A step in the right direction after some questionable decisions from Spotify.
Whether we like it or not, it’s become increasingly clear that artificial intelligence — specifically when it comes to generative AI in music — is here to stay. Of course, this is hardly a dismissal of the very real issue of AI “artists” not only stealing both streams and intellectual property from actual, human artists. With that being said, however, it’s an issue that we’re going to have to deal with (and actively protest) for the foreseeable future until restrictions can be made and legislation can be signed to limit it.
Unfortunately, it seems as if that’s a long way away at the time being. And despite calls from nearly every artist in existence, highlighted by a 200+ person letter signed by the Artist Rights Alliance which includes the likes of Billie Eilish, Jon Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Rosanne Cash, Kacey Musgraves, Chappell Roan and many more all the way back in April of 2024, we’ve seen bad actors profiting off of AI-generated music for the better part of a year at this point.
This was highlighted most notably back in October when a completely AI-generated “artist” going by the name of Breaking Rust captured the #1 spot on a Billboard country chart. Given that this was the first primary instance of a completely AI-generated song going #1 on any major Billboard chart, it caused quite a stir in the music community. Our very own Aaron Ryan, who broke the story here at Whiskey Riff, ended up appearing on NPR’s podcast to explain the whole ordeal.
In case that wasn’t bad enough, a new study from Kapwing finds that country music artists in the artificial intelligence space are making a LOT of money, with Breaking Rust and another prominent AI “artist,” Cain Walker, making just shy of $750,000 based upon their Spotify and YouTube listenership alone. In other words, people are profiting off of and subsequently stealing revenue from actual artists at an incredibly alarming rate.
Simply put, the AI epidemic infiltrating music is very real and very concerning, getting worse seemingly by the day. Back in April, it seemed as if Spotify was getting ahead of the curve by introducing a new system to help listeners discern what is and isn’t AI and further promote real, human artists. This came in the form of their new “Verified by Spotify” rollout, which is a badge similar to those used by social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). Here, however, instead of verifying whether an account is a celebrity or public figure, Spotify is verifying whether an artist is actually human or not (which is a ridiculous concept to even think about).
With that being said, however, Spotify quietly announced that they will be rolling out a brand new paid add-on for premium users that… allows them to “cover” and “remix” songs from select UMG artists using AI.
It’s still a bit unclear when these “covers” and “remixes” of songs from select UMG artists will be available to premium users or what exactly constitutes a cover or remix in this context. According to Billboard, Spotify is marketing this tool that will allow “additional revenue streams on top of what artists already earn on Spotify and will provide new discovery opportunities for participating UMG talent.”
In what seems like an attempt to counteract their “one step forward, two steps back” approach to the AI epidemic lately, Spotify has announced that it will now implement two key measures to help users discern which artists are using artificial intelligence.
The first and most notable measure comes in the form of the platform officially announcing they will not include AI “artists” in “any editorial or algorithmic recommendations.” What this means is that users will not be recommended any AI-generated music unless they manually follow any said “artists.”
Explaining the decision, Spotify notes that they are “focused on elevating” music from real, human artists.
“While we believe all artists have creative choice in determining how they present themselves, Spotify’s programming is focused on elevating music from authentic artists building careers in music.”
The second measure is building upon the aforementioned “verified” badge, which has now been applied to most human artists with any substantial following. Here, Spotify will be rolling out an “AI Persona” badge on some “artist” profiles, which is coming in mid-September.
Additionally, the “AI Persona” badge will disclose the fact if the “artist” behind the music self-disclosed the fact that they’re using AI or Spotify themselves had to manually apply the badge. In the coming months, they will also give users the ability to report artist profiles they believe are actively using AI.
While it would obviously be much better to simply remove any AI-generated “artists” and songs off the platform entirely, it’s at least a step in the right direction from the #1 streaming service worldwide — especially given the UMG fiasco. At this point, there’s no stopping the AI craze currently sweeping the nation and the world right now. And until we put hard and fast rules on AI generation as a whole in the arts, this is one of the most sensible options to steer the masses away from stolen “art” and back towards real, human artists.
