Over 1,000 Musicians Boycott Israel with ‘No Music for Genocide’ Campaign

Since September, more than 1,000 musicians and record labels, including Lorde, Björk, and Massive Attack, have joined the international initiative to remove their music from Israel in protest of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The movement, named No Music for Genocide, is calling for artists to ask their labels and distributors to geo-block their music in Israel, effectively preventing it from being streamed there. The initiative seeks to show solidarity with Palestinians and to demand accountability for what the movement deems as genocide in Gaza.

The campaign continues despite a fragile ceasefire in place, with organisers noting that airstrikes have resumed in Gaza. Blues poet Aja Monet, a key participant, emphasised the power of boycotts, stating, “Boycott is one of the most effective and enduring efforts that one can take to fight a militarised, overtly violent system.” She added that artists should be strategic in where they direct their resources.

This boycott mirrors similar efforts from Hollywood stars, who have also pledged to avoid supporting Israel’s state-funded film industry. A report by an independent United Nations commission in September accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, with the US and other countries that provide arms to Israel deemed complicit in the violence. Israel strongly denies these allegations and has condemned the boycott, describing it as discriminatory and counterproductive.

The movement is also gaining traction in the US, with artists like Julia Holter, who believes that as a US citizen, she is connected to the violence through taxpayer funding. “Every day we see horror stories from Gaza… I feel a responsibility to do something, however small it may be,” Holter said.

The No Music for Genocide campaign draws inspiration from the cultural boycotts against South Africa during apartheid. During the 1980s, artists such as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba were central to anti-apartheid activism, and international musicians played a significant role in this cultural movement.

The movement’s leaders argue that the same strategy should now be applied to the Israeli government. While celebrities like Pedro Pascal and Quinta Brunson have called for a ceasefire, No Music for Genocide remains firmly musician-led, with organisers hoping major label artists will join the movement for greater impact.

The campaign points to the actions of the three major US labels—Sony, Warner, and Universal—who ceased operations in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that the same approach should be taken to support Palestinians. The movement also insists that it will continue until Palestinians achieve self-determination and liberation.

Artist Statements and Support
Yasir Razak, a member of the band Nabeel, who is geo-blocking his music, draws connections between the war in Gaza and the historical interventions of Western powers in the Middle East. Razak, born in Baghdad during the Gulf War and raised in the US during the Iraq War, reflects on the dehumanisation of Middle Eastern people: “What makes me most sad is the idea that folks in other countries can’t be seen,” he says.

A poll by The New York Times and Siena University in September found that a majority of American voters now oppose continued US military support for Israel, a shift from earlier opinions after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people. A Gallup poll from July showed 60% of Americans disapproved of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Key Data

The No Music for Genocide movement continues to push for broader participation in the boycott, which they see as a necessary step in the global fight for Palestinian rights and against the violence in Gaza.