Spotify launches tool letting artists block unauthorized releases

Spotify Introduces Artist Profile Protection to Combat AI Impersonation

Spotify on Tuesday launched Artist Profile Protection, an optional feature that lets artists review and approve music releases before they appear on their profiles, addressing the escalating problem of misattributed and AI-generated tracks flooding streaming platforms.kjwl

How It Works

The feature, now available in limited beta, adds a review step to the release process. When music is delivered under an artist’s name, the artist can approve or decline it before it goes live. Approved tracks proceed as normal; declined ones are blocked entirely. To keep legitimate releases flowing smoothly, Spotify is also introducing a unique “artist key” that trusted distribution partners can include at delivery for automatic approval, bypassing manual review.hypebot

Spotify acknowledged in a blog post that the tool is not for everyone. “It isn’t necessary for every artist, but could make sense if you’ve experienced repeated incorrect releases, have a common artist name, or want more control over what appears on your profile,” the company wrote, adding that it “requires you to actively review releases before they go live, so may delay or block your legitimate releases if you forget to take an action”. According to Spotify for Artists’ Instagram account, the feature will roll out more broadly in the coming weeks and months.kjwl

A Growing Crisis

The announcement arrives amid intensifying concern over AI-generated content on streaming services. The issue, known in the industry as “content mismatch,” has worsened as generative AI tools make it easier and cheaper to produce convincing vocal deepfakes. Bad actors have exploited open-access distribution channels to upload fake tracks tagged to popular artists, gaming discovery algorithms and diverting royalties.kjwl

Just days earlier, Sony Music disclosed that it had requested the removal of more than 135,000 AI deepfake tracks impersonating its artists, including Beyoncé, Queen, and Harry Styles. Dennis Kooker, president of Sony’s global digital business, told the BBC that “in the worst cases, the deepfakes potentially damage a release campaign or tarnish the reputation of an artist”. Sony identified roughly 60,000 impersonation tracks since March 2025 alone and believes the true scale of the problem is far larger.routenote

Building on Earlier Efforts

Spotify laid the groundwork for this feature last September when it announced strengthened impersonation policies and pledged to invest more resources in its content mismatch process. In January, the company signaled further action, writing that “AI is being exploited by bad actors to flood streaming services with low-quality slop to game the system” and promising changes to artist verification and identity protection systems. Artist Profile Protection represents the most concrete step yet in that effort, shifting power from a reactive takedown process to one where artists can stop unauthorized releases before they ever reach listeners.spotify