We are a collective of musicians and music lovers who realized that waiting for the billionaires to grow a conscience is a losing strategy. We are artists who refuse to be “content providers” and a coalition of listeners who are not ready to resign ourselves to feeding a machine that gives nothing back. We are designing the exit strategy and building the alternative we’ve been waiting for.
Spotify is the architect of the current streaming paradigm. Other companies like Apple, YouTube, and Amazon don’t rely on their streaming services to support their business. Spotify is the achilles heel of the music industry. If we break their hold, we break the model.
By gathering our leverage first, we flip the power dynamic. The platforms need us. We don't need them. We prove that by moving together.
If one artist leaves Spotify today, they lose their income and the platform feels nothing. But if a mass of artists and listeners leave on the exact same day, we create a financial and cultural shockwave that cannot be ignored.
We are not "waiting"; we are building. Every stream pledged to the ticker is a vote of no confidence. It is a digital union card.
To be honest there is no clear answer. Artists have been left out of the conversation for far too long but we’re taking control imagining how our art can exist in the world uninhibited. We are moving to infrastructure that prioritizes artist ownership, direct payments, and ethical transparency. This isn't just about one competitor; it's about a diverse ecosystem of tools.
Our "Alternatives" protocol recommends platforms like subvert.fm (for direct sales), Qobuz (for high-res acquisition), and others that adhere to our core principles. See the full Alternatives page for the vetted list.
You are not alone. Most recording contracts were written to lock you in, granting the label perpetual control over distribution. But contracts are renegotiated every day.
We have created the "Ethical Distribution Rider"—a standard legal addendum you can attach to your next deal (or use in your next renegotiation). It explicitly grants you the right to issue a "Moral Objection" and withdraw your catalog from any platform that invests in warfare, violates human rights, or devalues your labor.
If every artist commits to including this rider, we change the industry standard. We move from "permission" to power. Download it, send it to your lawyer, and make it a non-negotiable term for your future.
The "exposure" offered by major streaming platforms is often a trap. It provides passive listening metrics but rarely converts to sustainable income or active fan engagement. You are trading your labor for lottery tickets.
By moving, you may lose passive algorithmic plays, but you will gain a deeper connection with active supporters who follow you to new platforms. 1,000 true fans on Bandcamp are worth more than 100,000 passive streams on Spotify. This is a shift from quantity to quality, and from dependence to sovereignty.
To pledge your streams accurately, you can find your 2025 totals in a few places:
Estimates are acceptable for the pledge. The goal is to show collective leverage.