Russian authorities may set a new record in 2025 for blocking music tracks by popular artists, according to Novaya-Europe. The latest wave of restrictions followed a court ruling last week that declared the song “Turn Off the Anthem” by Pornofilmy extremist.
By the outlet’s count, during 2024 and the first part of 2025, state agencies ordered the removal of nearly 80 tracks from platforms. The affected artists include GUF, Leningrad, Baby Melo, Oxxxymiron, and others.
Among the recent examples is a demand by Roskomnadzor to remove several Noize MC songs from the album “Not Everyone Is Home,” including “Land of Rains,” “Cryochambers,” and “Cooperative ‘Swan Lake.’” The agency said the reason was the “distribution of unreliable socially significant information.” In 2024, streaming services also removed the album “New Foreign Rap Releases” by Vladislav Leshkevich, the leader of Kasta, at Roskomnadzor’s request.
The outlet notes that concert cancellations targeting “unreliable” performers have been practiced in Russia for years. According to The Bell, at least 40 performances were canceled as far back as 2018. After the start of the full-scale war, Novaya-Europe writes, systematic takedown demands became more common, and by 2024 they had begun to affect major artists as well.
In the editors’ assessment, political statements in lyrics remain an important trigger for restrictions, but the most frequent ground mentioned in reports is drug propaganda. Official demands also refer to “immoral lifestyle,” “extremism,” information about the “special military operation” that authorities deem false, and descriptions of “non-traditional sexual relations.”
According to Yandex Music transparency reports, from January 2022 through March 2025 the service removed more than 14,000 pieces of content at the request of state bodies. This includes not only songs, but also music videos, album covers, and podcast episodes.