“We Want Real Talents”: Mzansi Welcomes Spotify’s Removal of 75 Million AI Songs

• Spotify removed an estimated 75 million tracks from its platform in one of the biggest clean-ups in streaming history
• The company said the move targets fake, mass-produced songs uploaded to manipulate its royalty system, not artists using AI as a tool
• Mzansi social media users welcomed the news, saying they want genuine musical talent instead of automated content

Spotify has removed an estimated 75 million tracks from its platform, according to a report by IOL News. The clean-up targets songs made purely to exploit the streaming giant’s royalty system. It comes as AI-generated music floods platforms worldwide, raising fears for independent musicians. South Africans reacted with relief online, saying real talent must be protected.

The streaming company says the crackdown is not aimed at musicians who use artificial intelligence as a genuine creative tool. Instead, Spotify is targeting what industry insiders call “AI slop”. These are low-quality tracks generated within seconds and uploaded in bulk with almost no creative input at all.

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Why Spotify removed millions of AI songs

Spotify senior director Sam Duboff said the platform is cracking down on mass-produced content flooding its library. Around 100,000 new songs are uploaded to Spotify every single day. Industry estimates suggest nearly half of all new music arriving is now AI-generated in some form.

Fraudsters exploit shared royalty pools by uploading generic ambient sounds and repetitive instrumental tracks. Bots then generate artificial streams for these songs, often listed under invented artist names. Money meant for genuine musicians ends up redirected to people gaming the system instead.

For independent South African artists, every fake stream can carry real financial weight. Spotify has strengthened its detection systems and banned unauthorised AI voice cloning of established artists. The platform has also blocked companies from scraping its catalogue to train AI models without permission.

Record industry groups, including the IFPI and RIAA, want clearer labelling for AI-made songs. They argue transparency helps listeners choose while protecting musicians who create original work by hand.

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South Africans on social media largely praised the move against fake AI content online. Many said they want to hear real talent, not mass-produced computer-generated tracks. Some joked that Spotify may eventually build its own official AI music platform. Others pointed out the irony of using AI systems to detect other AI songs.

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Source: Briefly News