Spotify under fire over reports of fake artists and fake streams
News: 21st July 2017 by Louise Dodgson under Selling & Distributing Your Music
This week it emerged that Spotify has a number of 'fake artists', in-house artists and producers who create music specifically for the platform's playlists, and in turn creating it's own royalty system.
Further to this, Music Business Worldwide published an article yesterday about the simplicity of purchasing fake Spotify streams, if you should so wish. Although not an entirely new concept; wherever stats and popularity is concerned, there have always been options to buy 'Likes' for Facebook or Instagram, YouTube views or SoundCloud plays, the pressure has been put on Spotify to comment on how they deal with such 'fake streams', and they are yet to respond to yesterday's article.
For emerging and unsigned acts, trying to get the attention of the music industry, impressive Spotify plays, Facebook likes and so on have always proved helpful to get your foot in the door when it comes to booking gigs, getting coverage or radio play, or getting that label A&R to listen to your track. So, if you can 'fake' your popularity and give yourself the unfair advantage, where does that leave those bands and artists who prefer to build their following legitimately? It will be interesting to hear Spotify's response as to how they tackle such matters.
Check out the links below to read up further on fake artists and fake streams...
Related Links
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/forget-about-fake-artists-its-time-to-talk-about-fake-streams
http://musically.com/2017/07/21/fake-spotify-streams-new-fake-myspace-friends/
https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/12/15961416/spotify-fake-artist-controversy-mystery-tracks
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Bands and artists can pay for fake streams on Spotify
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