7am Fake bands, real weapons: How Spotify is fuelling the arms race
Spotify's Founder Ties to Defense
- Daniel Ek's investments have tied Spotify closely to the military defense industry.
- Spotify's leadership and business approach have expanded beyond music into defense technology and AI military applications.
Spotify's Secret Military Ties and the Rise of AI Fake Bands
Daniel Ek, Spotify's founder, has invested over $1 billion in AI military technology, becoming deeply embedded in the global defense industry. Spotify itself employs AI strategies that many artists feel undermine their creative work, including the use of "perfect fit content"—internally produced music designed to minimize royalty payouts.
The platform has also seen the rise of entirely AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown, which have amassed large followings despite none of the members being real. This raises concerns about how generative AI could undercut musicians' labor and how such AI music often goes unlabeled on streaming services.
Artists and fans are pushing back by advocating for transparency, better compensation models like user-centric payment, and buying music directly from artists instead of relying on streaming platforms tied to questionable practices.
Fake Artists Fund Cost Savings
- Spotify used to fill playlists with music from 'fake' artists to reduce royalty payouts.
- They internally called these commissions 'perfect fit content' to optimize costs and playlist moods.
