Spotify Publishes AI-Generated Songs on Profiles of Dead Artists: Report

Friday, 25 July 2025 01:18

Without notifying estates or record labels, Spotify reportedly featured AI-generated tracks on the official pages of late musicians including Blaze Foley and Guy Clark.

Spotify is facing fresh scrutiny after AI-generated tracks were uploaded to the official profiles of several deceased musicians with no warning or permission granted to those managing their legacies, according to an investigation by 404 Media.

The outlet identified multiple examples of profiles hosting fraudulent posthumous songs created using generative AI platforms. Among the most notable cases is Blaze Foley, a Texas folk singer who died in 1989 and whose catalog is managed by the independent label Lost Art Records. A song titled "Together," uploaded under the alias Syntax Error, appeared on Foley’s verified page, complete with artificial vocals and a synthetic cover image.

Those close to Foley said the track bears no resemblance to his work. His catalog manager, Craig McDonald, told 404 that neither the style nor quality matched what fans would recognize.

"I can clearly tell you that this song is not Blaze, not anywhere near Blaze’s style, at all," he said. "It's kind of an AI schlock bot, if you will. It has nothing to do with the Blaze you know, that whole posting has the authenticity of an algorithm."

The issue doesn't appear isolated. A separate track by Syntax Error also appeared on the page of Guy Clark, another deceased songwriter. In both cases, the artists' representatives were not contacted ahead of time, raising concerns about how easily AI material can be inserted into digital storefronts.

Spotify removed the tracks once the issue was flagged, but hasn't yet clarified what measures it plans to take to prevent similar instances moving forward.