Prominent musicians including Brian Eno, Massive Attack, and the band Sigur Rós have signed an open letter calling for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The letter, organized by the "No Music For Genocide" campaign, criticizes the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for allowing Israel to participate in the competition.
The campaign, which has previously urged artists to withdraw their music from streaming services in Israel, argues that Israel's inclusion normalizes its military actions in Gaza. The open letter states that participation in Eurovision provides a platform for "artwashing" amid the ongoing conflict.
The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, has consistently maintained that the contest is a non-political event. The EBU's rules allow for participation from active member broadcasters within the European Broadcasting Area, which includes the Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
As of April 2026, the EBU has not issued a public response to this specific call for a boycott. The 2026 host city and country have not yet been selected following the 2025 contest in Switzerland.
