Just a few years ago, remixing a song required specialized software and at least a moderate level of musical knowledge and beat-matching skills. AI tools like Suno and Udio now allow less technically proficient users to try their hand at making music, though they’ve been mired in legal battles and now require subscriptions for heavier use.
Now, Spotify thinks it can make things even easier, integrating remixing tools directly into the platform. The music-streaming platform is reportedly targeting an early 2027 launch for an AI-based service that will allow users to create remixes and covers of songs with a click of a button This could include transforming a folk song into a dance track or making one artist appear to cover another artist’s music
Spotify is planning to add $4 to $5 per month to the service, according to one of the sources who spoke to the FT, though pricing and timing are still up in the air.
The streamer is currently in negotiations for licensing agreements with Sony Music and Warner Music and has already struck deals with Universal Music Group, as well as the independent label licensing group Merlin and the French music company Believe.
Artists would reportedly receive royalties if users remix their tunes on Spotify, and Spotify plans to create a system that will allow remixes to appear in playlists, with the remixes counting toward artists’ streaming royalties. Musicians will reportedly be able to veto the use of their music, regardless of licensing agreements. Spotify is reportedly finding it “challenging” to win over unnamed “major contemporary stars” to feature their music, though some “established older artists” have been more willing to play ball.
Recommended by Our Editors
Spotify Demotes Hit Song Amid Market Manipulation Allegations
My Spotify Library Was Boring, So I Asked ChatGPT to Create New Playlists
‘People Want This’: How This Streamer Is Preventing AI From Ruining Your Playlists
The news comes as many of the world’s oldest and most respected artists have weighed in on AI’s impact on the industry. Former Beatle Paul McCartney expressed concerns last year about how AI could “rip off” up-and-coming musicians, while Talking Heads frontman David Byrne recently described AI soundalike tracks as “an endless nightmare.”
Spotify has been hit with a glut of AI music in recent years, with one AI group, The Velvet Sundown, racking up a million monthly listeners. In August, Spotify cracked down on “AI personas” by labeling them and stopping their music from being recommended.
About Our Expert
Will McCurdy
Contributor
Experience
I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.
I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.
- Facial Recognition Could Be Coming to a Starbucks Near You
- Google Scores Big Win in Quest to Put Data Centers in Space
- iPhone Duo Owners Are Reporting Cracks in Their Screens. Users Call It ‘Crackgate’
- Claude Just Wants to Have Fun? Without Any Work, AI Agents Like to ‘Play’
- Tesla Cancels Plans to Launch the Cybertruck in These 2 Countries
- More from Will McCurdy
