AI, Bot Farms, and the Trouble They Cause for Indie Musicians
These days, music streaming is hugely popular, and it's a great way for indie artists to share their songs with the world. However, there are some big problems in the industry, like fraud and fake stream counts, and these often hurt the smaller, independent musicians the most.
What's Going On?
Some people use AI (artificial intelligence) and bot farms to create fake plays on streaming platforms. A "bot farm" is a large group of computers that are programmed to play songs repeatedly. This might sound harmless, but it's a form of cheating that can have a lot of negative effects.
When songs get a lot of plays, they seem popular, so they get recommended to more listeners, appear on top playlists, and the artists can earn more money. But when those plays are fake, it means real musicians who deserve attention might get overlooked.
How Does It Hurt Indie Artists?
Indie artists usually don't have a lot of money to spend on marketing. Many depend on the fairness and effectiveness of streaming platforms to reach new listeners. When other people cheat the system with fake plays, it makes it harder for these indie artists to get the recognition and earnings they deserve.
Additionally, record labels and music companies might hesitate to invest in or support artists with lower stream counts, not knowing that some high stream counts they see might be fake.
What Can Be Done?
Streaming platforms are trying to fix these problems by detecting and stopping fake streams. They're using technology to identify unusual streaming patterns, like when a new account plays the same song repeatedly without stopping. They also keep an eye on sudden spikes in streams that don't match normal listening behavior.
Indie artists can also play a part by focusing on honest ways to promote their music. This includes connecting with fans on social media, performing live shows, and collaborating with other artists.
