For a while now, music on streaming platforms have been appearing incorrectly on artist pages, and it has become especially worse with the rise of AI music.
A recent Spotify for Artists blog post says the company doesn’t want this experience for artists. So, this year, Spotify will be making more on an effort to protect artists’ identities on their platform.
Distribution tools have made it easier for artists to send music to different platforms in one go, which is ideal for independent artists, for example, to share work and to collaborate. But this also made it easier for music to land up on the wrong profiles.
This could be a metadata error, or it could happen when artists have the same names as others. Sometimes, people even make the mistake of attaching songs to profiles that aren’t theirs.
This obviously affects artists’ catalogues and stats. It can also change what fans hear in the playlists Spotify makes such as “Discover Weekly”. The company says this has been the most requested thing from artists over the past year with many asking for more visibility before music appears under their profiles.
But also, the AI songs have been appearing in these playlists. Subscribers have been complaining about AI music showing up in those weekly playlists. Spotify’s new tool aims to work on all this.
How Does The New Tool Work?
Spotify has introduced Artist Profile Protection, and this feature is now in beta. It gives artists a review stage before releases go live on their profile. The company calls it a first-of-its-kind solution.
Spotify says, “For the first time on any music streaming service, we’re giving you the ability to review and approve or decline releases delivered to Spotify from most providers.” Only approved releases will appear on an artist’s profile and count towards stats and recommendations.
Artists who turn the feature on will get an email when music is delivered with their name attached. They can then approve or decline the release before it goes live. If they do nothing, the release will not appear under their name on Spotify.
Spotify explains that declined releases may still go live on other platforms, so artists may need to contact their label or distributor. The company has also added an artist key, a unique code that can be shared with trusted partners. If a release includes this code, it is approved automatically.
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Who Is This Tool Really For?
Spotify says the feature is optional and may not suit every artist. It says it could work best for those who have experienced repeated incorrect releases, have a common name, or want closer control over their catalogue.
The company also points out that the feature requires active management. Artists need to review releases before they go live, which could delay legitimate music if no action is taken. This puts more responsibility on artists and their teams to stay on top of notifications.
Spotify says the feature builds on its existing reporting tools. Artists can already report incorrect releases after they appear. This new system adds a step before that happens, giving artists a chance to stop problems early.
The rollout is limited for now. Spotify says this is an early beta and feedback will influence the final version. The company plans to refine the feature before making it available to all artists.
Is This Enough To Deal With AI Impersonation?
Spotify presents the tool as a direct response to AI impersonation and misattributed music. In its announcement, it says, “Music has been landing on the wrong artist pages across streaming services, and the rise of easy-to-produce AI tracks has made the problem worse.”
The approval system gives artists more control, but it does not stop AI tracks from being created or uploaded in the first place. It kind of moves the control to artists at the point where music reaches their profile.
The change may mean fewer fake or mislabelled tracks appearing under familiar names for listeners. As for artists, it adds protection during a time when AI tools are making music production faster and easier.
Spotify says releasing music will stay the same for those who do not opt in. Artists can continue using existing systems and report issues if they come up.
Maybe more streaming platforms will begin to respond to how AI tools have been used more in music lately. Now, it’ll be about how far these controls will go, and how much they can actually keep up.
