The issue of "fake streams" - music plays by bots or real people hired to stream certain songs - has attracted particular attention to Spotify.

In this article, we would like to talk about illegitimate third-party music promotion services that promise playlist placements or a specific number of streams in exchange for compensation.

If you are a music producer or label owner you should be aware that many of the platforms that offer this type of service are probably using illegitimate practices without your knowledge.

These services can threaten and jeopardize work, the consequences are quite serious. When Spotify identifies or is alerted to potential or confirmed cases of stream manipulation, they take action which may include withholding royalties, correcting streaming figures, and taking steps to ensure that the popularity of the artist or song is accurately reflected in charts. Spotify reserves the right to remove manipulated content from the platform.

If this has happened to you but you believe your streams have been genuinely earned, you should share information with us immediately or with the label about the methods used to genuinely promote the content in question to get on Spotify playlists. We will work with our team to review and hopefully resolve the issue quickly.

Our streaming partners work diligently to ensure that streams are legitimate, i.e. that they reflect the user's genuine listening intent. If a service discovers that you (or a third party contracted by you or on your behalf) has increased the number of plays through automated, deceptive, fraudulent, or invalid means (digital bots, "click farms", pay-for-playlist placement, if you buy Spotify plays, etc.), the service may permanently remove your entire catalog.

If you are looking for a music promotion service, especially to get on the Spotify playlists be sure to do your research before signing up.

Read more articles