DistroKid has been quietly taking down songs in response to UMG lawsuit
DistroKid is removing songs after UMG sued over an alleged AI-music pipeline, catching non-AI tracks.
DistroKid confirmed to The Verge that it removed a small number of distributed recordings in response to claims in a September lawsuit by Universal Music Group. UMG alleges DistroKid operated an “AI-slop pipeline,” but artists say non-AI tracks, including licensed covers and years-old releases, were taken down without notice or explanation. DistroKid’s VP of Artist Services said the company strongly disputes the allegations and is trying to limit disruption while artists can still release music.
- UMG sued DistroKid in September, alleging an AI-music distribution pipeline.
- DistroKid says only a very small number of recordings were removed.
- Artists report licensed covers and older original tracks removed without notice.
- DistroKid disputes UMG’s allegations and says it is limiting disruption.
Full article411 words · extracted from theverge.com · click to collapse
Terrence O'Brien
is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.
Artists are taking to social media to complain that DistroKid has unceremoniously removed their work without notice. Now DistroKid has confirmed to The Verge that the takedowns are a direct response to claims made by UMG. The label filed a lawsuit in September claiming that DistroKid has created an “AI-slop pipeline.” Artists are saying that their non-AI works are being caught up in the purge, however.
Musician and self-described “Video Game boy” McGwire reported that six of his songs had been removed from streaming. As has been the case with others, McGwire says that there was no communication from DistroKid before or after the removals, and that he had to contact the company for an explanation.
DistroKid also makes it exceedingly difficult to contact them. McGwire first had to have a “lengthy circular conversation” with a bot before getting hold of a live agent. One of the songs removed was a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” which he claims to have had a proper license for. Another track used a beat he purchased through a marketplace, which others had also licensed.
Most infuriating for McGwire was a song removed for an uncleared sample. The song he allegedly sampled was released two years after his track.
Much of the frustration from artists stems from the lack of communication and recourse. Nerdcore rapper Insane Ian posted that he “had an original song taken down with no warning, and they wouldn’t tell me why either.”
Rapper King Chase also struggled to get through to a person at DistroKid. He told The Verge that an entire album for an artist he had been working with was removed with no communication or explanation. “The album had been up for 3-4 years without incident,” he said, and that there had been “no copyright strikes or anything either.”
Amanda Ferri, DistroKid’s VP of Artist Services, told The Verge that “A very small number of recordings distributed through DistroKid have been removed in response to claims made by UMG. We strongly dispute the allegations underlying UMG’s lawsuit and regret the disruption to affected artists. We are working to minimize that disruption while protecting artists’ ability to release their music.”
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- Terrence O'Brien