My song got botted without my consent and now I have a strike

[Renegade226]

My song was added to a botted playlist without my consent and the streams spiked into several thousands for a few days. I immediately contacted Spotify to report this and the advisor in chat said "everything seems ok, and there's nothing we can do, we cannot remove private playlists from our service"...then 3 months later Spotify issues a strike against my account for fake streams from that same song I tried to report.

Does anyone else have experience with this? And did they get the wrongful strike removed?

[kostafunk]

Exactly they making money and very special on Distrokid customers like me ! They have not the right to send fines in money this is illegal !! Who are they the Police or IRIS systen of America !!  I will quit my acount at Distrokid the end of this year and will go to another distributer and keep in mind you can keep all you streams (no loss) on spotify,youtube !! The only you have to do is to copy exactly the same foto,song release date and the ISRC Number that is very important !! In 2 years Spotify is history !!

[Claire_littley]

I saw this the other day... and it does feel like they have orchestrated this as a money-spinner. They must realise that artists have no control over who adds their songs to a playlist (excluding people who are paying for playlist promo)
I've seen yesterday another new playlist added a dance track I released last year. I see a spike in streams and instead of feeling great my music got noticed i'm anxious I'll get another strike. If it happens I'll be looking at other options like TikTok for releasing my new music

[Packetlossband]

Why is it that Wavr.ai seems to be the main service causing the issue for all of us and Spotify hasn't seemingly done anything to stop these guys. Even some press or comms about what they are doing to stop this, I see posts from a couple of years ago with the same issue.

We've been added again recently and we contacted spotify and felt rubbish after the support call, can't remove us from the playlists (Just why!?! especially when we know they are botted) and cant give any further information. 

Please spotify stop sweeping this under the rug and tell us what to do. It's nothing to do with us, they are targeting us indie artists making sure the playlists use the wavr.ai name and im convinced its marketing their service. For the untrained eye they add you to this service to make it look amazing and then try to convince you to buy streams.

We don't want to buy your botted streams, we don't want to be on your botted playlists, we just want to have our music out there growing organically from actual listeners.

Please Spotify, do the right thing, do better and help us!

[mawilla]

I've just had a 2nd strike!  No idea which playlist, or why this is happening.  Reading through the comments, Distrokid's name keeps coming up.  Is anybody having this problem with any other distributor?  I'm also with Distrokid, so I'm wondering if there is a correlation between the distributor and Spotify?

[worldexplore]

Can someone explain what exactly is a "strike"?  

I'm very worried because suddenly one song made a big spike for 1 day.   
From an average 100 daily streams (from algorithmic traffic - Radio) to 700 streams and 664 listeners (from "other listener's playlists).  Plus 100 saves.   Plus 50 new followers.  All in one day.   Which is definitely not organic or natural.   

When looking on the "Playlists" data there is no Playlist with streams like this.   
Even though the data shows 653 streams from "Other Listener's Playlists" on one day, inexplicably. 

So it's an invisible playlist?  How can a non-public playlist generate 700 streams / 664 listeners / 100 saves / 50 followers in one day?  They can't.   It's something shady.   
That we have absolutely no control over!   

I've never paid for streams and never did the distrokid "spin" so where is this coming from? 

Really worried as I have a new release coming out at the end of the month and don't want it to be affected.  😞 

I wrote to Spotify for Artists and all they can say is "the data is accurate".  What does that even mean?
That's it's not an error?  This is some unnatural scary stuff that we have no control over. 

[quig100]

Did you get a third strike yet.  Wondering what happens with distro kid since this is distro kid doing the strikes not Spotify?  

[Monolux]

Hi, 

Is there anyone who has a 'third' strike? and got songs removed or payed the $10? 

I got my second strike couple weeks ago. In my case the most streams on the flagged songs (6) came from the Spotify Radio playlists.. 

[Robocop1]

Do you guys know when Spotify and DistroKid will send us to sign the contract? As I see here we were hired to clean Spotifys platform! Do you know what salary will get? Thank you. John, Spotify bot squasher level 1

[Claire_littley]

Same here, I explained in more detail my situation in my original post, but yes, 2nd strike and over 3000 streams from Spotify Radio, powered by Spotify's 'Discovery'Campaign''!! 

Beyond Spotify Radio Streams this is a ridiculous state of affairs and to echo many others Spotify should be taking down the Playlists not our songs if they are added to playlists without our consent. 

[kostafunk]

I have see on my Profile this playlist SHEERAN'S CHOICE and i have look at this playlist if any song is on this playlist ?? As i have see yesterday they was no song from me there but i don't know if they have play any song because i have a spike at 9 january but this was not from any playlist !! ihave put SHEERAN'S CHOICE playlist at https://www.artist.tools/bot-checker and this playlist is showing 100% bot playlist !! So why Spotify don't send a strike to the owner of this playlist and take him down ?? There are over 50+songs and be sure if tunes are there playing they getting all strikes !!! Spotify Mercy on my soul !! Eλεος ρε Μαλ@κες κοψτε λιγο απατεωνες !!

[Robocop1]

Because the owner of the playlist pays a subsciption to Spotify and you are getting money from Spotify. 

[kostafunk]

So what ?? I have as Artist also not one but two Spotify Premium Subsciption !! That don't mean that he can take songs from Artists and play them with bots !! If you think this is fair ok !! But the fines and the Strikes this goes to the Artists !! I have already one and if i get another one i get to change Distributer and than i give him the order not to upload any song to Spotify !! And not to forget i get to quit both Premium Subsciptions !! Who wins ?? 

[cinemax]

Why doesnt Spotify provide a real way to report these lists and get our tracks removed from them?

Its so unfair that we get punished when its completly out of our control. 

[Wasara]

I find it quite telling that this thread, steadily climbing the ranks in replies, includes no input or insight from forum mods or other Spotify staff. The silence rings out quite loudly.

I have a sneaking suspicion that at least a portion of the strikes are related to Discovery Mode campaigns. Understandable, as there are always technical kinks to sort through while implementing new features – especially with something as monumental as DM – but goodwill is being eroded by Spotify's apparent resolve to stay silent on the issue entirely. I'm sure most of us here and others affected would be much more understanding if their woes were at least acknowledged. 

Dear Spotify folks: going radio silent on a prevalent issue like this is, as the kids say, a bad look.

[Vindi]

I had first strike acknowledged never to use any party to promote 

I get second strike claiming I'm using promo which I stopped after first strike and now a third strike song being removed the customer service don't answer other than copy and paste terms then disconnect the chat, literally this morning I asked for further info but each advisor of spotify connected said wait for them to review past talks then disconnected 

[kostafunk]

To keep clean his buissness is only Spotifys job !! Spotify have to clean up Bot playlist (remove them) and if songs getting plays with bots than not count the streams and delete them like Youtube does !! But the politic from spotify now Distrokid is illegal because where are the evidences for bot activity?? And since when a private company send fines 10$ a song ?? This have to look some lawyer !! Spotify have send thausends of fines one week before Christmas so something is going wrong with Spotify !!! And keep in mind that this year 2024 spotify don't pay anything under 1000 streams a year !! And you get nothing and then you get a strike and a fine !!! THIS IS RIDICULUS !!! SPOTIFY CLEAN UP YOUR SHOP ITS STINKING !!!

[kostafunk]

This playlist Wavr.ai   have plays also songs from me and i am very worried not to get another strike !! I have put this playlist on https://www.artist.tools/bot-checker and it shoes 100% bot playlist !! And to writte to spotify and say ethat this playlist is a boot playlist make no sence because Spotify will do nothing and you get a 10$ strike !! Very nice politic !! Spotify(Diistrokid) have find a way to make money from poor artist bravo Keep Walking you are doin great to close your business !!

[TurtleFTW]

This is basically the equivalent of putting double yellow lines outside someone's house then making them liable for a fine if anyone parks on them regardless who it is.

Spotify doing this speaks to the power imbalance between Spotify and independent artists. They simply don't feel constrained by any consideration of reasonableness in dealing with anyone but the three big music groups. The only way that changes is if enough artists pull their music that the holes in the catalogue become an issue.

As an artist I've defended Spotify in the past and frankly after the latest batch of policy changes, I feel like an **bleep**. It only remains for me to say the words that Steve Albini lives to hear: You were right and I was wrong.

edit LOL. Spotify, If you want to do something to save me from being offended, preventing me from calling myself a word rhyming with cridiot aint that something.

[kostafunk]

unfortunately we can't do absolut nothing only to wait to get 3 strikes and go home !! What i can't understand is that this 3 big companies get the 70% of the money and this is so much money that he they could buy it out Spotify or they can make his own streaming servecies but they don't do this ?? From this year Spotify will not pay nothing under 1000 streams so if an artist is for example two years in Streaming Services and get not one cent why he should have and pay a Distributer ?? Make your own channel on Youtube put your songs on Bandcamp !!I have put all my songs there and i am surprised i have sales !! And keep in mind that Spotify now belongs to Distrokid !! 

[neurottica]

Let me get this straight..So Spotify's platform cannot control fake playlists on it's platform. Is a billion dollar company telling us it cant do more? The only reason I can see for this is so they can punish honest artist's and not pay them. Everyone in here makes that corporation money. Maybe in return they can put more effort into protecting our integrity when we have offered them  quality Art in which they get to glutton on ...I am beyond ticked...