DistroKid has been quietly taking down songs in response to UMG lawsuit

DistroKid has been quietly removing songs from its platform in response to a lawsuit filed by Universal Music Group (UMG) in September, which claims DistroKid has created an "AI-slop pipeline." Artists have taken to social media to complain that their non-AI works are being caught up in the purge without notice or explanation. Musician McGwire reported that six of his songs were removed, including a properly licensed cover of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and a track using a purchased beat. He also had a song removed for an uncleared sample that was actually released two years after his track. Other artists like Insane Ian and King Chase have faced similar issues, with removals occurring without warning and no clear recourse. DistroKid's VP of Artist Services, Amanda Ferri, confirmed that a small number of recordings were removed in response to UMG's claims, stating that the company disputes the lawsuit and regrets the disruption, while working to minimize it and protect artists' ability to release music.

(Source：The Verge)