Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and Amazon Music pledge support for Blackout Tuesday

Image: Reuters

Some of the top streaming services including Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music have all pledged their support for Blackout Tuesday, also referred to as “Black Out Tuesday”. The services will offer special playlists, social media blackouts, and moments of silence.

The campaign is spearheaded by music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang. The official website for the effort urges supporters to “take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation about what action we need to collectively take to support the Black community.”

The campaign is aimed at protesting against the police violence and racism and to honour George Floyd, who died in police custody, which has sparked global outrage with demonstrations in the US and other parts of the world.

The initiative has spread well beyond record labels and musicians with actors, sports teams and even Tiffany Trump joining in. Peter Gabriel and Mick Jagger also joined the initiative, sharing a message on social media with the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.

Spotify will add an 8 minute and 46-second moment of silence to select podcasts and playlists on the platform. The length of the moment of silence is the same as the duration of which Minneapolis PD officer Derek Chauvin chocked Floyd, resulting in Floyd’s subsequent death.

Apple Music has reportedly cancelled its Beats 1 radio programming and will instead be promoting a streaming station that celebrates black artists. If you try to access the For You, Radio or Browse sections, you will be greeted by a black screen with large text in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Amazon Music is also supporting the movement, tweeting that it will be pausing all activities on social media for the day. YouTube Music has issued a tweet in support of the movement from its official account and has previously pledged to donate one million dollars to the Center for Policing Equity. The action is part of a broader movement in the music industry.