- Updated: March 26, 2026
- 5 min read
Spotify Introduces Artist Profile Protection to Fight AI‑Generated Fake Tracks
Skip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonThe VergeThe Verge logo.Spotify is letting artists manually approve releases to combat AI fakesStreamingCloseStreamingPosts 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 Beyoncé, 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 PopularThe United States router ban, explainedSeiko resurrected a 44-year-old digital watch NASA astronauts wore to spaceSony and Honda ain’t feelin’ the Afeela anymoreIntel and LG Display may have beaten Apple and Qualcomm with the best laptop battery life everThe best deals we’ve found from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale (so far)The 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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