Spotify has struck a content licensing deal with the France-based independent music company Believe ahead of its forthcoming AI-powered remixing tool, an agreement that also covers Believe’s digital distribution division TuneCore.
The deal is the latest in Spotify’s stable of agreements with music companies for the tool, following agreements with Universal Music Group, Merlin and Kobalt. The platform envisions the tool as a paid add-on to Spotify Premium, letting fans remix or cover songs by their favorite artists on a platform the company controls while creating an additional revenue stream for musicians and companies. The service — still unnamed, with no release date — is meant to combat the swarm of unauthorized AI-generated adaptations of songs that have littered social media platforms. Related Stories Pedro Pascal in 'Behemoth!': The Oscar-Worthy Role That He (and Latinos) Have Been Waiting For 'You Can See Everything': That Shocking, Meta Twist With [SPOILER] Explained in Elizabeth Holmes Doc
Believe and Spotify had been discussing a partnership for a year, Believe said in a statement, and its artists’ participation is voluntary. Artists can first choose whether to participate in an AI service and then, after that, decide whether to permit Spotify to use their work for the tool. Popular on Variety
“Together, we are turning an already widespread fan remixing activity into a licensed experience that will enhance fan remix creation within Spotify’s controlled platform and generate revenues for artists,” Believe CEO and founder Denis Ladegaillerie said in the statement. “This is how our four principles – consent, control, compensation and transparency – translate into tangible benefits for artists. Equally importantly, we share a commitment to protecting artists, reflected in Spotify’s strengthened safeguards against AI-generated spam and low-value content, and Believe’s ongoing work to further reinforce its GenAI music content framework. These efforts illustrate how we are working together to eradicate AI slop and make AI a value creator for music fans, artists and right-holders.”
Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s senior vice president and global head of music, claimed the remixing tool can “deepen the connection between fans and the artists they love” while “creating new value for artists and driving attention back to the original music.”
“Getting there takes partners across the industry, and Believe and independent artists have helped move the industry forward at every major turning point,” he said. “I’m encouraged that their participation now strengthens the momentum toward artist consent, compensation and credit.”
The partnership came hours after Spotify revealed it removed 50 million AI slop tracks from users’ recommendations this year, a new figure it shared as part of its insights into how it’s navigating the AI era. The deal also came just over a month after Believe Music inked a partnership with Suno, the AI music generation platform, to help power its label-backed model “v6.”
