Spotify’s New AI Music Policies: What Labels Need to Know

Last updated on 06 Oct 2025

Spotify introduces transparency rules for AI-generated music.

Spotify is finally cleaning up its catalog — and AI music is right in the spotlight.
On September 25, 2025, the platform announced a series of new rules aimed at tackling the flood of low-effort AI tracks, fake uploads, and voice-clone experiments that have been diluting the system for months.

The update doesn’t ban AI music. Instead, it tries to separate genuine creativity from automated noise, a move that could change how labels handle releases in the near future.

75 Million Tracks Gone — and Counting

Spotify claims to have removed more than 75 million “spammy” tracks over the past year. That number alone shows how deep the problem runs.
AI tools made it effortless to mass-produce low-value uploads, sometimes flooding the platform with thousands of identical files. Most of these tracks never reached real listeners but still clogged the system and distorted recommendation data.

To counter that, Spotify is introducing a platform-wide spam filter that identifies suspicious upload behavior, mass uploads, duplicated titles, ultra-short “filler” tracks, or obvious SEO tricks.
Unlike the earlier “delete first, ask later” approach, the new filter will be more cautious to avoid hitting legitimate artists or experimental releases.

The other big change targets AI vocals. If a voice even sounds like a real artist, Spotify now requires explicit permission.
The company is also improving detection for so-called content mismatches this means the frustrating issue where a release ends up on the wrong artist profile, often because of sloppy distributor uploads or metadata confusion.

AI Disclosure Becomes Standard

Transparency is the next pillar. Spotify will soon support a new DDEX metadata field where labels and distributors must declare AI involvement: whether it’s vocals, instruments, or post-production.
The plan: show this directly inside the Spotify app, so listeners know when AI played a role. It’s a step toward standardizing credits in an era where the line between human and algorithmic music is increasingly blurry.

What This Means for Labels

For most labels, this marks the start of a new compliance era. Metadata needs to be more detailed. Rights must be documented. And sloppy upload practices, the kind that risk duplicate flags or missing credits could now lead to takedowns or lost visibility.

Labels that handle their catalog properly, however, stand to benefit. Less spam means better discovery for legitimate releases, and AI credits could even become a mark of professionalism rather than suspicion.

Still, the risks remain: false positives, delayed approvals, and potential account strikes if AI use isn’t clearly documented.
It’s worth reviewing your upload routines and talking to your distributor about how they’ll implement these standards. The best time to fix metadata is before a release goes live.

The Bottom Line

Spotify isn’t banning AI — it’s demanding responsibility.
For serious labels, that’s not a problem. It’s a relief. The chaos of mass-generated tracks has hurt real artists for long enough.
If this cleanup finally makes Spotify’s ecosystem more transparent and reliable, it’s a win worth accepting — even if it means a bit more paperwork along the way.

FAQ: Spotify’s AI Music Policies

Will Spotify ban AI-generated music?
No. Spotify isn’t banning AI. It’s focusing on transparency and preventing misuse such as impersonation or mass-spam uploads.

How will AI usage be disclosed?
Spotify will add new metadata fields via the DDEX standard where labels must indicate how AI was used — vocals, instruments, or post-production. These credits will appear inside the app.

Can artists still use AI voices?
Yes, but only with explicit, documented permission from the person whose voice or likeness is being cloned.

What happens if metadata doesn’t include AI disclosure?
Missing or false disclosures could lead to delays, removal, or lower visibility in recommendations.

How can labels protect their catalog?
Maintain accurate metadata, avoid duplicate uploads, and keep written documentation for any AI involvement. Monitor your releases for takedowns or visibility drops and escalate through your distributor if needed.

Sources

Spotify Newsroom: “Spotify Strengthens AI Protections for Artists, Songwriters, and Producers” (Sep 25, 2025)
Spotify Support: “Music that impersonates another artist’s voice”
The Guardian: “Spotify removes 75m spam tracks in past year as AI increases ability to make fake music” (Sep 25, 2025)
Music Business Worldwide: “Spotify has deleted 75m+ ‘spammy tracks’” (Sep 25, 2025)
TechCrunch: “Spotify to label AI music, filter spam and more in AI policy change” (Sep 25, 2025)
The Verge: “Spotify is finally taking steps to address its AI slop and clone problem” (Sep 25, 2025)
Rolling Stone: “Spotify Won’t Ban AI Music Under New Rules” (Sep 25, 2025)