In a decisive move, music streaming giant Spotify has removed the songs and profiles of several pro-war Russian artists who have been sanctioned by Western authorities. This action, confirmed by the Sweden-based company on Thursday, was first reported by the Rodnoy Zvuk Telegram channel.
The removal targets include prominent figures such as the band Lyube and singers Grigory Leps, Oleg Gazmanov, Shaman, and Polina Gagarina. Lyube, Leps, and Gazmanov have been under European Union (EU) sanctions since 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More recently, Shaman, whose real name is Yaroslav Dronov, and Polina Gagarina were added to the EU’s sanctions list earlier this week.
Spotify clarified its decision in an email statement to The Moscow Times, explaining that its “Platform Rules clearly state that we take action when we identify content which explicitly violates our content policies or local laws.” The statement continued, “Upon review, these artists met the threshold for removal.”
Amid these developments, unconfirmed reports from Russian media suggested that the affected artists’ Spotify accounts might have been hacked, potentially explaining the sudden disappearance of their music. However, Spotify’s official statement indicates that the removals were a deliberate enforcement of their content policies.
Despite their removal from Spotify, these artists’ profiles remain accessible on other major platforms, including Apple Music and YouTube, which are based in the United States.
This move is consistent with Spotify’s previous actions in response to the geopolitical situation. In 2022, the company suspended its streaming services and closed its office in Russia as a reaction to the invasion of Ukraine. This latest step reaffirms Spotify’s commitment to adhering to international sanctions and maintaining its content policies.
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