MUSIC / TECH COMPANIES AND WAR FUNDING
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SPOTIFY / Daniel Ek
- Investors: Tencent (≈9%), Baillie Gifford, BlackRock, Vanguard
- Affiliations: alcohol ads (Heineken, Bacardi), gambling, Coca-Cola
- Wars: Daniel Ek → Helsing (military AI in Ukraine). Shareholders (BlackRock/Vanguard) → Lockheed, Raytheon (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza)
- Sources:
https://sifted.eu/articles/spotify-daniel-ek-helsing
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jun/21/spotify-users-complain-about-betting-ads
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-us-uk-germany-arming-israel-war-crimes/
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APPLE / Apple Music
- Investors: BlackRock, Vanguard, Berkshire Hathaway
- Wars: BlackRock/Vanguard → Lockheed Martin, Raytheon (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza)
- Sources:
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL/holders
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-us-uk-germany-arming-israel-war-crimes/
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AMAZON / Amazon Music / Twitch / AWS
- Investors: Jeff Bezos, BlackRock, Vanguard
- Affiliations: festival sponsorships (Budweiser, Heineken)
- Wars:
AWS → CIA contract (600M$) + Pentagon JEDI (10B$)
AWS + Google → Project Nimbus (1.2B$ with Israel, 2021)
- Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-cia-idUSBRE9BJ0DG20131220
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/25/pentagon-awards-10-billion-jedi-cloud-contract-to-microsoft.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/20/google-amazon-project-nimbus-israel-cloud
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GOOGLE / YouTube Music (Alphabet)
- Investors: BlackRock, Vanguard
- Affiliations: alcohol ads, gambling, crypto
- Wars: Project Maven (military drone AI, 2017). Project Nimbus (Israel contract, 2021)
- Sources:
https://theintercept.com/2018/05/30/google-pentagon-project-maven/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/20/google-amazon-project-nimbus-israel-cloud
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DEEZER / Bolloré
- Owners: Bolloré, Orange
- Affiliations: media (CNews, Canal+), alcohol ads
- Wars: Bolloré Logistics → African ports, arms export/supply contracts. Shareholders BlackRock/Vanguard → weapons (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza)
- Sources:
https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2022/02/12/vincent-bollore-un-patron-ultraconservateur-qui-a-fait-de-cnews-un-fox-news-a-la-francaise_6113229_3234.html
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TIDAL / Len Blavatnik
- Control: Access Industries, Warner Music
- Affiliations: petrochemicals (LyondellBasell)
- Wars:
LyondellBasell → military supplies for US
Donations to Trump (Yemen war, pro-Israel politics)
20M$ donation to Tel Aviv University
- Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/26/len-blavatnik-warner-music-top-sunday-times-rich-list
https://qz.com/1521847/major-gop-donor-len-blavatnik-had-business-ties-to-a-russian-official
https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukraine-born-us-billionaire-len-blavatnik-donates-20-million-to-tel-aviv-university/
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SOUNDCLOUD
- Investors: Raine Group, Temasek (Singapore)
- Affiliations: Adidas, Red Bull Music
- Wars: Temasek → defense industries in Asia (indirect)
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BANDCAMP / Epic Games / Tencent
- Control: Epic Games (Tencent 40%, Sony)
- Affiliations: Fortnite (Nike, Balenciaga)
- Wars: Tencent → tech support for CCP (surveillance, Chinese military)
- Sources:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/10/tencents-push-into-global-gaming
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QOBUZ / Providence Equity
- Investors: Providence Equity
- Wars: Providence → financing Pentagon contractors (Iraq, Afghanistan)
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NAPSTER / BlackRock
- Investors: BlackRock
- Wars: BlackRock → Lockheed, Boeing, Raytheon (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza)
- Sources:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-us-uk-germany-arming-israel-war-crimes/
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TIKTOK / ByteDance
- Investors: Sequoia Capital, SoftBank, General Atlantic
- Affiliations: alcohol ads, gambling, fast fashion
- Wars: CCP → military support for Russia (Ukraine). No direct Israel contracts
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META (Facebook / Instagram)
- Investors: Zuckerberg, BlackRock, Vanguard
- Affiliations: alcohol ads, crypto, gambling
- Wars: BlackRock/Vanguard → arms (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza). Accused of pro-Israel bias (HRW)
- Sources:
https://www.politico.eu/article/meta-facebook-eu-lobbying-transparency/
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/20/meta-silencing-gaza
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UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP (UMG)
- Investors: Tencent (20%), Bolloré/Vivendi
- Wars: Tencent → CCP (Ukraine, Xinjiang). Bolloré → Africa (ports, regimes)
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SONY MUSIC
- Owner: Sony Corp
- Wars: supplies military electronics (radars, optics, components for Israeli drones)
- Sources:
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2020-08-06/ty-article/.premium/israels-newest-ai-fighter-jet-could-change-the-face-of-war/0000017f-e1e0-d75c-a7ff-fbf0d4570000
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WARNER MUSIC / Blavatnik
- See Tidal / Blavatnik
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LIVE NATION / Ticketmaster
- Investors: Liberty Media, BlackRock, Vanguard
- Affiliations: Budweiser, Heineken sponsorships
- Wars: BlackRock/Vanguard → Lockheed, Raytheon (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza)
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AEG / Philip Anschutz
- Affiliations: Coachella, stadiums, alcohol/tobacco sponsors
- Wars: Republican donations (Bush, Trump) → Iraq war, pro-Israel politics
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FUNDS (BlackRock / Vanguard / State Street)
- Wars: shareholders in Lockheed, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop → weapons used in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, Israel/Gaza
- Sources:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-us-uk-germany-arming-israel-war-crimes/
Music Industry & War Funding — Key Insights
1. Direct involvement
Platforms/companies that directly supply or contract with militaries:
Amazon (AWS, Project Nimbus, CIA/Pentagon contracts)
Google (Project Maven, Project Nimbus)
Microsoft (cloud + AI for IDF and Pentagon)
Sony (military electronics for Israeli drones)
Len Blavatnik / Tidal / Warner (donations to pro-war politics, Tel Aviv Univ.)
Daniel Esk - Helsing AI (marketed as an european defense project)
2. Indirect involvement (via investment funds & shareholders)
Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Napster, Live Nation, Meta, TikTok, UMG, SoundCloud, Bandcamp
All are owned in part by BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, who are among the largest shareholders in Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman.
That covers virtually 100% of the music streaming ecosystem indirectly financing arms.
3. Geopolitical spread of wars financed
Iraq & Afghanistan → weapons makers, logistics, oil contractors.
Ukraine → Daniel Ek (Helsing AI), AWS/Nimbus, US weapons stocks.
Israel/Gaza → AWS/Google Nimbus, Microsoft, Blavatnik, US arms suppliers.
Yemen → Trump-aligned billionaires (Blavatnik, Anschutz), Raytheon weapons.
Africa → Bolloré (logistics & political support).
China/Russia → Tencent (military tech links, CCP alignment).
4. Percentage view
Direct support (contracts, tech, donations): ~30% of the industry.
Indirect support (through shareholder funds): ~100%.
Companies with no clear war links (rare exceptions): basically none at scale.