We’ve seen it, and there’s no doubt you’ve seen it too: more and more people are leaving Spotify in recent weeks for another streaming platform. But why? What’s going on? Why are people leaving Spotify and how to transfer Spotify playlists?
Why are people leaving Spotify and how to transfer Spotify playlists? A few reasons.
The pressure has been intensifying in recent months, particularly from artists. This isn’t the first time some of them have spoken out against Spotify, or the streaming system in general. Taylor Swift, Thom York, Neil Young, and James Blake, to name a few, have been warning for years about the weakening position of artists in an economy where they are the foundation of everything and yet receive only crumbs in terms of remuneration. In January, the artist Björk declared, “Spotify is probably the worst thing that has happened to musicians.” A bold statement.
But this time, a mass movement is taking place. Several bands and solo artists, some influential, are announcing their decision to leave Spotify. This collective action is a powerful demonstration of the potential for change. The blame lies with the actions of its founder, Daniel Ek, but also with the platform’s compensation system, which is deemed unequal.
For some, the latest news surrounding Daniel Ek was the last straw. It was announced that he was financing a European company, Helsing, linked to the arms industry, including military drones piloted by Artificial Intelligence. But also, that Spotify, according to journalist Liz Pelly and her book “Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist”, replaces certain artists featured in playlists with others licensed to Spotify at lower costs.
AI: Out of Control?
For many, both artists and users of the platform, donating their subscription money to Spotify is now equivalent to financing drones that could potentially kill individuals or wage destructive wars. This ethical dilemma weighs heavily on their decisions.
Added to this, as we explained on our blog, Spotify has been at the center of controversies related to Artificial Intelligence since last year. Beyond the fact that its founder has never hidden his affection for these technologies, Spotify has allowed the inclusion of numerous AI-generated songs in popular playlists, thus replacing artists and depriving them of their remuneration. But the scandals have gone even further: fake bands generating hundreds of thousands of streams have appeared, without any indication that Artificial Intelligence generated them.
The pages of long-deceased artists have also been enhanced with new songs generated by AI and not validated by the people managing these musicians’ catalogs. These scandals have caused a stir and have shed light not only on the uncontrollable nature of AI but also on the insufficient barriers Spotify has erected against services creating songs without respecting copyright rules.
Why are people leaving Spotify and how to transfer Spotify playlists? Artists are leaving the ship.
On June 30, 2025, the band Deerhoof decided to remove their music from Spotify. Firmly committed to opposing the proliferation of AI in the music industry and its dangers for artists, Deerhoof released a lengthy statement, in which they also discuss wars, weaponry, digital security, income inequality, artist compensation, and other topics they link to Spotify.
They also highlight a significant detail: if Deerhoof is leaving Spotify, it’s because they can. And they earn much more from their concerts than from streaming revenues generated on the Swedish platform. Has leaving Spotify become a luxury? Or is it a commitment reserved for already well-established artists with multiple sources of income? What about less exposed artists, with similar commitments and beliefs, but whose careers would suffer a serious setback if they decided to leave Spotify?
Domination, but for how long?
All this is symbolic of the Swedish giant’s dominant position. The market leader, Spotify has built an empire over the years, to the point where some artists feel trapped within it. This is one of the failings of the music streaming system: by radically changing consumption and remuneration patterns, it has created a fertile but unequal economy. And one that operates in a closed circuit. Without streaming, no career? We’re not far from thinking so.
On July 25, a prominent band, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, also took to Instagram to announce their decision to leave Spotify. They wrote:
“A PSA to those unaware: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests millions in AI military drone technology. We just removed our music from the platform. Can we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better? Join us on another platform.”
Labels are also sounding the revolt: The Kalahari Oyster Cult label announced it would remove its entire catalog, including that of its artists, on June 26. They justified their decision as follows:
“As a label, and in consultation with the artists we represent, we don’t want our music contributing to or benefiting a platform led by someone backing tools of war, surveillance, and violence. Keeping our work on Spotify would mean going against everything we stand for.”
Leaving!
Artists Xiu Xiu, Leh Senior, David Birdie, and Dr. Sure’s Unusual Practice have all also left Spotify and made this known to their fans. All of this is interesting to analyze and symbolizes the beginnings of a shift in mentality. This shift carries the anticipation of change. Especially since, on the user side, many people are also deciding to switch streaming platforms, creating significant stream exchanges. At Soundiiz, we’ve noticed this in our usage statistics. But what could the consequences be? The irony is that when artists leave Spotify, it benefits those who stay, who thus share a bigger piece of the pie. For change to truly take place, a major collective shift would be required, from both the artists’ and users’ perspectives.
Spotify is in such a dominant position today that it seems unlikely that a few thousand, or even tens of thousands, of subscribers would worry them. So, for the moment, all of this is, above all, a question of ethics and conscience, rather than a true revolution. But isn’t that precisely how revolutions begin? Soundiiz will, of course, keep you informed of future developments.
But what should you do when the platform you’ve chosen, like Spotify, for example, no longer aligns with your values? Is it possible to switch services without losing all the data and playlists you’ve accumulated over the years?
This is where Soundiiz comes in, and we’ll explain why.
How to transfer Spotify playlists and data to another streaming platform?
We know that leaving Spotify isn’t a simple ethical or political decision. It’s also potentially problematic if you lose all the data you’ve accumulated over the years on the Swedish service. That’s why, back in 2013, Soundiiz created a tool to facilitate the transition between two streaming platforms.
With Soundiiz, your data will be preserved during the transfer, and you won’t have to rebuild your playlists from scratch. Using a data identification system, we’ll create connections between Spotify and your chosen service, all in just a few minutes.
We’ll explain the process, step by step, just below!
Why are people leaving Spotify and how to transfer Spotify playlists? Transfer everything!
First, create an account on Soundiiz or log in.
Once this has been done, you can access your Soundiiz Home Page. On the left-hand side of your screen, in the “Tools” section, you’ll see the “Transfer” section. Click on it.
This page will appear as follows:
This is where you’ll need to link your source account (Spotify) and your destination account (your chosen account). To do this, click “Select Source” and look for the Spotify icon. Then click “Select Destination” and look for the streaming platform’s icon you chose
You’ll see a green “Connected” button in both sections if everything is working correctly. Click on the “Start” button.
Please note: this will only work if you already have an account on the platform you chose to transfer your data to. If not, there will be no green button.
Soundiiz will search to see which items are transferable to your destination platform. Select the items you want to transfer, then click “Confirm My Selection” and “Begin the transfer.”
Note: if you use Soundiiz’s free version, you can only transfer up to 200 songs per playlist and one playlist at a time. Click here to check our Premium plans!
The transfer has just started! Depending on the amount of data transferred, it may take a few minutes to complete. You can check the transfer progress in the “Automation” – “My Batches” section.
Once the transfer is finished, you can rest assured that everything has been successfully moved. If you check your mailbox, you should find an email indicating that your transfer is complete, giving you peace of mind!
Is transferring playlists and data from Spotify free of charge?
Yes and no! In our free version, you can transfer up to 200 references at once. That’s a lot, but for some people, it might not be enough. That’s why we’ve created Premium options, allowing you to transfer as much as you want without limits, and take advantage of the many other services offered by Soundiiz. Playlist synchronization, SmartLink creation, and playlists generated by Artificial Intelligence: Soundiiz opens up a world of possibilities.
To discover everything we have to offer, click here!
