Spotify is collaborating with the three major music labels on 'artist-first AI music products', emphasizing that "Musicians’ rights matter" and "Copyright is essential."
Spotify Teams Up with Major Labels for 'Artist-First' AI Music, Vowing to Uphold Copyright
Stockholm, Sweden—Spotify has announced a landmark collaboration with the three major record companies—Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group—to develop a new generation of "artist-first AI music products." The initiative signals a coordinated effort by the streaming giant and the music industry's most powerful rights holders to shape the future of artificial intelligence in music with a strong emphasis on protecting creators.
In a public statement, Spotify stressed its firm stance on intellectual property, declaring, "Musicians' rights matter. Copyright is essential." This emphasis positions the partnership as a direct challenge to the growing number of unauthorized AI music generators that have faced lawsuits from the major labels for allegedly training their systems on copyrighted material without permission.
The new products are being guided by four core principles to ensure that AI innovation benefits artists and songwriters:
Upfront Agreements: New features will be developed through direct licensing deals with labels and publishers, "not by asking for forgiveness later."
Choice in Participation: Artists and rightsholders will have the ability to choose if and how their work is used in the generative AI tools.
Fair Compensation: Products will be designed to create new revenue streams for creators, ensuring they are properly compensated and transparently credited.
Enhancing Creativity: The focus will be on tools that empower artists and strengthen fan connections, rather than those that imitate or displace human work.
The streaming service also revealed it has begun building a state-of-the-art generative AI research lab and product team dedicated to this initiative. While no specific new products were detailed, the move is a significant pivot for Spotify, which has recently faced an influx of "spammy" AI-generated tracks on its platform.
Executives from all three major labels voiced their support, calling the partnership a crucial step in ensuring that AI technology works for, and not against, the creative community. The collaboration aims to provide a licensed, ethical framework for AI use, protecting creativity while simultaneously driving industry innovation.
Spotify is collaborating with the three major music labels on 'artist-first AI music products', emphasizing that "Musicians’ rights matter" and "Copyright is essential."
Yenumula . Contributing Reporter
Published on October 16 2025
Related Stories
