Spotify Removes White Supremacist Bands

Following a week of political turmoil sparked by the violence in Charlottesville, Va., Spotify has removed severalts identified as “white power” bands by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

– Spotify

The removal came after a list published in 2014 by the SPLC identifying 37 “white power” bands resurfaced on Digital Music News. Most of the acts, which Spotify has not named, had small but growing followings, according to Mashable.

“Spotify takes immediate action to remove any such material as soon as it has been brought to our attention,” the music streaming service said in a statement. “We are glad to have been alerted to this content – and have already removed many of the bands identified today, whilst urgently reviewing the remainder.”

It simultaneously released a new “Patriotic Passion” playlist featuring the likes of N.W.A., Jimi Hendrix, The Smashing Pumpkins, Madonna and more. “Our new Patriotic Passion playlist is a soundtrack to an America worth fighting for,” a Spotify spokesperson told Mashable.

Spotify is one of several tech companies that took action against extremism in the aftermath of Charlottesville. Facebook and Reddit have each banned white supremacist-affiliated groups from their sites. Other streaming services, including Pandora and Deezer, also took steps to remove hate bands from their services.