Music industry unites to tackle fake streams
The music business has agreed on shared rules to stop fake streams taking money from artists.
The IFPI, the global organisation representing record companies, launched its Streaming Integrity Initiative in London on 14 September 2026. The scheme invites music distribution services, the companies that put tracks on Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms, to sign a common commitment to prevent, detect and respond to streaming fraud, with the stated aim of protecting artists, songwriters and fans. IFPI
More than two dozen companies have backed it so far. The list includes all three majors — Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group and Warner Music Group — alongside distributors and services firms such as The Orchard, ADA, AWAL, Virgin Music Group, FUGA, CD Baby, Symphonic, Ditto Music, Merlin and RouteNote, according to details reported by Billboard.
Signatories commit to four baseline practices. The first is Know Your Customer checks, basic identity and ownership vetting to confirm who a client is and that they control the rights to the music they upload.
The second is content vetting to catch infringement, suspicious activity and risks linked to artificial intelligence, including unauthorised voice clones. The third covers detection, investigation and action on suspected fraud, including repeat offenders. The fourth is intelligence sharing, where legally permitted, so offenders blocked by one service cannot simply move to another.
The stakes are high because streaming now drives the recorded business. Streaming accounts for 70% of global music income, worth more than $22 billion, Reuters has reported. Industry executives estimate almost 10% of streams are now deemed to be fraudulent, the Financial Times reported.
One large distributor is missing. DistroKid, which handles roughly 40% of all new music, has not yet signed on, Music Business Worldwide reported.
The new initiative sits inside IFPI’s wider End Streaming Fraud campaign. IFPI has taken legal action against many organisations behind streaming manipulation services and says streaming fraud is illegal, describing it as theft from artists and rights holders.
For fans, this means less noise in the system. Fake plays can push royalties to bad actors and crowd out genuine listening on playlists and charts. The plan will be judged on whether shared checks and faster information exchange make that harder to do.
