If you have searched for a famous Punjabi singer on any app lately, you may have noticed strange "versions" of their songs that sound almost right. Some are AI clones. Spotify has said it is going after them.
The announcement
On 25 September 2025, Spotify published Spotify Strengthens AI Protections for Artists, Songwriters, and Producers. The changes were also covered by TechCrunch and The Guardian, which reported that Spotify had removed 75 million spam tracks in the past year.
Spotify said it is not banning AI-assisted music. It is targeting fraud and deception.
Three main changes
1. Impersonation rules. Unauthorised AI voice clones, deepfakes and vocal copies of an artist are not allowed unless the artist has given permission.
2. A music spam filter. Spotify said it would roll out a filter to identify and tag mass uploads, duplicates, SEO tricks and very short tracks made to game royalties, and stop recommending them. It said the rollout would be careful and gradual.
3. AI disclosures in credits. Spotify said it would support an industry-standard way (through DDEX) for labels and distributors to say how AI was used in a track.
Why this is good news for working artists
Spam tracks take a share of the same royalty pool as real songs. Fewer junk uploads should mean less dilution.
Voice clones hurt regional artists badly. A Haryanvi or Bhojpuri star with a recognisable voice is easy to imitate, and fans often cannot tell. Clear rules give artists something to point to when they report fakes.
What you should do
- Don't upload the same song many times with tiny changes or new titles. That looks exactly like the spam Spotify is filtering.
- Don't use "sound-alike" vocals of a famous singer, even as a joke track.
- Be honest about AI use if you used AI tools for parts of production. Disclosures are coming, and honesty protects you.
- Report impersonation of your own voice through your distributor and the platform.
- Keep your artist profile claimed, so you can spot fake releases on your page quickly.
A clean catalogue matters more now
As platforms get stricter, a clean, honest catalogue matters. RMX Music distributes to 95+ platforms in every Indian language, and gets songs live usually in 24-48 hours. You keep 100% ownership and 95% of royalties, with monthly payouts. YouTube Content ID and Visual Claims help you find copies of your work.
Make real music, release it properly and let the filters work for you. Sign up with RMX Music.