Hello there,
I am proposing the introduction of a new feature that gives artists the ability to block specific playlists from adding their music. This is a crucial step toward protecting independent artists from being associated with artificial streaming activity and the severe consequences that often follow.
As an artist on Spotify, under the name Vincent International, I have unfortunately experienced this issue firsthand. Thirteen of my songs have been added to artificial streaming playlists so far, all linked to a single entity based in Vietnam that repeatedly changes its playlist and profile names to avoid detection. Despite having absolutely no connection to this company and having never paid for artificial streams, my music has been removed multiple times — with the continued threat of my entire catalog being taken down.
This music represents years of dedicated work, creativity, and investment. To have it jeopardized by an entity I cannot control — and to be implicitly accused of unethical behavior — is disheartening and deeply unjust. What’s more, I have no tools or recourse within Spotify to prevent this from happening again.
A quick search online reveals that this is not an isolated incident. Many independent artists are experiencing the same issue — having their music added to suspicious or fake playlists, only to later face penalization from Spotify. This creates a vicious cycle where the artist becomes the victim and automated enforcement mechanisms, without any agency to protect their work or reputation.
Proposal Details
I propose a “Playlist Blocking” feature that would allow artists (via Spotify for Artists) to:
• See a list of playlists that currently contain their tracks.
• Flag or block certain playlists from being able to add their music in the future.
• Submit a justification or concern for review if needed (e.g., suspected artificial streaming).
Benefits
• Empowers artists to take control over their catalog’s usage.
• Helps Spotify more accurately identify bad playlists and artificial streaming networks.
• Reduces wrongful penalization of innocent artists.
• Supports transparency and trust between Spotify and the independent artist community.
Conclusion
This proposed feature is not only a means of technical control — it is a necessary safeguard for independent creators who are doing everything right, yet find themselves punished for someone else’s misconduct. I urge Spotify to consider this implementation seriously as it would significantly improve fairness and trust in the platform.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Vincent Vincent
Independent Artist on Spotify