Spotify has removed several pro-war Russian artists from its platform, including their songs and profiles, following sanctions imposed by the West. The affected artists include Lyube, Grigory Leps, Oleg Gazmanov, Shaman, and Polina Gagarina, who have been placed under EU sanctions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

A Spotify spokesperson confirmed to The Moscow Times that these removals were based on violations of platform rules and local laws. The company takes action when content explicitly violates their content policies or legal requirements.

This move marks a significant stance for Spotify, which has historically maintained a high threshold for content removal. The platform has previously kept content from controversial artists like R. Kelly, Kanye West, and Diddy, despite various controversies surrounding them.

In 2022, Spotify had already suspended its streaming services in Russia and closed its offices following the Ukraine invasion. The platform has previously addressed content moderation issues, including a 2017 case involving neo-Nazi and white supremacist content, where they removed multiple bands identified as hate groups.

While Spotify maintains a policy against content that promotes hatred or incites violence based on race, religion, or sexuality, questions remain about the consistency of these content moderation policies across major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube.

Related Articles

Previous Articles