Artists from all corners of the music industry are calling on labels, streaming services and other corporate entities to contribute to the cause of racial justice.
In the midst of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd, The Weeknd issued a challenge on Tuesday (June 2) directly to Warner Music, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Spotify and Apple Music, asking them to “go big and public” by donating after seeing decades of “profits off of black music.”
One day earlier, Jack Antonoff had posed a similar question on Twitter: “How much money is being donated from the labels, publishers, streaming services and all other corners of the music industry tomorrow? i can’t find this info.” Tegan and Sara responded to the super-producer’s tweet with, “We would love to know too.”
Rising artists such as Shura and Cavetown also joined the chorus surrounding “Black Out Tuesday,” with the former tweeting, “if major labels could use the massive profits they make by criminally undervaluing music to donate to causes alongside their social media blackout that would be tight,” and the latter adding to The Weeknd’s challenge by tagging the U.K. and Australian divisions of Warner Music, his label. “I really hope to see my label take this advice @WarnerMusicUK @warnermusic @WarnerMusicAU,” Cavetown’s Robin Skinner wrote. “You have done so much for artists like me, now do something for the world.”
Check out more artists’ challenges to the music industry below.