Universal Music Group sues DistroKid over AI music and fraud allegations

Universal Music Group (UMG) has filed a 52-page lawsuit in the United States against the independent distributor DistroKid, alleging deceptive business practices and massive copyright infringement. UMG claims DistroKid is flooding streaming platforms with “slop”—high volumes of AI-generated tracks. According to the complaint, DistroKid delivered nearly 12 million tracks to a single major streaming service in just six months, a volume UMG argues is impossible for human artists to achieve.

The lawsuit cites instances where DistroKid clients allegedly counterfeited recordings from major artists, including Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd. UMG also alleges that DistroKid distributed music from an artist previously banned for streaming fraud, despite having access to shared fraud databases.

In response to the growing issue of streaming fraud and high-volume uploads, the independent music think-tank ORCA has proposed the implementation of an “upload fee” per track. ORCA Executive Director Patrick Clifton suggested that these fees, collected by streaming services and redistributed into royalty pools, would act as an economic disincentive for bad actors. Clifton noted that such a system would need careful calibration to ensure legitimate artists are not unintentionally demonetized.