AI Isn’t the Music Industry’s Biggest Problem: Here’s How to Stop Streaming Fraud Right Now

variety.com:

Ari Herstand Ari Herstand is the author of the best-selling book How To Make It in the New Music Business, the host of the Webby award winning New Music Business podcast, the CEO and founder of the music business education company Ari’s Take, and an independent musician.

He currently fronts the original 1970s funk/soul immersive experience Brassroots District. Variety welcomes responsible commentary, please submit to music@variety.com.

A couple weeks ago, some of the largest independent distribution companies and streaming services — including Spotify, Amazon Music, DistroKid, Empire, United Masters, Tunecore (and its parent company Believe), CD Baby (and its parent Downtown) — launched what they’re calling “a global task force aimed at eradicating streaming fraud.” Let’s step back for a moment to understand what this is, why they’re launching it and how I believe the music industry is thinking about this all wrong.

Streaming fraud is not a new thing. Because of how the streaming model pays out royalties, it’s relatively easy to game the system and steal a lot of money from artists and labels.