“New Music Friday” on Spotify now showcases a “Verified by Spotify” badge to help differentiate real artists from AI-generated ones. Spotify introduced the green badge with a check mark to highlight authentic and trusted artists, requiring consistent listener activity and engagement to qualify. Artists with an identifiable presence on and off the platform, including linked social media accounts and live performances, are eligible for verification. Spotify stated that artists need at least 10,000 active listeners over three consecutive months for verification, considering their contributions to music culture and relevance.
The verification process is ongoing, with popular artists like Madonna, BTS, and Bad Bunny already verified. However, some artists, including Canadian musician bbno$, are still awaiting verification. Spotify plans to roll out the badges gradually and has no immediate plans to extend verification to podcasts. The company aims to maintain the authenticity of artists and their music without monetizing the verification process.
While platforms like Twitter and Instagram have verification systems, Spotify is focusing on artist verification without monetization. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on smaller and independent artists who may face additional challenges in meeting the verification criteria. As the verification system evolves, Spotify continues to refine its guidelines to exclude AI-generated content. Other platforms like Apple Music and Deezer have also implemented measures to identify AI-generated music, while artists like Taylor Swift are taking legal steps to protect their work from AI misuse.
The music industry is adapting to the rise of AI-generated content, with various platforms and artists taking steps to maintain transparency and protect artistic integrity as technology continues to influence music creation.
