King Gizzard’s Protest Against Spotify
You can leave Spotify, but you don’t leave it completely until Spotify allows you to. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard discovered this unsettling reality when they exited the platform in July 2025. Their departure was a protest against CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in military technology. However, mere weeks later, the band uncovered a chilling truth: multiple versions of their songs continued to circulate on Spotify, yet these tracks were not their originals.
The Imitation Game
These tracks were instrumental versions mimicking King Gizzard’s songs, complete with identical titles and official artwork. According to Platformer, these impostor tracks amassed over 10 million streams before they were detected. The subpar quality of these imitations led to confusion among listeners, especially those unfamiliar with the band’s distinctive sound. For example, when one fan played “Deadstick” from the album *Phantom Island*, they were greeted with a dull, simplified version that could easily pass for a ringtone.
Consequences of Misrepresentation
The revelation sparked outrage, prompting Spotify to remove the fraudulent tracks. The company confirmed that the content violated their anti-phishing policy, leaving King Gizzard with no music on Spotify. This incident raises alarming questions about authenticity in digital music distribution.
The Bigger Picture
This issue extends beyond just King Gizzard. In September 2025, Spotify disclosed that it had removed 75 million tracks classified as spam within a year. According to consulting firm Luminate, around 99,000 songs are uploaded daily across streaming services, often without proper verification of artist identity. This unprecedented influx has been fueled by the ease with which songs can now be generated using AI.
The AI Music Dilemma
Other platforms, like Deezer, face similar issues. Deezer reports that over 50,000 AI-generated tracks are uploaded daily, with 34% of new content being entirely AI-generated. Alarmingly, 70% of AI-generated music plays come from unauthorized tracks that impersonate real artists.
The Velvet Sundown Incident
An interesting case is that of a band named The Velvet Sundown, which garnered over a million monthly listeners in June 2025. Their promotional photos exhibited the telltale signs of AI-generated imagery, and their members had no presence on social media. After starting with 550,000 listeners through Spotify’s algorithm, the creators admitted this was an “artistic provocation” born from AI. Unlike King Gizzard, their music remains on the platform.
Impacts on Deceased Artists
The issue escalates further with the emergence of AI-generated songs linked to deceased artists. Numerous unauthorized tracks appeared on the official profiles of musicians like Blaze Foley and Guy Clark, uploaded without proper checks. These songs sat active for weeks before being detected and removed, illustrating the systemic problems plaguing music streaming platforms.
Future Implications
While Spotify has implemented anti-spoofing measures and promised stricter spam filtering, the effectiveness of these initiatives remains in question. King Gizzard’s case serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the complexities and challenges of leaving a platform that may not completely relinquish its grip on an artist’s work. As the digital music landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: authenticity must be prioritized to protect both artists and listeners alike.
Header | Paul Hudson