Symphonic works diligently to prevent and reduce improper activity, including artificial streaming. We understand that you may not be intentionally engaging in such behavior. Yet, even when unintentional, activity deemed illegitimately boosted will still be removed from royalty reports by DSPs (Digital Service Providers). Fraudulent actors often include innocent tracks in their schemes, usually at low levels, to conceal their true intentions. While the related artists may be "innocent," the plays are still considered illegitimate and thus removed from royalty reports. These plays will also appear in artificial/excluded stream reports.
With the launch of StreamSafe, we aim to provide solutions and recommend best practices below to help reduce artificial streaming.
In addition to this resource, below are guides from our DSP partners:
Spotify: Artificial Streaming Guidelines
Below is an education video regarding artificial streaming:
Do not pay for streams. Use trusted third-party providers and resources.
It is easy to be tempted by promises of "X dollars for X streams." We recommend staying away from any "payment for streams" services and instead considering trusted third-party providers like SubmitHub, Playlist Push, and Groover. If you notice fraudulent activity on your content after using such services, we suggest reaching out to them to verify the activity.
You may also encounter offers on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and others. We strongly advise caution as many scams can be found on these sites.
Many streaming platforms offer legitimate promotional tools that help artists reach wider audiences without resorting to fraudulent methods. For example, Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and Deezer Backstage provide insights and tools for promoting music through official channels. Utilizing these tools ensures that any increase in streams is the result of genuine interest and not manipulation.
To summarize:
- DO NOT PAY for any service that offers more streams.
- DO NOT PAY for any service that offers more followers.
- DO NOT PAY for any service that guarantees playlist placement.
Have a heart-to-heart with your collaborators
For instance, you might be working with an artist who engages a company or service you’re unaware of, which might be involved in improper activity. We recommend having open and honest conversations with your collaborators to ensure you know who they are working with. Additionally, talk to any company you plan to engage with to understand what they do (or don’t do) to make you feel comfortable with their practices.
It’s important to ensure that everyone involved in an artist's career—from management to marketing teams—is aware of the risks and consequences of artificial streaming. Educating your team about best practices and the importance of organic growth can prevent inadvertent involvement in fraudulent activities. This education should also extend to any collaborator, third-party partner or agencies that may be involved in promoting the artist's music.
Review data carefully (Analytics, StreamSafe, Penalties)
Artists and labels should regularly monitor their streaming analytics to identify any unusual patterns. A sudden, unexplained spike in streams from a specific region or an abnormal increase in play counts can be red flags for artificial streaming. By keeping a close eye on these metrics, artists and labels can quickly address any issues and take corrective action if necessary.
StreamSafe will show confirmed excluded artificial streams and consolidate this information with royalty statements. You will also see any penalty fees under Adjustments in your royalties.
Regularly reviewing this data is essential. In some cases, you may need to take difficult steps, like taking down tracks with illegitimate activity. If this is something you need to do, reach out to us, and we’ll assist to ensure your legitimate promotional efforts are unaffected.
Please note: If 90% or more of your streams for a particular DSP are found to be artificial, it’s possible that a third party is improperly inflating your music, or it’s being attacked. We highly recommend uploading the affected songs with a new ISRC and taking down the original to reduce artificial streaming penalties.
Review playlists and use verification tools
There are several tools available to help you check if a playlist you've been added to is fraudulent. SubmitHub offers a helpful playlist checker, and artist.tools has one as well. If you’re interested in self-checking, here are some helpful signs to consider.
Signs of a suspicious playlist include:
- They feature mostly unknown artists but have a large following.
- They have a small number of followers but accumulate an unusually high number of streams.
- The playlist name seems off or misleading.
- Certain artists dominate the playlist, or the same artists appear on multiple playlists from the same curator.
- The curator has many playlists with similar follower counts, but their own follower count is suspiciously low.
- The curator’s followers have odd or similar names and no profile pictures.
If you see a significant number of streams coming from a playlist you’re unfamiliar with, report it to the DSP based on the information provided by these tools.
Contact Spotify for Artists for help
While you can report any suspicious activity to us, feel free to reach out directly to Spotify for Artists if your music appears on an inappropriate playlist or if you suspect suspicious activity on any of your music. Tackling the problem from multiple angles will help resolve the issue faster. Other DSPs may have similar "For Artists" portals, and we recommend using those as well in addition to contacting us.
Focus on Long-Term Success
Ultimately, the most sustainable path to success in the music industry is through authentic fan engagement and organic growth. While artificial streaming may offer short-term gains, it is wrong and can damage an artist’s reputation and career in the long run. By focusing on creating quality music, building a loyal fanbase, and promoting music through legitimate channels, artists can achieve lasting success without resorting to fraudulent practices.
Avoid artificial streaming
Lastly, and most obviously, we urge you not to intentionally inflate your streams. Focus on achieving organic growth, and steer clear of any services that promise otherwise. Artificial streaming has far-reaching consequences. It distorts the metrics that artists, labels, and platforms rely on to gauge the success of a song or album. This not only affects royalty payments but can also mislead fans and industry stakeholders about an artist's popularity. In some cases, it can lead to monetary penalties from streaming platforms, including the removal of content, account suspension, or even legal action.
Feel free to check out some additional resources:
Note: This article is not intended to be legal advice. Along with many of our distribution partners and DSP partners, we are fighting a difficult battle against artificial streaming and other forms of improper activity. We will continue to update this article as we develop more features and learn more ways to help you combat this issue.
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