In terms of artists who make sustainability part of their public-facing brands and work, Eilish, FINNEAS, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band and Jack Johnson are often among the loudest and most active. This year, though, a crew of other acts stepped into the spotlight to talk about ways to protect the planet.
“Please google how much energy and pollution it takes to run Ai,” SZA wrote on social media in July about the massive environmental toll of the technology, particularly in the places where AI data centers are being built. (These centers require massive amounts of energy and water, with Forbes reporting in March that “the water consumption associated with a single conversation with ChatGPT was comparable to the amount contained by a standard plastic water bottle.”)
“Please google the beautiful black cities like Memphis that are SUFFERING because of twitters new Ai system” SZA continued. “PLEASE JUST GOOGLE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM. AI doesn’t give a f–k if you live or die I promise. THERE IS A PRICE FOR CONVENIENCE AND BLACK AND BROWN [people] WILL PAY THE BRUNT OF IT EVERY-TIME.”
Meanwhile, Masta Killa partnered with PETA to promote the benefits of a plant-based diet, which the Wu-Tang Clan member has adhered to for more than 20 years. The artist told Billboard about the health benefits of plant-based eating, and in previous interviews has said that beyond these health benefits, eating only plants is “actually better for the planet. I honestly think that you are what you eat. If I’m making a piece of meat, pumped up with steroids from an animal — I’m ingesting his blood. How is that good for me?”
(On this front, Eilish and her team partnered with every venue on her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to ensure that vendors sold at least one plant-based meal during shows, with the team also offering training to venue food service staff on how to prepare these dishes, along with their financial and health benefits.)
Additionally, Northern Irish electronic duo Bicep worked on Takkuuk, an audiovisual installation by the duo along with visual artist Zak Norman and filmmaker Charlie Miller. Through music and video, the film delves into the lives, communities and challenges facing artists indigenous to the Arctic region, with the installation screening in Australia, Europe, Greenland, the Middle East and South America throughout 2025.
