Café Tacvba’s vocalist, Rubén Albarrán, informed that the band requested Universal Music and Warner Music Mexico to remove the group’s catalog from Spotify, so as not to finance wars and reprehensible actions of the United States.
In a video message shared Wednesday on his social networks, the singer defended that the platform contravenes his artistic vision and ethics, in addition to questioning the royalty sharing model and the use of artificial intelligence in the music industry.
Café Tacvba does not want their music on Spotify
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“In recent days I have delivered, on behalf of Café Tacvba, a letter to both Universal Music and Warner Music Mexico, asking them to download Café Tacvba’s catalog from the Spotify platform,” he said.
The singer explained that the request is based on a number of reasons and listed “investments in armaments”, “the publicity of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)”.
Likewise, “the use of a totally unfair royalty pool”, in addition to qualifying as insufficient the payments they receive: “our pittance royalties”.
Albarrán also criticized “the use of artificial intelligence to the detriment of musicians and all people,” arguing that “music should have meaning and should support and strengthen people.
He also commented that the group seeks to prevent its income from being linked to conflicts, stating: “We do not want our royalties, the money they take from us, to be used to sponsor wars and other reprehensible actions”.
In his Instagram post, Albarrán specified that the letters were addressed to record labels Warner Music México and Universal Music México, “who by contract have the right to exploit Café Tacvba’s catalog”, and affirmed that the withdrawal is requested “for contravening our artistic vision and our personal and band ethics”.
The musician invited fans to listen to Café Tacvba on other platforms or even to “boycott” Spotify, considering that it is a way of not participating “in the abuses of power” and “ongoing wars”, in addition to calling to “create a new world, more just, horizontal” and in which “music continues to have value” and “meaning”.
Albarrán concluded that they are awaiting a formal response from both companies.
With information from EFE
