Spotify has launched a new verification system marked by a green checkmark and the text ‘Verified by Spotify’ to distinguish human artists from ones, as the feature will appear next to artist names when they meet ‘defined standards demonstrating authenticity,’ according to the company.

Verification Standards for Authenticity

Verified profiles must demonstrate sustained listener engagement, comply with Spotify’s platform rules, and show signs of a genuine presence both on and off the platform, but this can include linked social media accounts, consistent listener activity, merchandise sales, or concert dates.

The verification process will prioritize acts with ‘important contributions to music culture and history,’ rather than ‘content farms,’ the company said — it emphasized that profiles representing primarily music or AI-created personae would not be eligible for the badge.

Concerns from Artists and Experts

Ed Newton-Rex. A campaigner for creators’ rights and former AI executive, expressed concerns that Spotify’s verification approach could ‘punish real human artists who don’t have some of the markers the verification is based on,’ like touring or selling merchandise. He suggested that Spotify could be ‘automatically labelling any music’ as some other streaming services do.

Professor Nick Collins of the University of Durham said Spotify’s decision was ‘unsurprising’ given the ‘ongoing furore around generative AI.’ He added that AI usage is not a binary position between ‘entirely authentically handmade’ and ‘fully,’ but can have many in-between cases. Collins noted that a tagging system like this may favor more commercial and successful artists over new independent ones.

Spotify’s AI Problem and Industry Response

Spotify has faced growing pressure in recent years over its handling of content. Posts in its community forums have frequently requested a ‘clear label for songs’ or explanations for why subscribers should pay full price while the platform fills up with synthetic music.

In 2025, a band called The Velvet Sundown was accused of being after it was revealed they had never given interviews or performed live, but their profile now identifies them as a ‘synthetic music project… with the support of artificial intelligence,’ with 126,000 monthly listeners.

Deezer, a competing platform, reported that synthetic tracks now make up 44% of all new music uploaded to its service each day, while Sony Music has also taken action, stating it sought the takedown of more than 135,000 AI-produced songs that mimicked its signed artists across streaming services.

Spotify announced the new verification system in the wake of its first-quarter 2026 earnings report, in which it said its paying subscriber base had reached 293 million.