Why This Is Important Now

Spotify boasts one of the world’s largest audio catalogs, making it an attractive target for spam, scams, and low-effort uploads aimed at siphoning attention and royalties. According to reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify has removed approximately 75 million spammy tracks while also cracking down on the misuse of AI by bad actors and reinforcing enforcement across its platform.

This substantial figure highlights a broader industry initiative to combat streaming fraud and AI-generated content that poses as human-made music. For years, Spotify has indicated its intention to strengthen enforcement against artificial streaming and misleading uploads, outlining policies that address platform abuse and AI use in music (Spotify Platform Rules; Spotify for Artists: Streaming Manipulation). Additionally, late in 2023 and into 2024, the company modernized its royalty system to reduce incentives for spam and manipulation (Spotify Newsroom).

Below, we’ll explore what these changes entail, how Spotify defines spam and AI misuse, and what creators can do to remain compliant.

What Spotify Has Removed and Why

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify’s reported removal of around 75 million low-quality or spam tracks forms part of its ongoing enforcement strategy. While Spotify often reports on actions against artificial streaming and policy violations, the company has not consistently published cumulative takedown numbers of this magnitude, making the reported figure particularly noteworthy.

Regardless of the specific count, it’s clear that Spotify is tightening its controls on content uploaded in bulk, inflated by bots, or designed to exploit recommendation systems and financial payouts. This enforcement aligns with Spotify’s longstanding policies against streaming manipulation, misleading metadata, and content that infringes on others’ rights or impersonates real artists (Platform Rules).

How Spotify Defines “Spammy” Music

Spotify doesn’t offer a singular public definition of “spam” due to the various forms of abuse. However, its guidelines indicate several common patterns that lead to removals or enforcement actions:

• Artificial streaming: Use of bots, click farms, or pay-for-play schemes to inflate play counts or royalties (Streaming Manipulation).
• Bulk-uploaded, near-duplicate tracks: Low-effort loops or functional audio uploaded en masse to flood search results or playlists.
• Misleading metadata or keyword stuffing: Using artist names, track titles, or tags intended to mislead listeners or capture search traffic illicitly (Platform Rules).
• Unauthorized impersonation or cloning of an artist’s style: Especially when AI models mimic a singer’s voice without consent.
• Copyright infringement and rights violations: Unlicensed samples, melodies, or stems; or use of datasets that infringe on rights.

Such actions undermine listener trust, distort royalties, and drown legitimate creators in noise. Removing this content is crucial for the quality and integrity of the entire ecosystem.

Spotify’s Policies on AI-Generated Music

Spotify’s guidelines do not prohibit AI-assisted creation outright. Many artists leverage AI tools for composition, sound design, mixing, or mastering. The key distinctions Spotify makes concern consent, transparency, and deception.

Key Expectations for AI Use

• Do not impersonate others: Content that uses AI to imitate a real artist’s voice or likeness without authorization risks removal under the platform’s impersonation and intellectual property rules (Platform Rules).
• Be accurate in metadata: Avoid misleading listeners about the creators or production methods. Ensure titles, descriptions, and artist names do not suggest a false association.
• Respect rights: If using copyrighted material or models that replicate protected performances, appropriate permissions and licenses are required.
• Disclose where necessary: Platforms and distributors may mandate disclosure when content features synthetic vocals or other AI-generated components, particularly if similar to known artists.

The policy environment is evolving. In 2023, Spotify removed a significant number of AI-generated tracks from the startup Boomy due to suspected artificial streaming patterns, highlighting the platform’s commitment to tackling content abuse and the fine line between acceptable AI-assisted creation and misuse (The Verge).

Enforcement Tools: Detection, Distributors, and Penalties

Spotify’s approach combines automated detection, partnerships with distributors, and policy-driven penalties. While the company doesn’t disclose all detection methods, it highlights several components of its enforcement strategy:

• Pattern detection and anomaly analysis: Automated systems identify suspicious streaming behavior and unusual play patterns indicative of manipulation (Streaming Manipulation).
• Distributor responsibility: Labels and distributors are expected to vet uploads and help prevent manipulation, facing financial consequences if their catalogs repeatedly trigger fraud flags. This was notably emphasized in the 2023-2024 royalties model changes (Newsroom).
• Takedowns and monetization limits: Tracks suspected of manipulation can be removed, or streams deemed suspicious may be excluded from royalty calculations. Repeat offenders could face account actions.
• Metadata hygiene and catalog cleanup: Content with misleading titles, keyword stuffing, or deceptive practices is subject to takedown under the Platform Rules.

The ultimate aim is to foster a healthier ecosystem where genuine listening drives discovery and payouts.

Royalties Changes That Reduce Incentives for Spam

In conjunction with content enforcement, Spotify has introduced modifications to its royalties model in late 2023 and 2024 to eliminate incentives for low-effort uploads. These updates include measures aimed at curbing fraud and content flooding through updated thresholds and increased distributor accountability. The company anticipates these changes will redirect tens of millions of dollars annually from bad actors to legitimate artists (Spotify Newsroom).

Industry analysts view these adjustments as essential safeguards against micro-payout arbitrage, which spammers exploit by uploading thousands of low-effort tracks.

What Creators Should Do Now

For artists and producers, the message isn’t to avoid AI; rather, it’s to use it responsibly, transparently, and within the guidelines. Here’s a practical checklist:

• Collaborate with reputable distributors who enforce quality checks and maintain clear anti-fraud policies.
• Be honest about AI vocals or AI-assisted production, especially if your work might be confused with another artist’s.
• Avoid any service that promises guaranteed streams, playlist placements, or rapid growth for a fee, as these are often manipulation schemes.
• Maintain accurate metadata: correct titles, proper artist attributions, and refrain from keyword stuffing.
• Keep an eye on your Spotify for Artists dashboard for anomalies and address any distributor or platform inquiries promptly.
• Respect the rights associated with your training data, samples, and references. Always seek permission when in doubt.

Consistently following these steps will help minimize the risk of takedowns and keep your catalog eligible for monetization.

What Listeners Can Expect

Most listeners may not notice any specific takedowns. Over time, however, you might see cleaner search results, fewer low-effort duplications, and recommendations that better reflect genuine fan engagement rather than manipulation. Should a favorite track vanish, it doesn’t necessarily indicate wrongdoing; rights disputes, distributor issues, or false positives can all lead to removals.

Spotify provides channels for rights holders and partners to address mistakes. Users can also report content that appears misleading or abusive through the platform support.

How This Fits Into the Broader Music Industry

Streaming platforms and rights holders have struggled with manipulation for years, but generative AI has raised the stakes by facilitating the mass production of near-duplicate content and voice cloning. Spotify’s actions reflect a wider industry movement toward stricter regulations and tools for AI transparency, watermarking research, and rights enforcement.

Notable inflection points include the 2023 removal of suspected bot-amplified AI tracks from Boomy and subsequent policy clarifications prohibiting impersonation and deceptive AI use on the platform (The Verge; Platform Rules).

Open Questions and Trade-Offs

• Transparency vs. security: Platforms reveal some policies while keeping detection methods undisclosed to avoid circumvention, which can frustrate creators seeking clarity following a takedown.
• False positives: Automated systems can misidentify content. Clear appeal channels and communication are vital.
• Innovation vs. protection: AI-assisted music has the potential to enhance creativity; rules must deter deception without stifling legitimate experimentation.
• Attribution: As AI tools become more prevalent in production, establishing norms for crediting AI involvement will be crucial for trust and context.

Bottom Line

Spotify’s increased enforcement is focused on addressing abuse, not stifling responsible AI use by artists. The crackdown on spam, manipulation, and unauthorized impersonation aligns with existing rules and new royalties changes aimed at reducing incentives for low-quality uploads. For creators, the path is clear: adhere to platform rules, maintain transparency regarding AI use, and focus on cultivating genuine audiences. For listeners, these measures should help surface more authentic music while reducing low-effort uploads.

FAQs

Does Spotify ban AI-generated music?

No. Spotify does not inherently ban AI-assisted music. It targets deceptive practices, such as unauthorized impersonation, misleading metadata, and streaming manipulation. For specifics, refer to the Platform Rules.

What constitutes artificial streaming?

Any attempt to artificially inflate play counts through non-human means—such as bots, click farms, or pay-for-play schemes—violates policy and can lead to takedowns and lost royalties (Spotify for Artists).

How can artists disclose AI usage?

Follow your distributor’s guidance. Ensure your credits and metadata are accurate, avoiding misleading titles or descriptions. If your work incorporates synthetic vocals or might be mistaken for another artist, be explicit in your disclosures.

Will listeners notice tracks disappearing?

Most removals occur discretely and involve low-visibility spam. If a known track disappears, it might be due to rights changes, distributor issues, or policy enforcement—not necessarily any wrongdoing—and often disputes are resolved and content reappears.

How significant is the issue?

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Spotify has removed around 75 million spammy tracks as part of its continued enforcement efforts. Spotify regularly addresses manipulated streams and policy-violating uploads, with the scale varying as detection capability improves (THR).

Sources

1. The Hollywood Reporter: Spotify Removes Spammy Tracks and Cracks Down on AI Use
2. Spotify Platform Rules
3. Spotify for Artists: What is Streaming Manipulation?
4. Spotify Newsroom: Modernizing Our Royalties System for the Streaming Era
5. The Verge: Spotify Removes AI-Generated Tracks from Boomy Over Suspected Manipulation