Playlists
Music promotion scams
Spotify says any service that guarantees streams, followers or playlist placement for money is not legitimate. Tick what an offer says to see how it matches the patterns Spotify warns about, then check your own streams for signs of trouble.
Key takeaways
Guarantees are the red flag
Spotify: services that guarantee streams, followers or placement for money are not legitimate.
Being “considered” costs money too
Spotify says to be highly skeptical of services that charge to be considered but do not guarantee a spot.
Your data tells you
Spikes from unfamiliar places or sources are signs of artificial streaming. Tell your distributor.
Playlist and stream health check
Spotify lists these as possible signs of artificial streaming in your Spotify for Artists data. Tick any you see. Spotify: artificial streaming · checked October 20, 2026
What Spotify says
- Services that advertise streams for payment violate Spotify’s terms, and using them could get your music removed. Spotify: paid services that guarantee streams · checked October 20, 2026
- Many use bots to stream a song on repeat. Detected artificial streams earn no royalties, do not count in public numbers and may get the song removed from playlists.
- Distributors may issue warnings or charge penalty fees, and can remove music or suspend accounts. Spotify has charged labels and distributors per track for flagrant artificial streaming since April 1, 2024.
Questions people ask
Is paying for playlist placement a scam?
Spotify says any service that guarantees streams, Spotify followers or playlist placement in exchange for money is not legitimate and should be avoided, and that using one could get your music removed from Spotify.
What is artificial streaming?
Spotify defines an artificial stream as one that does not reflect genuine listening intent, including streams from bots or scripts. Such streams earn no royalties and do not count toward public stream numbers.
What happens if I hire one by mistake?
Spotify says consequences can include withheld royalties, corrected stream counts and removal from playlists, and your distributor may warn you, charge a penalty fee, suspend your account or remove your music.
What should I do if I see strange streams?
Tell your label or distributor, share details of any service you hired, and report suspicious playlists to Spotify. If your streams were earned authentically, tell your distributor how you promoted the music.
Can a legitimate service still be risky?
Spotify says to research any promotion service and its methods, ask questions, and talk to artists who used it. This page names no companies and cannot vouch for any.
Is the checker a verdict on a company?
No. It matches the patterns Spotify warns about. It cannot tell you whether a specific company is honest.