No more Morgenshtern: Will Ukrainians stop listening to Russian music after the Spotify ban?

The Ukrainian society is once again debating the presence of Russian content in Ukraine. This discussion was sparked by an electronic petition calling for a ban on songs in the Russian language on streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. The petition's author, Alexander Leonenko, argues that such a ban is necessary because Russian-language music may contain elements of hostile propaganda that harm Ukrainian identity and foster negative attitudes towards our state.

The petition quickly gained traction among citizens, collecting over 25,000 signatures within three days, the minimum required for government consideration. As of February 20, 2025, the number of signatures has surpassed 28,000.

The petition's signatories emphasize the importance of instilling proper cultural values in the youth and safeguarding national security. They believe that banning Russian-language music will help mitigate negative influences on the younger generation and promote Ukrainian music.

Previously, well-known singers and public figures expressed outrage over the presence of five tracks by Russian rapper MORGENSHTERN in the top 10 music charts of Ukraine on Apple Music and Spotify. This incident prompted the creation of the petition.

However, the author proposes a ban not only on Russian performers but on all songs in Russian, even those by Ukrainian musicians.

"Songs in Russian, even if performed by Ukrainian or European artists, may contain elements of Russian propaganda or convey a context that contradicts the values of Ukraine's independence," Leonenko believes.

Recently, the petition's author received a response from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications. According to him, the government forwarded the petition to the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting for consideration, and mechanisms for implementing a ban on Russian-language songs are allegedly being evaluated.

Russian Music Under Ban: What the Law Says

On October 7, 2022, a law limiting the public use of Russian musical products came into effect in Ukraine.

According to the law, it is prohibited to publicly display/perform musical works by Russian artists, particularly music videos from the aggressor country. All performers who have been citizens of the aggressor country since 1991 are included in this ban. Additionally, tours by artists from the Russian Federation are prohibited, including the organization of such tours.

However, the law establishes a list of Russian performers — the so-called "white list," which includes Russian citizens who condemn military aggression against Ukraine. The aforementioned restrictions do not apply to them. For this, they or their legal representatives must submit an official request to the Security Service of Ukraine.

The Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Taras Kremin, reminds that public performance, display, demonstration, or notification in commercial establishments, public catering, and services of musical recordings, video recordings, music videos, their elements, or other works whose distribution is prohibited may result in a fine:

• from 5,100 to 8,500 UAH;
• for repeated violations — from 17,000 to 25,500 UAH.

At that time, lawyer Alla Bronishevskaya, a member of the National Association of Lawyers of Ukraine, explained that according to the adopted law, the young man did not commit an offense, as Soviet rock musician Viktor Tsoi died in 1990 and thus was not a citizen of the aggressor country. However, the lawyer noted that the belief that there is no responsibility for violating this ban is not entirely accurate. The law provides for administrative liability for hooliganism and can even initiate criminal proceedings if the offense poses a threat to national security.

Bronishevskaya also pointed out a significant issue with this law: it clearly prohibits musicians who were or are citizens of the aggressor country, but a person can sing in Russian and not be a citizen of Russia.

This means that when Ukrainians sign a petition to ban songs in Russian, they may not consider that these songs are not necessarily performed by citizens of the aggressor country; among them are Ukrainian performers. And it’s unclear how the National Council should act in such cases.

Ban on Russian Songs: Why Ukrainians Are Outraged

A discussion has already started on Facebook about how "relevant" it is to ban songs in Russian when there are other, much more significant issues in children's education.

"They are not concerned about the quality of education in schools and universities. They are not interested in the fact that there are no teachers in schools, and there is no competition in teacher training colleges at all. They just want to impose bans," Ukrainians express their views.

"Schools are missing up to 50% of teachers. Those teachers who are working are aged 45 and older. There is no competition in pedagogical universities. No one is going there for education. Soon, there will be no one left to work in schools. I’m not even mentioning the quality of the teaching staff in universities. Yet, the Ministry of Education bans Russian music in Ukraine. What’s next? Jammers at the border?" asks public figure Oleg Popenko.

However, a significant number of people believe that now is the time to filter content in Ukraine, as the youth are most influenced by Russian culture. Some suggest not just blocking but even immediately prosecuting those who distribute and demonstrate Russian cultural content.

At the same time, Ukrainians believe that "Russian has become the language of protest for teenagers because it is banned, and protest is essential at their age." This could provoke the closure of parties where listening to Russian music or old songs by Ukrainian performers in Russian is allowed.

"It’s not the music that kills, but terrorists and Rashists," continue the debate among Ukrainians.

"I suggest banning American performers as well, in light of recent events," is another humorous thought.

Why Do Ukrainian Teenagers Listen to Russian Music?

Despite the full-scale war and the ban on Russian music in Ukraine, a significant portion of the youth continues to listen to Russian artists. This can be explained by several factors:

Social Media and Streaming Algorithms

Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify generate recommendations based on popularity and user activity. Therefore, Russian tracks that have a wide audience continue to appear in the playlists of Ukrainian teenagers. Experts note that algorithms do not take political context into account, so popular Russian tracks are promoted regardless of the country of consumption.

Influence of Bloggers and Trends

Many Ukrainian teenagers imitate popular bloggers who use Russian music in their videos. If a particular song becomes a trend on TikTok, it starts being listened to even by those who do not support Russian culture. As a study by Detector Media showed, teenagers often do not think about the origin of the music but perceive it through its emotional impact.

Limited Popularity of Ukrainian Music

Some young listeners feel that Ukrainian music lacks sufficient diversity or does not match their tastes. They simply do not know Ukrainian performers in certain genres, such as rap, hip-hop, or electronic music. According to researchers, the problem lies not only in the absence of performers but also in the weak promotion of Ukrainian content.

Habits and Environmental Influence

Youth often listen to what is popular in their surroundings. If friends or acquaintances listen to Russian music, a teenager automatically adopts these preferences. This is also related to habit: many teenagers do not think about what they are listening to and continue to listen to the same playlists as before.

Thematic Content of Songs

Russian music, especially in the rap and hip-hop genres, often contains themes of self-assertion, protest, aggression, or audacity, which attract teenagers. The Ukrainian music market has not yet fully met the demand for such content, although new artists are emerging who can compete with Russian performers.

To change teenagers' preferences, it is necessary not only to ban Russian music but also to develop the Ukrainian music industry. It is essential to invest resources in promoting Ukrainian artists on streaming platforms and social media. It is important to explain to teenagers the significance of Ukrainian culture and the consequences of consuming Russian content. Such campaigns are already being conducted in schools and social networks but should be scaled up. Researchers suggest initiating restrictions on algorithms that promote Russian music or creating alternative mechanisms for promoting Ukrainian performers.

It is worth noting that over 150,000 people from Canada signed a parliamentary petition calling for their country to strip Elon Musk of Canadian citizenship. The reason was the close cooperation between the tech billionaire and U.S. President Donald Trump, who, upon his return to the White House, repeatedly threatened to conquer Canada and turn it into the "51st state of the USA."