In recent years, many artists have been called out for their controversial behavior that ranges from cheating on their partners to targeting racial and ethnic minorities. After information like this is brought to light, fans might wonder if it is acceptable to continue listening to these musicians. An artist’s personal life and behavior should influence if people listen to their music.

The first controversial artist that comes to mind has to be Kanye West. From his and his ex-wife’s recent appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards to his infamous interactions with Taylor Swift and his outrageous anti-Semitic statements and behaviors, West has certainly made a controversial name for himself. On the other hand, he is a giant in the music industry, with 66.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify. So do West’s actions mean that fans should stop listening to his music? Not necessarily, but they should consider that listening to music can have a huge financial effect on the artist.

When you stream a song on Spotify, the artist makes approximately $0.003-$0.005 per listen. This may seem insignificant, but this sum can add up. If each of West’s monthly Spotify listeners only listen to one song a month, he would make around $200,700-$334,500 monthly. When you look at it this way, it is clear that listening to an artist’s music provides them with immense financial contributions which can help support their controversial life choices and political stances. The money and resources artists earn from streams of their music allows them to invest in political campaigns, donate to charities, etc. This can be a great thing… unless you do not support the issues that your No. 1 artist on Spotify endorses.

Another recent controversy in music concerns Zach Bryan. Like West, Bryan is very popular and has an incredibly successful music career. However, in November 2024, information surfaced about his relationship with and treatment of his ex-girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia. She claimed that he verbally abused her throughout their year-long relationship, which left many fans confused and unsure of who to believe, especially because Bryan had no response to her claims. LaPaglia also said that Bryan offered her $12 million to sign an NDA to keep the details of their relationship quiet.

Another artist whose personal relationship has been deemed controversial is Ariana Grande, a talented artist with many achievements, including two Grammys and an Oscar nomination. Grande is currently in a relationship with her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater. Before his relationship with Grande, Slater was married to his high-school sweetheart, who he shares a baby with. Some have criticized Grande and even blamed her for Slater’s divorce, which occurred soon after their baby was born. Others have even gone so far as to claim that Grande and Slater were together before they divorced their respective spouses.

In general, when it comes to complications with the personal relationships of artists, you should not feel the need to stop listening to their music. Everyone goes through breakups and fights with their friends, and musicians are no exception. However, if information comes to light with proof of an artist’s abusive, dangerous or offensive behaviors, that is when you should reconsider your support of them.

By listening to an artist’s music, you are supporting their personal choices and beliefs. You should consider the political views, opinions and actions of the musicians you listen to and how these choices reflect on you. Remember that the streaming choices you make have financial effects on the artists. If you cannot justify their choices, then you should not listen to their music.