For the music industry and modern life in general, social media has become a necessary evil of sorts.

On one hand, it's an incredible opportunity for artists and fans alike to be able to interact with each other freely and easily, as well as is an excellent tool to help expand one's reach and influence. On the other hand, social media can be accompanied by a slew of negatives, such as the platforms being a distraction or an addiction (or both, if we're being honest). The comments section on Instagram or Facebook have become a breeding ground for hateful comments. Then there is the pressure to consistently update fans with the "highlights" and of course, the unfortunate phenomena of viral backlash that occurs when an artist has a slip of the tongue and says or posts something they may later regret.

As we all can attest as we remain glued to our smartphones, the internet doesn't forget and can also be a cruel and unforgiving place at times. Knowing when it's time to log off or ignore a particularly frustrating comment isn't always the easiest decision to make, especially when it comes down to defending one's art or perspective. Sometimes artists can't help but engage in the negative aspects of social media and feed into its gossipy nature, with popular Instagram accounts as quick with their screenshots as an artist can be with their Twitter fingers in the first place.

While some artists tend to clap back, others just close out. There's no right or wrong way to use popular networking platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, but with that, an artist also has the opportunity to decide how they'd like to utilize such tools in their careers. Sometimes that means simply taking a break, deleting the apps off their phones or handing their accounts over to management.

While artists such as The Weeknd, Future, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, French Montana and more have all wiped their digital slates clean, likely before releasing new music, others have offered their public commentary that they simply are done with social media and followed through by smashing that delete account button. However, much like we all know, the act of deleting social media is much easier than actually staying away.

Take a look at 12 artists who have deleted their social media accounts at one point or another in the gallery above.

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