Massive Attack, Brian Eno and Caribou are among the hundreds of musicians calling for Live Nation to drop operations in Israel.
The artists – many of whom have worked for the US multinational company, Live Nation Entertainment – have signed a new open letter as part of the Musicians For Palestine campaign.
“As the artists and workers that power the industry, we support principled initiatives that demand dignified pay for all, respect for local scenes and the end of corporate monopolisation,” it reads.
“We cannot stay silent while Live Nation Israel glorifies the genocidal Israeli military that has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza. We echo long-standing Palestinian calls for accountability over its years of artwashing of Israeli apartheid and now genocide.”
The open letter urges Live Nation Entertainment to “uphold all the authoritative demands of Palestinians, by dropping Live Nation Israel” while “adopting policies to ensure its programming and partnerships are not complicit in oppression anywhere, and respecting the guidelines of Palestinian civil society”.
“Live Nation’s venues and festivals: please echo and adhere to these demands,” the document adds.
“We can no longer allow our music to be used to artwash apartheid, genocide or oppression against any people. Our shared vision of a more just and peaceful world propels us. Join us.”
Another part of the letter states: “We know that true solidarity starts with confronting complicity. Parts of our industry have too often failed to stand up for Palestinian liberation.
“We demand that this moral failure come to a decisive end. In this, we speak out together for life, dignity, and the end of impunity.”
Musicians and music workers can sign the open letter here.
Over 600 artists have thrown their support behind the letter, at the time of writing (see the full list here) These also include Brian Eno, who organised the ‘Together For Palestine’ charity concert in London this September. He also features on the new ‘Together For Palestine’ charity single, ‘Lullaby’, which is in the running for Christmas Number One.
NME has contacted Live Nation Entertainment for comment.
Musicians For Palestine previously shared an open letter in 2022, where its signees said they were “refusing to perform at Israel’s complicit cultural institutions”. It read: “Complicity with Israeli war crimes is found in silence, and today silence is not an option.”
Another letter in 2023 saw over 7,000 names demand “an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza, and an end to the siege”.
This October, Clairo, Wolf Alice, AURORA and more artists joined the ‘No Music For Genocide’ Israel streaming boycott.
Massive Attack, who are involved in the campaign, committed to a full boycott of Spotify. This was related to reports that the platform’s CEO, Daniel Ek, had made significant investments “in a company producing military munition drones and AI technology integrated into fighter aircraft”.
Later, Ek confirmed that he would be stepping down from the role of CEO, and transitioning to an executive chairman role on January 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, Eurovision 2026 is still set to go ahead, despite organisers controversially allowing Israel to compete in the contest. Last week saw Ireland become the fifth country to boycott next year’s competition, before 2024’s winner Nemo returned their trophy in protest.
Eurovision’s director Martin Green has also shared a message amid the backlash, saying: “In a challenging world we can indeed be United by Music.”
A UN commission inquiry concluded in September that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, which Israel has denied (via BBC News).
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