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If suspicious streams or an unfamiliar playlist appear on a release you authorized, save the evidence and contact your distributor or label promptly. On Spotify, report the suspicious playlist as well. If someone uploaded your recording without permission, use the platform’s copyright or infringement process instead: an unauthorized upload is different from artificial plays on your own release.
First, identify what happened
Streaming fraud and unauthorized music uploads are separate problems, and the reporting route depends on which one you are facing.
- Suspicious plays or playlist placement: Your authorized release is receiving an unexpected stream spike or has appeared on a playlist you do not recognize. On Spotify, artists can report suspicious playlists that added their music. Spotify’s guidance on artificial streaming explains the process.
- Unauthorized upload: Someone has uploaded your recording without permission. Spotify directs artists to submit an infringement claim to request removal; this is not the same as reporting artificial streams. Spotify’s infringement reporting guidance covers this route.
- Wrong artist profile: Another artist’s music appears on your page. That points to a profile or metadata issue, not proof of fraud. Ask your distributor or label to help correct the artist-page association; Spotify’s faulty-metadata guidance describes how to address incorrect information.
A suspicious spike by itself does not establish who caused it, or prove that your account was compromised. Treat it as a reason to document and report the activity, not as proof of responsibility.
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- Save a dated record. Note the streaming service, track and release links, playlist name and URL if visible, when you noticed the activity, and any unusual audience or geographic changes in your artist dashboard. Save relevant notices from the platform or distributor, along with screenshots.
- Keep promotion records. Gather receipts, campaign details, and communications that show how you promoted the release legitimately. Spotify asks artists who believe their streams are authentic to share their promotion methods with their distributor or label. Dashboard figures and screenshots can help document what you saw, but they do not by themselves identify who generated the streams. See Spotify’s artificial-streaming guidance and its explanation of artist data and artificial streaming.
- Contact your distributor or label promptly. Send the release details, timeline, screenshots, relevant notices, and promotion records. Ask them to review the issue with the platform and tell you what evidence, dispute steps, and deadlines apply. Spotify says a distributor or label works with its team to review these cases; do not assume that contacting the platform alone replaces this route. Spotify’s guidance describes the distributor role.
- Report the playlist on Spotify, if applicable. Spotify says artists can notify it about suspicious playlists that added their music, and that it will investigate whether the playlist engaged in artificial streaming. Include the playlist link and relevant track details where the reporting form allows. Use Spotify’s artist guidance for the reporting route.
- Keep communications together. Save your report, case number if provided, replies, and any later notices from the platform or distributor. Ask the distributor to clarify the case status and next steps rather than assuming a particular resolution or timetable.
If the issue is an unauthorized upload
Use the streaming service’s intellectual-property reporting process when a person has uploaded your recording without permission. On Spotify, an infringement claim can request that the music be removed. Provide the requested information about the work and the allegedly infringing upload, and follow the platform’s instructions. This claim is not a substitute for reporting suspicious plays on an authorized release. See Spotify’s infringement guidance.
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What may happen after a platform finds artificial streams
Spotify says confirmed artificial streaming can result in associated royalties being withheld, public stream numbers being adjusted, and tracks being removed from playlists. Distributors may also take action, including issuing warnings; for flagrant or repeated cases, their actions may include removing content or suspending an account. Spotify reserves the right to remove manipulated content in repeated or egregious cases. These are possible outcomes, not a prediction about an individual report. Spotify’s artificial-streaming guidance describes them.
Private Spotify for Artists data may still show a spike even when related royalties are withheld and public metrics are adjusted. Spotify says significant discrepancies may prompt a dashboard message. Record dated views of the relevant metrics, but do not treat one dashboard number as conclusive proof of who caused the activity. Spotify’s explanation of artist data discusses these differences.
Other services have their own policies and processes. SoundCloud warns that fake-stream findings can put music at risk, including possible catalog removal, but that does not establish that Spotify’s reporting path or consequences apply there. See SoundCloud’s guidance on fake plays and streaming fraud. Apple warns that a person or company charging to increase Apple Music plays is not authorized by Apple; it does not describe the same artist-side case process as Spotify. See Apple’s guidance on streaming fraud.
Avoid services that promise guaranteed streams
Do not pay a service that guarantees a particular number of streams or playlist placement. Spotify calls guaranteed-stream services illegitimate and warns they may lead to music being removed. Apple says businesses claiming to obtain more Apple Music plays for a fee are not authorized by Apple. A service’s promise is not evidence that its promotion is legitimate. See Spotify’s warning and Apple’s warning.
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What is not established across platforms
There is no single appeal deadline, guaranteed reinstatement process, or universal procedure that applies to every streaming service and distributor. Ask your own distributor or label which process applies, what evidence it needs, and whether any deadline is in effect. Industry guidance from IMPALA recommends monitoring artist data and contacting relevant platforms or distributors, while noting that appeal options may be limited; it is not a guarantee of a specific service’s current procedure. IMPALA’s guidance addresses these broader precautions.
The issue has also drawn industry-wide attention: IFPI announced its Streaming Integrity Initiative on 14 September 2026, describing a commitment to baseline practices for preventing, detecting, and responding to streaming fraud. The announcement names participating distributors and industry organizations, but does not promise a particular outcome for an artist’s case. IFPI’s announcement provides details. Separately, IFPI’s 2026 Global Music Report quotes Sony Music Entertainment’s Dennis Kooker calling streaming fraud “one of the greatest threats of our time if it’s not tackled properly.” The report says Deezer found up to 85% of streams on AI-generated music were fraudulent in 2025, up from the 70% Deezer reported for the prior year; those figures concern streams on AI-generated music, not all music or the likelihood that a particular artist’s suspicious activity is fraudulent. IFPI’s report gives the context.
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