Lilja Alfreðsdóttir will meet with the CEO of Spotify this week to discuss the proliferation of “fake artists” posing as Icelandic musicians on the music streaming platform

Linked articles and background reading:

Spotify is making its own records… and putting them on playlists

Multiple cast-iron sources have informed us that, in recent months, Daniel Ek‘s company has been paying producers to create tracks within specific musical guidelines.

The subsequent tracks appear on Spotify under fake artist names. These fake artists are credited on Spotify with owning their own master rights. But they don’t. Because they’re made-up people.

Music Business Worldwide – 31st August 2016

‘Fake artists’ have billions of streams on Spotify. Is Sony now playing the service at its own game?

Large record companies – who have been complaining about the “fake artist” practice for two years – appear to be adopting a “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” approach.

Rolling Stone – 15th May 2019 (Paywall)

Remember Spotify's fake artists? They're still going strong – and still attracting scandal

According to DN, Firefly Entertainment is doing a roaring trade in what some would call “fake artists” on Spotify.

These are the now-well-known pseudonymous artists on the streaming platform – artists with no discernible online footprint – whose music fills up many of Spotify’s own key mood and chillout playlists.

Music Business Worldwide – 28th March 2022

DN reveals: The Swedish fake artists who took over on Spotify – bigger than Robyn

Their songs are played millions of times on Spotify. But DN can now reveal that the Swedish artists do not really exist.

The review shows that about 20 people are behind over 500 artist names. Several of the fictional artists have more listeners each month than Håkan Hellström and Laleh.

The Swedish record company that handles the business has in a short time ten times its revenues - and for a long time had close contact with a person in Spotify's top management.

Dagens Nyheter – 28th March 2022 (Paywall/Swedish)