Sony Music has requested more than 135,000 ‘deepfake’ songs be removed from streaming platforms.
The global record label said some of its biggest artists were being targeted by voice-cloned tracks, including Harry Styles, Beyoncé, Queen, and Bad Bunny.
Sony raised its concerns about AI-generated songs during this week’s launch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)’s Global Music Report.
Background
IFPI represents more than 8,000 record companies around the world. Its annual Global Music Report analyses industry challenges across areas such as finance, technology, and reach.
Label representatives attended the report’s launch in London on Wednesday, including Sony Music’s Global Business President Dennis Kooker.
Kooker told attendees that Sony has identified more than 135,000 AI-generated songs on streaming platforms impersonating its signed artists.
Details
These voice-cloned tracks are being monetised by their creators across streaming platforms, causing “direct commercial harm to legitimate recording artists,” according to Sony.
Kooker said the people generating these deepfakes could “potentially damage a release campaign or tarnish the reputation of an artist.”
Sony has requested that these songs be removed from all streaming platforms, Kooker added.
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Streamers
In September 2025, Spotify announced a new policy, focused on:
- Checking more stringently for impersonation
- Filtering spam
- Disclosing AI use in certain cases.
The platform said AI can “confuse or deceive listeners,” harming “authentic artists working to build their careers” and “degrade the user experience for listeners”.
Spotify also said it would “ramp up” protections against fraudulent uploads, “AI-generated or otherwise”.
Australian law
In October, the Federal Government ruled out allowing tech companies to train AI on Australian content, such as music, without permission or payment.
Creative industry representatives called the move a win, after they pushed back against a Productivity Commission proposal to create an exception to the Copyright Act.
The Government said that while it recognises AI’s opportunities, it must ensure “Australian creatives benefit” too.
