AI TraceTrace Foundation, Inc.
Content Moderation

Reviewed and published by trentmaziarz, April 21, 2026. Discovered and drafted by our automated research pipeline.

Sony Music Entertainment uses an AI-assisted process to identify and issue takedown notices against AI-generated songs that impersonate its artists on streaming platforms. As of March 2026, Sony Music had requested the removal of more than 135,000 such tracks from platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

Details

Sony Music has been conducting a systematic campaign to detect and remove AI-generated deepfake tracks that impersonate artists on its roster — including Beyoncé, Harry Styles, and Queen — from streaming services. The campaign started at least as early as late 2023, when approximately 10,000 takedowns had been issued; by March 2025 that figure had grown to 75,000+, and by March 2026 to 135,000+. Sony has also flagged tens of thousands of uploads falsely claiming attribution to Sony artists. The specific AI detection methods Sony uses internally are not disclosed in available sources; the company has also partnered with third parties such as SoundPatrol for external detection capabilities.

Products affected

Sony Music catalogstreaming platform takedown systems

Sources & Evidence

Cite this record

Trace Foundation. (2026). Sony Music Entertainment: Sony Music Entertainment uses an AI-assisted process to identify and issue takedown notices against AI-generated songs that impersonate its artists on streaming platforms. As of March 2026, Sony Music had requested the removal of more than 135,000 such tracks from platforms including Spotify and Apple Music (data as of 2026-04-21) [Data set record]. AI Trace. https://www.aitrace.org/r/practice/68fcc055-6402-423d-be7a-eefd05e864eb. Accessed September 11, 2026.

Stable link
https://www.aitrace.org/r/practice/68fcc055-6402-423d-be7a-eefd05e864eb
Data as of
April 21, 2026
Last verified
April 21, 2026

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