The campaign No Music for Genocide, which has successfully encouraged hundreds of artists to remove their music from Israeli streaming services, has launched a new initiative. In an open letter, the group is calling for a widespread boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest, citing the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to allow Israel to participate in the 2026 competition.
The letter features a high-profile list of signatories, including Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Kneecap, Idles, Sigur Rós, Erika de Casier, Dry Cleaning, Mogwai, Macklemore, Primal Scream, Hot Chip, Smerz, and Black Country, New Road. The document highlights a perceived double standard, stating, “For the third consecutive year, Israel will be celebrated onstage despite its ongoing genocide in Gaza, while Russia remains banned for its illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
Demanding Accountability from Broadcasters
The artists are urging public broadcasters, performers, event organizers, and fans to withhold their support for the contest until the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) bans the Israeli broadcaster KAN. The letter emphasizes the moral weight of the situation, noting, “We refuse to be silent when Israel’s genocidal violence soundtracks and silences Palestinian lives.”
The campaign points to the actions of several European broadcasters—including those in Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands—that have already withdrawn from the contest in protest. The letter concludes with a firm declaration of intent: “As artists, we recognise our collective agency—and the power of refusal. We refuse to be silent. We refuse to be complicit.”
The Stance of Kneecap and Previous Efforts
The group Kneecap, also among the signatories, issued a strong statement regarding the decision: “Russia was banned from Eurovision in 2022. Israel has been murdering Palestinians for decades and is now committing genocide—and for the third year running, they’re welcomed back onto the stage. That’s not neutrality. That’s a choice.”
The band added that they have faced professional consequences for their activism, including lost gigs and visa bans, but remain committed to the cause. “Silence is complicity. We stand with No Music for Genocide and every artist, fan and broadcaster who refuses to let the world’s biggest music event be used to whitewash genocide.”
This latest effort builds on a previous campaign from last year, which saw artists such as Caribou, Hayley Williams, Dry Cleaning, Lorde, and Björk participate in a streaming embargo by geo-blocking their music from Israel.
