“Spotify only works because of us. Now it’s on all of us to force accountability”
By Liberty Dunworth 4th December 2025
The logo of Spotify. CREDIT: Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
A new campaign called Spotify Unwrapped has launched, calling for users to boycott the streaming giant over ICE ads, AI music, and more.
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The campaign was launched by three grassroots organisations who were behind the No Kings protests in the US earlier this year – 50501 Movement, Indivisible Project and Working Families.
AdvertisementAs the title suggests, the movement comes around the same time as Spotify Wrapped, where users of the streaming platform get personalised insights into their listening habits over the past 12 months.
With Spotify Unwrapped, 50501 Movement and co. criticise the company for running advertisements for ICE recruitments on the app, and the AI-generated music that is given a platform.
It also takes a stand against the company’s CEO Daniel Ek, and news that broke earlier this year that he was investing into an AI military defence company.
“Every year Spotify Wrapped is supposed to celebrate artists and listeners,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible (via Consequence). “This year, Spotify decided to wrap itself in complicity instead. They’re exploiting artists’ work while quietly recruiting for ICE, a secret police force tearing families apart.
“Spotify isn’t just playing along with the Trump regime’s authoritarian turn – they’re amplifying it,” he added. “Spotify only works because of us. Now it’s on all of us to force accountability.”
RecommendedOrganizers have launched a campaign against Spotify for airing ICE ads and more pic.twitter.com/l7SNGJKGwr
— Layla Maryam Razavi (@LaylaMRazavi) December 3, 2025
The Spotify Unwrapped campaign is asking for users to download and share their findings, and cancel their subscription with Spotify. Visit here for more information.
The company was at the receiving end of backlash when recruitment ads for ICE appeared on the platform, with one of the videos including the quote: “You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe. But in sanctuary cities, you’re ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free.”
In response, many users took to social media to complain, and some said that they would be cancelling their subscriptions as a result.
AdvertisementIn October, a spokesperson for Spotify said the ads were compliant with the US advertising policy and stressed that they are “part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming and online channels”.
Rolling Stone also went on to publish findings that the Department of Homeland Security had spent $74,000 on ICE recruitment ads on Spotify this year.
As for the rise of AI music on the platform, it was reported earlier this year that AI-generated songs were being uploaded to dead musicians’ profiles, and Spotify shared a statement saying it was going to be taking stand against music intended to “confuse or deceive listeners, push ‘slop’ into the ecosystem, and interfere with authentic artists working to build their careers.”
It’s time… Go get your Wrapped!https://t.co/SyaZ4iQvE3 pic.twitter.com/xV3gdDjcfz
— Spotify (@Spotify) December 3, 2025
It added that it would be removing 75million tracks and targeting impersonators, and later in the year it was revealed in a study that 97 per cent of people “can’t tell the difference” between real and AI music.
As for the controversy around Ek, it comes as one of his companies outside of Spotigy led a €600million (£524million) investment into Helsing – a Munich-based company creating drones and artificial intelligence for military operations.
The move led to a number of high profile artists to pull their music from Spotify, including King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.
Those joining them was Xiu Xiu, who shared plans to remove their music from the platform over Ek’s “investment in AI war drones”, Deerhoof, who said they didn’t “want our success being tied to AI battle tech”, and Wu Lyf, who took down their latest single ‘A New Life Is Coming’ from the streaming service.
In September, Ek confirmed that he would be stepping down from the role of CEO, and transitioning to an executive chairman role for the company on January 1, 2026.
Yesterday (Wednesday December 3), Spotify shared Wrapped 2025, upgrading it to be a “personalised user experience”. It also included a new feature called a “listening age”, which compares users’ “musical tastes to others’ in your age group, looking at the release years of the tracks you listen to most” – leading to shock from some at their bizarrely high listening ages.
