Boy George has hit out at Bandcamp again, accusing them of “bowing to the pressure of antisemites” over his pro-Israel song ‘We Will Dance Again‘ while also criticising their AI policy.
It comes after he called the online music distribution platform a “bunch of c***s” yesterday (August 4) for removing his profile.
“The drama continues,” he said at the time. “Sadly Bandcamp have removed my profile, so anyone trying to get a copy of ‘We Will Dance Again’ will have to wait until I record it and find a way to put it out.”
“Also they’ve taken money, so hopefully Bandcamp will refund that money,” he continued. “It’s very disappointing and obviously, if you’ve got the track already, make videos, play it on the internet. Play it everywhere, get it heard.”
In a statement to NME, Bandcamp said that the track was not removed due to the political nature, but due to how it was created. Around the time of the release, the singer confirmed that he used AI to help generate the track.
They said: “The track was removed based on violation of our Acceptable Use & Moderation Policy, which in specific regard to this case, prohibits music and audio that is wholly or in substantial part created, composed, or generated by artificial intelligence. Any track that meets our Acceptable Use & Moderation Policy is always welcome on Bandcamp.”
So, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message.
It has absolutely no way of telling…— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) August 4, 2026
Now, George has responded on X, hitting back at their statement. He wrote: “So, update on the @bandcamp saga. When you upload a track it has to be a wav and it rejects MP3s. Yet it allowed me to upload my track and it stayed there for over 24 hours which mean the haters alerted them or they did not like the message.
“It has absolutely no way of telling whether something is AI but in my case I have been completely upfront and have made it clear, lyrics and melody from myself and AI assisted music. It seems obvious that despite the claims of @bandcamp there is a shitload of AI assisted music all over the website and to deny this is not only misleading but moronic.”
He went on to say: “It appears they have bowed to the pressure of antisemites because the system, just like any digital platform cannot tell if something is AI. Or maybe the problem is internal but I don’t buy the no AI policy because @bandcamp has it in droves.
“Leave the creative process to the artists. Even if you don’t agree with it. Sometimes the message is greater than the rules and we sold a ton. Some people paying a thousand pounds and many dropping 100 pounds. Hopefully that money will be refunded in full to those of you who payed and could not download after they shut a bitch down. I live for this total grass roots moment! Rock and Fucking Reggae roll!”
NME has reached out to Bandcamp for comment on George’s latest response.
‘We Will Dance Again’, divided opinion when it was released last month, particularly for it’s stance which appears to reject descriptions of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, as well as criticising musicians who have publicly supported Palestine.
George later gave more insight into the track, saying it was inspired by his visit to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London and meetings with people affected by the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Since the song’s release, the Culture Club singer has pulled out of his two-week run at the London Palladium, where he was set to play King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar, and also parted ways with his record label manager after he refused to release the track.
After some backlash to the song, Boy George responded to criticism and said that the song is meant to be “pro-peace”.
George has also voiced support for Jewish communities on several occasions in recent years. In May, he shared a message of solidarity at an anti-Semitism march in London.
His latest song has been condemned by Heaven 17 and The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an “overtly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda”. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge!, also said that he was “embarrassed” to have worked with him.
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