Spotify is letting artists manually approve releases to combat AI fakes | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Spotify is letting artists manually approve releases to combat AI fakesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...StreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsSpotify is letting artists manually approve releases to combat AI fakesArtist Profile Protection adds a layer of review before music goes live.Artist Profile Protection adds a layer of review before music goes live.by Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienMar 25, 2026, 9:01 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: SpotifyTerrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget.Spotify is beta-testing a new feature called Artist Profile Protection that lets artists review releases before they go live. Sometimes songs end up on the wrong artist pages because of metadata mixups or shared names. But increasingly, artists have been targeted by impostors and AI-generated fakes. Profile Protection offers a buffer against bad actors.Everyone from Drake and Beyonce, to experimental composers like William Basinski, and indie rock acts like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have had fake tracks appear under their names on streaming platforms, with some that were likely AI-generated. It’s an issue that has stoked a lot of anger among artists, with King Gizzard frontman Stu Mackenzie saying, “we are truly doomed,” and Basinski calling it “total bullshit.”Artists who are included in the beta will still have to opt in. From then on, any music will need to be approved before it will be displayed on that profile, either by the artist themselves or their team. The review process adds an extra step to releasing songs on Spotify.While it’s certainly a welcome added level of protection, if every streaming service required you to approve every release manually, it could become a serious problem for independent artists and small labels with limited resources. So Spotify is also issuing artist keys to beta participants. This is a unique code that, when included with the music, triggers an automatic approval.Right now, Spotify is calling the feature a “limited beta,” but says that it will roll it out to “all artists as soon as we possibly can.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentMusicCloseMusicPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All MusicNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsSpotifyCloseSpotifyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All SpotifyStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingMost PopularMost PopularNvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘I think we’ve achieved AGI’Welp, I bought an iPhone againOpenAI just gave up on Sora and its billion-dollar Disney dealSony and Honda ain’t feelin’ the Afeela anymoreDonut Lab’s solid-state battery could barely hold a charge after getting damagedThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Spotify is implementing a proactive measure, Artist Profile Protection, to combat the escalating threat of AI-generated music and fraudulent artist impersonation. This initiative, currently in a limited beta phase, directly addresses a growing concern within the music industry, where artists like Drake, Beyoncé, William Basinski, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have experienced fake tracks appearing under their names on streaming platforms. The core problem stems from metadata mix-ups and, increasingly, sophisticated AI-generated content that mimics established artists’ styles. This has generated considerable frustration amongst artists, exemplified by comments from Stu Mackenzie of King Gizzard, who expressed a pessimistic outlook (“we are truly doomed”), and William Basinski, who deemed the situation “total bullshit.”

The Artist Profile Protection system introduces a manual approval process for all releases associated with participating artists. This means that before any new music appears on an artist’s Spotify profile, it must be reviewed and authorized by the artist themselves or their designated team. This addition represents a significant shift in the traditional release workflow, adding an extra layer of scrutiny. While this enhanced protection is undoubtedly welcome, Spotify acknowledges the potential scalability challenges. A universally mandated manual approval system across all streaming services would likely prove overly burdensome, particularly for smaller independent artists and labels that operate with limited resources.

To mitigate this potential strain, Spotify is concurrently distributing artist keys to beta participants. These unique codes, when included within the music files, trigger an automatic approval process, streamlining the release workflow for those actively involved in the beta program. Spotify is characterizing this rollout as a “limited beta,” with the intention of expanding it to “all artists as soon as we possibly can.” This dual-pronged approach – a manual review system combined with an automated trigger – seeks to balance robust artist protection with operational feasibility. The system’s implementation reflects a recognition of the rapidly evolving landscape of music creation, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, and demonstrates Spotify’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its platform and the rights of its artists. The engagement of high-profile artists like Drake and Beyoncé in this initial testing phase underscores the seriousness with which Spotify is approaching this challenge.