AI-generated fake songs registered under artists' names on streaming platforms
AI-generated fake songs were registered on music streaming platforms under the names of real artists without permission, causing distress to folk and Americana musicians. The fake albums mimicked the artists' styles closely, and streaming services including Spotify took days to weeks to remove them after copyright complaints.
What happened
AI-generated fake songs were registered on music streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music under the names of real artists without their consent. British folk singer Emily Portman discovered an album titled 'Orca' with 10 songs registered under her name that she never created; the songs had titles she would have chosen and her style, though the voice was slightly awkward. She filed copyright takedown notices and Spotify took three weeks to remove the album, while other platforms removed it more quickly. Days later, another fake album under her name appeared on streaming platforms.
Similar fake albums appeared under the names of other folk and Americana musicians including Josh Kaufman, a musician based in New York. The fake songs credited to Kaufman had broken English lyrics and keyboard electronic sounds. A fake song was also registered on the profile of Blaze Foley, a country music singer who died in 1989. The fake albums shared similar design aesthetics, were released through labels with Indonesian names, and many credited composer 'Gian Malik Mahardhika', suggesting a common source.
Reported impact
Portman reported feeling deeply disturbed by the incident, describing the experience as feeling like 'the beginning of a dystopia' and said it was painful. She noted that while the AI-generated songs clearly lacked human creativity and sounded 'hollow and clean', the system had cleverly learned her music style. Kaufman expressed confusion and distress, stating that music is 'the signature of our soul' and that someone else was able to approach it this way, and was surprised someone used his profile to release obviously computer-made music.
Fans of these artists saw the fake songs and initially praised them, believing they were genuine new releases. Artists reported not understanding why they were targeted or who created the fake content.
Index analysis
Media research analyst Tatiana Sirisano suggested that the creators were targeting lesser-known artists to avoid detection, explaining that streamers are becoming increasingly skilled at using AI to identify fake albums. The targeting pattern suggests a deliberate strategy to evade notice rather than target major artists for financial gain.
Governance controls
Streaming platforms removed content upon copyright complaint, but response times varied; Spotify took three weeks while other platforms removed content faster. Portman used copyright takedown notices to request removal of the fake albums from platforms.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.