As AI-created music becomes more prevalent on streaming services, Spotify is introducing a “Verified by Spotify” badge to distinguish genuine human artists. To qualify, artists need a recognizable presence on and off Spotify, including concert dates, merchandise, and verified social media links. AI-centric profiles are excluded from verification.
Artists also need consistent listener activity over time, as Spotify favors profiles with sustained interest over those with temporary spikes. When launched, over 99% of the sought-after artists will be verified, with most being independent and spanning various genres and regions.
Users will soon see the badges on artist profiles and in search results, marked with “Verified by Spotify” and a green checkmark. Verification will continue progressively, and missing a badge initially does not rule out future verification.
Spotify focuses on artists with active fan bases and cultural impact, rather than creators of “functional music” for passive listening. The company is launching a new profile section in beta, highlighting milestones and activities. This aims to provide a quick overview of genuine artist activity.
These changes target the influx of low-quality AI content and impersonators. Spotify is also testing an “Artist Profile Protection” feature, allowing artists to control which tracks appear on their profiles, following Sony Music’s request to remove over 135,000 AI-made songs impersonating its artists. Deezer noted that 44% of its daily uploads are AI-generated, highlighting the rise of AI in the music industry.