in solidarity against political repression and attempts to silence speech and protest. The UK must drop all charges against Kneecap. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

From Lollapalooza to Detention Camps: Meet the Tent Company Making a Fortune Off Trump’s Deportation Plans The privately held company Deployed Resources has made billions running tent detention facilities to hold immigrants entering the U.S. at the border. Now it is cashing in again on Trump’s plan to hold...

Read the full article here: www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Via @propublica.org: Deployed Resources, the company that used to work for music festivals like Lollapalooza, is now working for ICE. They claim they worked 100 music festivals in 2018, & have since become a federal contractor working on Trump’s horrifying mass deportation efforts.

SoundCloud Quietly Forced Artists to Let AI Feast on Their Music SoundCloud, a music-sharing platform loved by new and independent artists, updated its terms to allow it to use artists' work for AI training.

Soundcloud is using your music to train AI. Artists don’t want this! We want fair pay, fair treatment, and to be valued for the work we do and art we create.
futurism.com/soundcloud-a...

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