Artists are pulling their music off Spotify, and users are deleting their accounts in protest of the company's many controversial decisions.
Why are artists removing their music from Spotify?
Critics say Spotify's algorithm has turned music lovers into "lazy listeners," while artists argue the platform fails to fairly compensate them for their work. CEO Daniel Ek's investment in a company developing AI for military use has sparked further backlash. Most recently, Spotify faced public outrage for running recruitment ads for ICE — and refused to pull them.
In response, bands like Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Hotline TNT, The Mynabirds, WU LYF, Kadhja Bonet, Young Widows, and many others have left the platform, with most citing Ek’s ties to AI-driven defense tech as the final straw.
"We don't want our music killing people. We don't want our success being tied to AI battle tech," Deerhoof told NPR in a statement. "Deerhoof is a small mom and pop operation, and know when enough is enough. We aren't capitalists, and don't wish to take over the world. Especially if the price of 'discoverability' is letting oligarchs fill the globe with computerized weaponry, we're going to pass on the supposed benefits."
How to move your Spotify playlists to Apple Music and other music streaming apps
Listeners who have chosen to boycott the company are mostly moving over to Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal, but there are also options with Qobuz, Soundiiz, and Resonate.
One reason stopping some listeners from switching platforms is that all of their saved music — and beloved playlists — are on Spotify.
You have to use a third-party app like SoundDiiz or TuneMyMusic to transfer your playlists from Spotify to Amazon Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, and Qobuz, but Apple Music lets you import music from Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, TIDAL, and YouTube.
Here's how to transfer your playlists and saved songs from Spotify to Apple Music.
- 1 min
- iPhone Spotify App Apple Music App Apple Music Subscription
Step 1: Navigate to Apps in your Settings
Open settings and scroll down to Apps
Step 2: Navigate to Music
Scroll down and click "Music" in your apps
Step 3: Transfer your music
Tap "Transfer Music from Other Music Services" at the bottom of your screen.
Step 4: Transfer from Spotify
Choose "Spotify" if you're transferring from Spotify. It will direct you to sign into your account, and may ask you to approve the transfer.
Step 5: Choose what to transfer and add to your library.
The final step! Choose what you'd like to transfer — songs, playlist, etc — and click "Add to library."
When you're done, Apple Music might ask you to review alternatives. For me, a few songs that belonged on multiple albums — Yebba's Boomerang, for instance — required reviews.
Once you've made your selections there, you're all done!
