600+ Artists Urge Live Nation to Drop Israel Subsidiary
Industry Brief
Over 600 electronic and experimental artists—including Massive Attack, Caribou, and Kode9—have signed an open letter demanding Live Nation Entertainment sever ties with its Israeli subsidiary, marking one of the music industry's largest coordinated boycott efforts to date.
On December 16, 2025, Musicians For Palestine published an open letter signed by over 600 artists demanding that Live Nation Entertainment sever ties with its Israeli subsidiary citation needed. The letter targets Live Nation Israel, which operates as part of the world's largest live entertainment company. The artists' primary demand is straightforward: Live Nation must divest from Live Nation Israel entirely. But the letter goes further, calling on the company to implement policies across all operations that would prevent complicity in what signatories describe as oppression and human rights violations globally. The letter specifically invokes "long-standing Palestinian calls for accountability" regarding allegations of artwashing citation needed. Critics have accused Live Nation Israel of using cultural events to normalize Israel's treatment of Palestinians and distract from ongoing conflicts in the region. Musicians For Palestine frames the campaign as part of a broader movement urging entertainment companies to examine their business relationships in conflict zones and territories where human rights concerns have been raised.
The electronic and experimental music community forms a significant bloc among the letter's signatories, with several industry heavyweights taking public positions on the issue. Bristol's Massive Attack leads the charge alongside Kode9, founder of influential UK label Hyperdub, and Canadian producer Caribou. The trio represents decades of combined influence across electronic music's various subgenres. Other notable electronic artists who signed include: - Nicolas Jaar - Midland - Josey Rebelle - Kara-Lis Coverdale - Mia Koden - Arabian Panther The letter gains additional weight from cross-genre figures Brian Eno and Thurston Moore, whose involvement signals broader artistic consensus beyond electronic music circles. The statement directly addresses the artists' motivation, declaring they "cannot stay silent" while Live Nation's Israeli subsidiary "glorifies the genocidal Israeli military" citation needed. This language marks a sharp departure from the typically apolitical public stance many electronic artists maintain regarding corporate partnerships.
The open letter arrives as part of a broader wave of cultural boycott actions that accelerated in December 2024. PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) issued a direct call to music industry professionals that month, urging them to sever ties with Israeli institutions citation needed. The response has extended well beyond this single letter. Artists have organized charity releases under the No Music For Genocide initiative, while others have withdrawn their catalogs from Israeli streaming services entirely citation needed. The Together For Palestine Fund has coordinated relief efforts, with proceeds from benefit compilations and events directed to humanitarian aid citation needed. In their statement, participating artists framed the boycott in moral terms: "We can no longer allow our music to be used to artwash apartheid, genocide or oppression" citation needed. This language aligns with the established BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) framework, which since 2005 has called for economic and cultural pressure until Israel complies with international law citation needed. The movement represents one of the most significant coordinated actions in the music industry's recent history, spanning genres from electronic music to hip-hop and involving both established names and emerging artists.
Live Nation Entertainment controls roughly 70% of the global ticketing and live events market through its Ticketmaster subsidiary and venue network citation needed. The company operates in over 40 countries and promoted more than 40,000 events in 2023 citation needed. As of initial reports, Live Nation has not issued a public statement addressing the open letter citation needed. The company's silence comes as the petition gains traction across social media platforms frequented by music industry professionals. The letter's 600+ signatories represent substantial leverage in an industry where artist cooperation determines profitability. For context, major artists can generate millions in ticket sales per tour, making their collective stance difficult for promoters to ignore. The campaign creates potential complications for: - Artists weighing whether to book tours through Live Nation venues - Festival organizers navigating artist demands about corporate affiliations - Booking agents balancing client activism with industry relationships Live Nation Israel operates as a subsidiary handling concert promotion and venue management in the region citation needed. How Live Nation Entertainment responds could set precedent for how major industry players address geopolitical activism from their artist rosters.
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