21:51Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Spotify Removes 50 Million Spam Tracks From Recommendations, Most of Them AI-Generated
Spotify removed 50 million tracks deemed low-quality or spam from recommendations in 2026. These were mainly recordings mass-produced using artificial intelligence. However, the company does not say that all these tracks have been completely removed from the platform. The recommendation system has been updated over the past 6 months to give greater prominence to music by human artists.
Tracks considered spam are also excluded from playlists curated by Spotify’s editors. To identify them, the system examines listeners’ track-skipping, feedback, and upload behavior. Information about the song and third-party AI detection tools are also taken into account. According to the company, complaints about such content have fallen significantly since the changes were introduced. However, detecting these tracks may become more difficult as artificial intelligence advances. The platform has completely removed more than 75 million spam tracks in total for serious or repeated rule violations. However, this figure was announced in September 2025, and Spotify has not yet shared an updated figure. Therefore, the latest figure of 50 million refers to tracks removed from recommendations, not tracks deleted from the platform. According to the company, spam creators are changing their methods, and detection systems will continue to be updated. Spotify does not require all AI-generated tracks to carry a label. However, virtual artists that do not represent real people are marked with an “AI Persona” label. Tracks by thousands of such artists are excluded from editorial playlists and standard recommendations. The rule may differ if a user follows the artist. Artists submit tens of thousands of disclosures about the use of artificial intelligence every day. This information appears in the mobile app’s “Now Playing” section. Spotify believes that starting royalty payments for each track after 1,000 streams partially discourages artificial streaming. Tracks suspected of being AI-generated are 10 times more likely not to reach this threshold. More than 300,000 real artists have been verified on the platform. They account for more than 99 percent of the artists users search for. By the end of the year, artists will be able to use a new tool to confirm which songs appear on their profiles.
At the same time, AI-generated artists can attract large audiences on the platform. The “Sienna Rose” and “The Velvet Sundown” accounts each have more than 100,000 monthly listeners. The “Breaking Rust” account has approximately 700,000 monthly listeners. According to an estimate published in July, the 10 most-streamed AI artists earned approximately $2.4 million (approximately AZN 4.08 million). This figure has heightened concerns that royalties that could go to human musicians are instead being directed toward AI content. Spotify does not give users the option to block all AI content with a dedicated button. The company says its main focus is combating spam and fake identities. Deezer plans to introduce such a filter by the end of the year, while YouTube Music plans to label AI-generated songs. Bandcamp generally prohibits this type of music. Tidal does not pay royalties for tracks created entirely with artificial intelligence. Spotify, however, allows AI-generated covers and remixes. The platform is also developing an AI-powered remixing tool with Universal Music Group and Believe.
Tracks considered spam are also excluded from playlists curated by Spotify’s editors. To identify them, the system examines listeners’ track-skipping, feedback, and upload behavior. Information about the song and third-party AI detection tools are also taken into account. According to the company, complaints about such content have fallen significantly since the changes were introduced. However, detecting these tracks may become more difficult as artificial intelligence advances. The platform has completely removed more than 75 million spam tracks in total for serious or repeated rule violations. However, this figure was announced in September 2025, and Spotify has not yet shared an updated figure. Therefore, the latest figure of 50 million refers to tracks removed from recommendations, not tracks deleted from the platform. According to the company, spam creators are changing their methods, and detection systems will continue to be updated. Spotify does not require all AI-generated tracks to carry a label. However, virtual artists that do not represent real people are marked with an “AI Persona” label. Tracks by thousands of such artists are excluded from editorial playlists and standard recommendations. The rule may differ if a user follows the artist. Artists submit tens of thousands of disclosures about the use of artificial intelligence every day. This information appears in the mobile app’s “Now Playing” section. Spotify believes that starting royalty payments for each track after 1,000 streams partially discourages artificial streaming. Tracks suspected of being AI-generated are 10 times more likely not to reach this threshold. More than 300,000 real artists have been verified on the platform. They account for more than 99 percent of the artists users search for. By the end of the year, artists will be able to use a new tool to confirm which songs appear on their profiles. At the same time, AI-generated artists can attract large audiences on the platform. The “Sienna Rose” and “The Velvet Sundown” accounts each have more than 100,000 monthly listeners. The “Breaking Rust” account has approximately 700,000 monthly listeners. According to an estimate published in July, the 10 most-streamed AI artists earned approximately $2.4 million (approximately AZN 4.08 million). This figure has heightened concerns that royalties that could go to human musicians are instead being directed toward AI content. Spotify does not give users the option to block all AI content with a dedicated button. The company says its main focus is combating spam and fake identities. Deezer plans to introduce such a filter by the end of the year, while YouTube Music plans to label AI-generated songs. Bandcamp generally prohibits this type of music. Tidal does not pay royalties for tracks created entirely with artificial intelligence. Spotify, however, allows AI-generated covers and remixes. The platform is also developing an AI-powered remixing tool with Universal Music Group and Believe.