Spotify Purges 50 Million AI Tracks as Fans and Stars Draw Lines on Synthetic Music
Over the last year, Spotify has eliminated roughly 50 million tracks deemed as AI slop from its user recommendations. The platform’s editors do not curate content classified as slop or spam. Profiles of artists that do not represent actual individuals are required to display an "AI persona" badge, although individual AI-generated songs are exempt from this labeling. In contrast, other platforms enforce stricter regulations. Spotify is also working on generative tools, such as AI playlist creation and features for AI remixes. A$AP Rocky favors practical efforts, while Kelly Clarkson endorses AI but is against AI artists appearing on charts. Grimes, promoting her album Psy Opera, demands her team receives credit. Last week, The Beatles' Rubber Soul ranked No. 4 on Billboard's Top 200, which is dominated by traditional artists.
Key facts
- Spotify removed about 50 million AI slop tracks from recommendations over the past year
- Spotify requires "AI persona" badges on profiles not representing real humans but does not label individual AI-generated songs
- Spotify offers generative AI playlist tools and has promised AI remix and cover song features
- A$AP Rocky said he prefers to make music practically rather than by prompting
- Kelly Clarkson called for a separate chart for AI artists competing against humans
- Grimes' new album Psy Opera is her first in six years and was described by Stereogum as AI-inspired but not AI-generated
- Grimes offered a free license of her voice to AI enthusiasts three years ago
- The Beatles' Rubber Soul, released in 1965, reached No 4 on last week's Billboard rankings
Entities
Artists
- Grimes
- A$AP Rocky
- Elon Musk
- Rihanna
- Kelly Clarkson
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Ella Langley
- Olivia Dean
- Taylor Swift
- Noah Kahan
- Morgan Wallen
- Stella Lefty
- The Beatles
Institutions
- Spotify
- Billboard
- Getty Images
- Paris Review
- Stereogum
- Las Culturistas
- The Guardian
Locations
- United States