Boy George has accused Bandcamp of “bowing to the pressure of antisemites” after the platform removed his pro-Israel song We Will Dance Again, according to NME. He also criticised the company’s AI policy in a post on X.
The dispute began after George complained that Bandcamp had removed his profile and stopped sales of the track. In response, Bandcamp told NME the song was removed because it violated the site’s Acceptable Use & Moderation Policy, which bars music that is wholly or substantially created, composed or generated by artificial intelligence.
George pushed back on that explanation, saying he had been upfront that the song used AI assistance while the lyrics and melody came from him. He argued that many other AI-assisted tracks remain on the site and said Bandcamp’s explanation was misleading.
We Will Dance Again has drawn criticism since its release last month for its stance on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and for its criticism of musicians who have supported Palestine. George later said the song was inspired by his visit to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London and by meetings with people affected by the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack.
Since releasing the track, George has also pulled out of a planned run at the London Palladium and split with his record label manager after he refused to release the song. Bandcamp had not responded publicly to George’s latest remarks at the time NME published the story.
