Spotify has announced that it has removed more than 75 million “spammy tracks” from its platform in the past year. The streaming giant has also introduced new policies to address the growing challenges of AI-generated music and fraud.
This announcement comes at a time when streaming platforms are being flooded with AI content. Rival platform Deezer recently revealed that it now receives over 30,000 AI-generated tracks daily. As we highlighted in a previous article on Deezer and AI music, up to 70% of plays of these tracks were flagged as fraudulent and excluded from royalty payments.
Spotify’s new framework introduces three major changes aimed at protecting artists while allowing legitimate creative use of AI.
Spotify’s Three New AI Policies
Stronger Enforcement Against Impersonation
“Vocal impersonation is only allowed in music on Spotify when the impersonated artist has authorized the usage,” Spotify said.
“Unauthorized use of AI to clone an artist’s voice exploits their identity, undermines their artistry, and threatens the fundamental integrity of their work.” Spotify added.
The company also stressed that artists who want to license their voice to AI projects can do so — but only with their full consent.
A New Spam Filtering System
To combat mass uploads and royalty manipulation, Spotify is rolling out a dedicated spam filter.
This system will target:
- Accounts uploading duplicate tracks with altered metadata
- Uploaders using SEO manipulation
- Tracks just over 30 seconds long, created purely to earn royalties
“Our new spam filter will flag tracks and uploaders using these tactics and stop recommending them across Spotify programming,” Sam Duboff, Global Head of Marketing and Policy for the Music Business, explained.
AI Disclosures in Music Credits
Spotify is working with DDEX (Digital Data Exchange) to create a new standard for AI disclosures in track credits. This allows artists and rightsholders to indicate exactly how AI was used in their music — from vocals to instrumentation to production.
“As this information is submitted through labels, distributors, and music partners, we’ll begin displaying it across the app,” Spotify stated.
“This change is about strengthening trust across the platform. It’s not about punishing artists who use AI responsibly.”
“This industry standard will allow for more accurate, nuanced disclosures,” Duboff explained. “It won’t force tracks into a false binary where a song either has to be categorically AI or not AI at all.”
Industry Reactions
Spotify’s move has been welcomed across the music industry.
A spokesperson for Universal Music Group (UMG) said:
“We welcome Spotify’s new AI protections as important steps forward consistent with our longstanding Artist Centric principles.”
UMG added:
“We believe AI presents enormous opportunities for both artists and fans, which is why platforms, distributors and aggregators must adopt measures to protect the health of the music ecosystem in order for these opportunities to flourish.”
Warner Music Group (WMG) also commented:
“We appreciate and support Spotify on taking these steps … and look forward to working with them on further safeguarding the rights of artists, songwriters and copyright owners.”
Producer Mike Caren, CEO of Artist Partner Group, highlighted the importance of transparency:
“It’s crucial for artists to know that their partners are contributing to the protection of their identity and repertoire. Transparency in the use of AI is key to building trust with fans. These developments are significant steps forward for Spotify.”
Songwriter Justin Tranter shared his perspective:
“Songs and songwriters are at the core of the entire music business. If we aren’t protected, we can’t do our jobs and the whole business suffers. There is still a lot of work to be done; but, I am so grateful for these efforts to support and protect us. Thank you.”
Why This Matters for Artists and Producers
For artists and producers, these changes are highly significant. Here’s what you need to know:
- Protect your identity: Unauthorized AI voice clones and profile impersonations are now banned. This means your name, voice and work have stronger protection.
- Be transparent with AI: With new disclosure standards, artists will need to report if AI was used in their track creation. This isn’t a penalty — it’s about building trust with fans and industry partners.
- Royalty protection: Spam filters are being introduced to prevent fraud and royalty dilution. This ensures that genuine artists see fairer payouts.
- Focus on quality: Low-effort, volume-driven uploads are less likely to gain traction under these rules. The focus is back on authentic, high-quality music.
- Stay informed: AI in music is evolving rapidly. Artists should keep up to date with new policies and work closely with distributors to ensure proper credits and metadata.
The Bigger Picture
Spotify says its annual payouts have grown from $1 billion in 2014 to $10 billion in 2024, creating incentives for bad actors to flood platforms with low-quality AI tracks.
“Big payouts entice bad actors,” Spotify acknowledged. “Left unchecked, these behaviors can dilute the royalty pool and impact attention for artists playing by the rules.”
Despite the surge, Spotify maintains that AI-generated tracks have so far shown little genuine listener engagement.
“When music doesn’t take much effort to create, it tends to be low quality [and] doesn’t tend to find an audience,” Sam Duboff explained.
Charlie Hellman, VP Global Head of Music Product at Spotify, positioned these changes within the bigger history of music disruption:
“Every time these new technologies [emerged], there were artists who embraced it and thought it was great, and other artists who didn’t. But the common thread in each of those moments was that it was the artists that got to decide.”
Rollout Timeline
- The impersonation policy is live immediately
- The spam filter is rolling out gradually over the coming weeks
- The DDEX disclosure standard will take more time, as it requires certification and industry-wide updates
Spotify summed up its position:
“The future of the music industry is being written, and we believe that aggressively protecting against the worst parts of Gen AI is essential to enabling its potential for artists and producers.” Spotify said.
Final Thoughts
For artists, songwriters and producers, these new measures mean greater protection, clearer standards and fairer royalties. While AI continues to reshape the music industry, Spotify’s new policies send a strong message: authenticity and transparency matter most.