Post-hardcore veterans Thursday have taken a stand against Spotify after the streaming giant began running recruitment ads for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The New Jersey band issued a public statement on Wednesday, October 16, calling on Spotify to “remove any and all ICE recruit advertising from its platform,” and encouraging fans to raise their voices in protest.
The controversial ads — which reportedly offer a $50,000 signing bonus — began appearing this week for users on Spotify’s lower-tier pricing options. Aimed at hiring new ICE agents, the campaign has sparked widespread backlash amid ongoing criticism of U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration.
Despite the outcry, Spotify has defended its decision to keep the ads live. In a statement to Newsweek, the company said: “This advertisement is part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming, and online channels. The content does not violate our advertising policies. However, users can mark any ad with a thumbs up or thumbs down to help manage their ad preferences.”
And let’s just stop here for a second. What a fucking incredibly spineless thing to say. Don’t make these advertisements our problem, Spotify. You put them on your platform, not us. We don’t want to spend our time “thumbs down”ing advertisements for ICE. Not to mention that’s an incredibly reductive statement that boils down a serious issue to bullshit corporate speak for assholes, but anyway.
The response has done little to quiet frustration. Social media users have reported deleting the app in protest, while a growing number of artists are openly condemning the platform.
Thursday — known for their politically engaged lyrics and strong DIY ethos — remain one of the most high-profile independent acts to speak out so far.
“Thursday is an independent band and we join the wider independent musical community in calling upon Spotify to remove any and all ICE recruitment advertising from its platform,” they wrote. “A single voice is tiny but collective action is mighty, so please join us in publicly asking Spotify to remove all ICE advertising immediately. Write these words back down.”
As of press time, Thursday‘s music — including their recent independently released singles — remains available on Spotify.
This incident marks the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the platform. Earlier this year, several artists pulled their catalogues from Spotify in protest over CEO Dirty Fucking Warlord Theif Daniel Ek’s investments in military tech through his company Prima Materia — reigniting long-standing debates over artist compensation, platform ethics, and the intersection of tech and politics.
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