Spotify pulls down AI-generated songs

The move comes on the heels of a similar action over ‘Heart on My Sleeve’, a song composed using AI to sound like Canadian artists Drake and The Weeknd, after it racked up millions of plays on the platform and rival DSPs.

Spotify began taking down the tracks from its platform upon discovering that the AI-generated songs were being exploited by fraudulent accounts to claim royalties.

In recent months, the popularity of AI-driven creations has become evident in Africa too, with dozens of songs emerging that utilise this technology. In Ghana, for instance, versions of rapper Sarkodie’s song ‘You Go Kill Me’ were released anonymously on the internet, imitating the vocals of Drake and US rapper Kanye West.

“Artificial streaming is a longstanding, industry-wide issue that Spotify is working to stamp out across our service,” a spokesperson said. “When we identify or are alerted to potential cases of stream manipulation, we mitigate their impact by taking action that may include the removal of streaming numbers and the withholding of royalties. This allows us to protect royalty payouts for honest, hardworking artists.”

Multiple reports indicate that Spotify took down approximately 7% of songs generated with the AI tool Boomy, citing worries about artificial streaming numbers. Boomy employs machine learning algorithms to assess the composition and genre of popular songs, enabling it to produce new music that resembles human-made tracks. This technology aims to democratise music creation by enabling anyone to produce top-notch music without requiring specialised expertise or costly equipment.

Last week Boomy was reinstated to the DSP, with CEO Alex Mitchell stressing that he is “categorically against any type of manipulation or artificial streaming.”

Aside from ensuring that it is seen as clamping down on the fraudulent use of AI on its platform, Spotify is embracing the technology in other ways. In March, the company introduced a new AI DJ, a personalised guide that selects music based on individual user preferences, offering a curated line-up of songs accompanied by commentary in a realistic voice. The innovation combines Spotify’s customisation technology, generative AI from OpenAI, and a dynamic AI voice platform from its Sonantic acquisition.

Earlier this month, Spotify’s rival Anghami announced its AI-powered personalised podcast as well as the Anghami AI Newsroom, its first-ever daily news podcast generated solely by AI.