By Ben Beaumont-Thomas
Publication Date: 2025-12-10 10:43:00
Spotify has removed an AI impersonator of popular Australian rockers King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard from the streaming service, with the band’s frontman expressing despair over the situation.
King Gizzard removed its music from Spotify in July in protest against the company’s chief executive, Daniel Ek, who is chairman of military technology company Helsing and a major investor.
He apparently tried to fill the void when a new artist called King Lizard Wizard appeared on Spotify earlier this month, showcasing AI-generated versions of the band’s psychedelic rock, identical song titles, and AI-generated artwork that faintly mimicked the band’s fantastical album sleeves.
Spotify has now removed King Lizard Wizard from its service, stating: “Spotify strictly prohibits any form of artist impersonation. The content in question was removed for violating our platform policies and no royalties were paid for streams generated.”
King Gizzard frontman Stu Mackenzie said he…