Artificial streaming: what it is and how to avoid fake streams

Artificial streams are plays that don't come from real listeners. Spotify defines an artificial stream as one that doesn't reflect genuine user listening intent, including any attempt to manipulate the service with automated processes such as bots or scripts. Think stream farms, bots playing a track on repeat, and paid "promotion" that promises a set number of streams or a playlist spot and delivers it with fake listeners.

Streaming services take it seriously. On Spotify, artificial streams earn no royalties, they're stripped from public counts, and depending on the severity a track can be pulled from playlists or even from the service altogether. Spotify also charges labels and distributors per track in flagrant cases. This guide explains how to spot dubious offers, what to do if you see suspicious streams on your own music, and how Crystal Distribution handles it.

What counts as artificial streaming?

Spotify's definition covers any stream that doesn't reflect genuine listening intent, including attempts to manipulate the service with automated processes such as bots or scripts (Spotify on artificial streaming). In practice it takes a few forms:

• Bots and scripts: software that plays a track over and over, often through large numbers of fake accounts.
• Stream farms: set-ups of many phones, computers or accounts playing music non-stop to inflate the numbers.
• Paid "streaming promotion": services that promise streams, followers or a playlist spot in return for money. According to Spotify, many of them use bots to play a song on repeat.
• Manipulated playlists: playlists that are themselves artificially streamed, so every track on them picks up fake plays.
• Organised looping: Spotify asks artists to discourage coordinated efforts by fans to stream inauthentically, such as looping a track or using extra accounts on a Family or Duo plan just to stream one song. That can lead to penalties too.

Artificial streams can also appear without your involvement. Spotify acknowledges that some services use bots to stream artists' music against their will or without their knowledge. Further down you'll find what to do if that happens to you.

Why streaming services act on it

According to Spotify, artificial streams that go undetected dilute the royalty pool, shifting money from artists with real listeners to bad actors. They also undermine the level playing field that streaming is meant to offer. So services act:

• Spotify cleans artificial streams from the public numbers in its app every day.
• Since 1 April 2024, Spotify has charged labels and distributors per track when flagrant artificial streaming is detected on their content, and only for very high rates of artificial streaming on a track (Spotify's artificial streaming hub).
• Spotify is a founding member of the Music Fights Fraud Alliance, a global task force against streaming fraud.
• YouTube doesn't allow anything that artificially increases views, likes, comments or other metrics. Content and channels that break the policy can be removed, including when someone you hired was responsible (YouTube's fake engagement policy).

Other services set their own rules, so read the terms of the services your music is on.

What it means for you as an artist

These are the measures Spotify describes; other services have their own rules.

One confusing detail: in Spotify for Artists you may still see spikes from artificial streams even though the royalties have been withheld and the public numbers adjusted. When the gap is significant, a message on your release or audience page tells you so. Spotify calls the royalty report from your label or distributor the most accurate source for what your streams actually earned.

How to spot a dubious promotion offer

Spotify is blunt about it: marketing services that promise streams or playlist placements, often for a fee, are scams and should be avoided. Watch for these signs:

• A promised result for money. A number of streams, followers or listeners, or a fixed spot on a playlist. Spotify says services that offer this for money aren't legitimate.
• Paying to be "considered". Some services charge to have your track considered for their playlists. Spotify advises being highly sceptical of these as well.
• Promises about the algorithm. Such services sometimes claim they can get your song prioritised in Spotify's algorithmic recommendations. According to Spotify, none of that is true.
• Unsolicited contact. Spotify warns that these services may target you on social media or by email.
• A vague method. No names of playlists, curators or media, just screenshots of numbers.
• Too good to be true. Lots of streams for little money in a short time is a warning sign in itself.
• A request for your password. Give your login details to no one. If someone needs to help with your Spotify for Artists profile, invite them as a team member.

Spotify recommends researching a service's methods and checking what other artists experienced with it. Before you pay anyone, ask:

1. Which channels do you use to reach listeners: ads, press, radio, curators?
2. Am I paying for work, or for an outcome?
3. Which artists have you worked with, and can I contact them myself?
4. What happens if a service flags streams from the campaign as artificial?

If you want a spot on a Spotify editorial playlist, pitch an unreleased song yourself through Spotify for Artists. Placement isn't certain, but it's the route Spotify itself offers (pitching to Spotify's editors). For timing, see plan your release.

Suspicious streams on your music: what to do

Spotify lists these signs of possible artificial streaming in your data:

• a sudden spike in streams for no apparent reason, followed by a drop-off;
• an unexplained spike from a location where your tracks haven't been active before;
• most of your streams coming from unexplained or surprising sources, such as "Other";
• a sudden, short-lived jump in followers.

If you see this, work through these steps:

1. Record what you see. Take screenshots of your stats with dates, countries, sources and playlists.
2. Check your playlists. In Spotify for Artists, go to Music, then Playlists, to see the playlists your music has been added to, ordered by listeners.
3. Report suspicious playlists to Spotify. Spotify then investigates whether the playlist engaged in artificial streaming and takes action where needed. You'll find the reporting link on Spotify's support page about artificial streaming.
4. Tell your distributor. Share the names and details of any promotion services you've hired, even if you think they aren't involved.
5. Stop unclear campaigns. Pause any promotion whose methods you don't know, and don't buy streams or followers to make up for a drop.
6. Compare with your royalty statements. They show what was reported per track and per store.
7. Are your streams genuine? If you get a notice but earned your streams honestly, explain to your distributor how you promoted the music. According to Spotify, the distributor then reviews it with Spotify's team.

How Crystal Distribution handles artificial streams

What happens with artificial streams is set out in your agreement with Crystal:

• No payout on established artificial streams. Income from streams established as artificial is not paid out.
• A fine only if you caused it. If a store imposes a fine, Crystal can pass it on to you only when it has been shown that you caused the artificial streams. If that hasn't been shown, the fine isn't passed on to you.
• A maximum per track. A fine that is passed on is capped at a maximum per track, as set out in the agreement. If you bought the streams yourself, that cap doesn't apply.

The portal helps you keep track:

• Your royalty statements show what was reported per period, per track and per store, with a CSV export you can set against your own stats. A published statement doesn't change; a correction appears as a new statement (royalties and statements).
• If something looks wrong, open a support ticket in the portal, or ask the assistant to hand the conversation over to a member of staff (how support works).
• Turn on two-factor authentication and don't share your login details with anyone, promoters included (account security).

What a streaming service does itself, such as removing streams or taking a track down, is that service's decision. If you're still choosing a distributor, look at how its agreement deals with artificial streams; see choosing a music distributor.

Real growth: what helps instead

It's less spectacular, but it lasts:

• Plan your release well ahead, so you have time to pitch and warm up your audience.
• Encourage fans to listen, share and follow, but not to loop a track endlessly.
• Put your budget into promotion that reaches real people: ads, press, radio, live shows and your own channels.
• Keep an eye on your stats so you notice an odd spike early.

Want to see how distribution with Crystal works? Read about distribution or check pricing.