DistroKid has confirmed that a “very small number” of song removals are taking place in response to Universal Music Group’s September lawsuit against the distributor.
Lawsuit and response#
UMG sued DistroKid in September over what it called “illegal, deceptive, and unlawful practices.” The lawsuit centres on two accusations:
- “flooding” streaming services with “AI-generated slop”
- committing “massive, blatant copyright infringement” with remixes, speed-altered or plain copies of UMG recordings
In response, DistroKid said it “works closely with digital streaming platforms, rightsholders and other industry partners” to fight fraud and protect copyrights.
In recent weeks, some DistroKid users complained online that their music had been removed from streaming platforms. Some said they were told the removals were due to copyright infringement, even for music containing “no samples, no covers, and no AI.” Others said they received no explanation.
Industry context and confirmed removals#
DistroKid is not a member of the anti-streaming-fraud Streaming Integrity Initiative run by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). It is part of the Music Fights Fraud Alliance, where digital service providers (DSPs) and distributors share data on bad actors. UMG’s lawsuit claims DistroKid has “welcomed many of those same bad actors as account holders.”
DistroKid has now confirmed that the takedowns are directly due to UMG’s claims. The company did not specify the exact number, describing it only as a “very small number.” Past press releases have claimed DistroKid “distributes 30-40% of all new music in the world.” Even a small percentage of erroneous removals could therefore affect a large number of human artists.
DistroKid is working behind the scenes to close loopholes and remove the type of songs cited in UMG’s lawsuit.
Artist complaints#
Some artists have posted about removals. A nerdcore rapper known as “Insane Ian” said an original song was taken down without warning or explanation. Another artist on Reddit said they are changing a planned album launch set for 16 October after DistroKid rejected the album over one sample, which the artist said was legally licensed.
