With AI-generated “slop” increasingly showing up on music streaming services, Spotify is testing a new safeguard designed to protect real musicians from being misrepresented. The company is currently beta testing a feature called Artist Profile Protection, aimed at stopping the common (and growing) problem of songs appearing on the wrong artist pages.
The core idea is simple: give artists the ability to review music releases before they appear on their Spotify artist profile. That means fewer incorrect uploads tied to an artist’s name, fewer distorted listener stats, and fewer confusing recommendations pushed to fans.
Spotify says this problem has been around for years, but it’s getting worse as AI tools make it faster and easier to create and distribute tracks at scale. Songs can mistakenly land on the wrong profile because of metadata errors, artists sharing the same name, or deliberate attempts by bad actors to piggyback on an established artist’s identity. When that happens, it can cause real damage, affecting an artist’s catalog, streaming statistics, Release Radar placement, and the way new listeners discover their music.
In the beta version of Artist Profile Protection, participating artists can approve or decline releases that are delivered to Spotify under their name. Only the releases an artist approves will appear on their profile, count toward their performance stats, and influence Spotify’s recommendation systems. In other words, the artist gets the final say on what officially becomes part of their Spotify presence.
The timing of Spotify’s move is notable. It follows growing industry concern about AI impersonation and fraudulent uploads, including a recent case where a major music company reported requesting the removal of over 135,000 AI-generated tracks that allegedly imitated its artists across streaming services. That kind of volume highlights why streaming platforms are under pressure to improve identity protection and reduce manipulation.
Spotify emphasizes that open distribution has helped independent artists release music more easily than ever, but that same openness can be exploited. Artist Profile Protection is meant to address the downside without shutting the door on legitimate creators.
The company also notes that the feature won’t be necessary for everyone. It’s specifically targeted at artists who frequently deal with incorrect releases, those with common artist names that are easy to confuse, or anyone who wants tighter control over what appears under their profile.
Artists included in the beta will find Artist Profile Protection inside their Spotify for Artists settings on desktop and mobile web. Once enabled, they’ll receive an email notification whenever a release is delivered to Spotify using their artist name. From there, they can review the request and choose to approve it or decline it before it goes live on their profile.
If Spotify expands the feature beyond the beta, Artist Profile Protection could become an important tool in keeping artist pages accurate, helping fans find the right music, and reducing the impact of AI-generated impersonation on streaming platforms.
