DistroKid Pulls Independent Artists' Music From Spotify, Apple Music After UMG Copyright Lawsuit

Independent musicians say their original songs have disappeared from Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms after DistroKid began removing recordings in response to a copyright lawsuit from Universal Music Group, leaving some artists with copyright strikes, frozen royalty payments and little explanation of what they allegedly infringed.

DistroKid confirmed that it had taken down a small number of recordings following claims made by UMG, which sued the music distributor on September 15, 2026, in Delaware federal court over alleged copyright infringement and deceptive business practicesconsumer protection lawConsumer protection law is the body of federal and state laws designed to protect people from unfair, deceptive, fraudulent, or abusive practices in the marketplace. These laws regulate areas such as advertising, sales, lending, debt collection, credit reporting, warranties, financial services, and consumer products.Read more → involving unauthorized recordings and AI-generated music. The company disputes the lawsuit's allegations, while affected musicians say they have struggled to learn why their work was removed.

Among them is Nashville singer-songwriter Josh Sahunta, who discovered that his 2022 album Mellowdrama had been removed from streaming services after a friend contacted him to ask why the music was unavailable. Sahunta, who says he wrote and recorded the album himself, had not requested its removal.

The album, one of his most-streamed releases and a source of royalty income, initially appeared grayed out on Spotify and in his DistroKid account before disappearing from Apple Music, YouTube and other platforms. DistroKid support eventually informed him that the recordings had been flagged for copyright infringement but did not identify the allegedly copied material or the party responsible for the claim.

Sahunta also received a copyright strike that he says froze his royalty payments and raised concerns about his ability to distribute future releases. After repeated attempts to obtain clarification went unanswered, he shared his experience on Instagram, prompting other independent musicians to describe similar removals.

The singer told Rolling Stone that independent artists have limited power to challenge distributors when their recordings are taken offline. His account has raised questions about how musicians can contest infringement allegations when they are given little information about the disputed material.

DistroKid acknowledged the disruption in a statement from Amanda Ferri, the company's vice president of artist services. Ferri said the removals affected only a "very small number" of recordings and were made in response to claims raised by Universal Music Group.

The distributor said it strongly disputes UMG's allegations and regrets the impact on affected musicians. It also said it was working to minimize the disruption while protecting artists' ability to release their music. The company has not publicly identified how many recordings were removed or explained how the affected tracks were selected.

UMG's lawsuit accuses DistroKid of facilitating the distribution of unauthorized versions of copyrighted songs, including remixes, sped-up recordings and instrumental tracks with replacement vocals. The record company alleges that some uploads also use copyrighted album artwork, potentially misleading listeners into playing recordings that are not authorized by the original rightsholders.

The complaint further alleges that DistroKid has allowed high-volume accounts to distribute large quantities of AI-generated recordings that compete with legitimate releases. UMG identifies accounts including "Lofi Chill" and "Chill Flow Radio," claiming that their unusually high output and technical characteristics indicate extensive use of AI music generators.

According to the lawsuit, an analysis of some disputed recordings linked much of that material to Suno, an AI music generation company facing separate copyright litigation from UMG and other major record labels. Those lawsuits concern distinct allegations, including whether copyrighted recordings were used without authorization to develop AI music technology.

UMG's claims against DistroKid center on unauthorized uses of protected material and allegedly deceptive distribution practices rather than the mere existence of AI-generated music. The label contends that DistroKid has benefited financially from distributing recordings that infringe copyrights and divert listeners from authorized releases.

DistroKid denies those allegations. The pending lawsuit has not established that the distributor infringed UMG's copyrights, and the removals affecting artists such as Sahunta do not amount to judicial findings that their recordings were unlawful.

The distinction is significant for musicians whose songs have been flagged. A copyright strike or platform removal can restrict distribution and access to earnings before any court has determined whether infringement occurred. For artists who rely on distributors to place their recordings on major streaming services, restoring access can depend on the company's review and dispute procedures.

As of October 12, much of Mellowdrama remained unavailable on Spotify, while the album had disappeared entirely from Apple Music and YouTube. Sahunta said other music distributors had approached him about moving his catalog, although he remained concerned that similar problems could occur elsewhere.

DistroKid has said it is working to limit the impact of the removals, but Sahunta has not publicly reported a resolution to his copyright strike or frozen royalty payments. His recordings remain caught in the fallout from a lawsuit directed at the company responsible for distributing them.