Scammers exploit distribution loophole to plant AI songs on real artists' profiles

A report from 404 Media has revealed a scheme in which bad actors use AI tools to generate low-quality songs and upload them directly onto existing, real artists' profiles on major streaming platforms.

How the scam works

A scammer creates a slop song using an AI tool like Suno or Udio, then generates an AI album cover to match. Next, they sign up with a digital distribution service such as DistroKid and simply claim to represent a real band. The platform handles the rest — soon the track appears on Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other services as a genuine new release from the targeted artist. Neither the distributor nor the streaming platform catches the deception, allowing the scammer to collect royalties while damaging the real artist's reputation.

404 Media confirmed the process by testing it with Brooklyn band Lathe of Heaven, finding it took only minutes and works on small acts as well as major stars like Taylor Swift. The band's vocalist said this kind of fraud undermines the point of making music, since anyone can tarnish an artist's name by dropping low-quality fake tracks under it.

Scale of the problem

Smaller and deceased artists are particularly at risk, since their profiles often lack active management or oversight teams. The group Odette Child has tracked the issue since July and has found more than 300 fake AI songs posing as releases from major acts, celebrities, and deceased jazz musicians. Estimates suggest roughly 50,000 AI-generated songs are uploaded to Spotify daily.

Spotify says it is developing a tool that would let artists review releases before they go live, though it remains in limited beta since being announced in March. The company has also introduced a verification badge and a spam filter, but critics argue these measures have not solved the underlying problem.