AI-generated music has been flooding streaming platforms for quite some time now. Earlier this year, Sony Music said it had requested Spotify and other services to remove more than 135,000 AI-generated tracks that mimicked its artists. Deezer recently reported that AI tracks account for approximately 44% of all new music uploaded to its platform daily. Spotify’s Answer is a new badge verified by Spotify, which has started.
The badge appears as a light green checkmark next to artists’ names in search and on their profile. To earn it, artists must show what Spotify calls “signs of a genuine artist”, which includes things like concert dates, merchandise, and linked social accounts. AI personalities and primarily AI-generated profiles are not eligible. Spotify says that more than 99% of artists that listeners actively discover will be verified at launch.
Here’s the problem: The badge confirms that the profile is that of a real human. This does not confirm that the music was created without AI assistance. A producer who uses AI tools to produce tracks may qualify as long as he has a social presence and some touring history. That distinction matters.
what else is changing
Along with Verified by Spotify, the company is launching a new artist details section in beta to all profiles, regardless of verification status. It reflects career milestones, release history and touring activity. Think of it as a quick study of who you’re really listening to.
There is real concern here for smaller artists as well. The criteria depends heavily on business footprint. A person releasing music independently, with no sales or tour dates, can sit right next to a content farm in search results without a badge. Spotify says the absence of a badge doesn’t mean an artist won’t eventually get a badge, but it’s a big relief if you’re a real person who doesn’t sell t-shirts.
It follows a series of recent feature rollouts from Spotify, including the Artist Profile Protection tool launched last month, which lets artists review releases before they go live. The AI playlist feature from a few years ago now comes with a tool designed to do the opposite. It’s a weird place to be for Spotify, but here we are.
