Image credit: see Media Library caption. Story sourcing: Music Business Worldwide / Music Week.
IFPI opened a new front against streaming fraud on Monday, September 14, with the Streaming Integrity Initiative (SII) — a voluntary set of baseline practices aimed at stopping fake plays and fraudulent uploads before they hit digital service providers. Music Business Worldwide reports that 24 companies and trade bodies have already signed, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, Warner Music Group, HYBE, and Merlin.
The announcement lands as generative AI floods upload pipes. Deezer said in July it was ingesting close to 90,000 fully AI-generated tracks a day in June — more than half of new uploads to its platform for the first time — and earlier Music Week coverage cited Deezer figures nearer 75,000 AI tracks per day, roughly 44% of daily uploads.
Five commitments at the distributor gate
IFPI frames distributors as the gateway where fraud can be cut off. Signatories commit to: verify rights ownership and customer identities (KYC); vet uploads for infringement, fraud, and AI-related risk; investigate and act against suspected fraud and repeat offenders; share intelligence where law allows; and continuously strengthen anti-fraud systems.
Victoria Oakley, IFPI’s CEO, called streaming fraud “theft, plain and simple,” arguing it misleads fans and diverts income from legitimate artists and songwriters. Merlin’s Sarah McNabb and IMPALA’s Helen Smith both stressed that integrity work only works if labels, distributors, and DSPs move together.
Who signed — and who has not
Among DIY distributors, CD Baby is on the list (now inside Universal after UMG’s Downtown acquisition). DistroKid has not signed, despite claiming it distributes “roughly 40%” of all new music for more than four million artists. TuneCore, Believe, and UnitedMasters are also absent so far. Participation is voluntary: MBW notes the published SII document carries no audit requirement, reporting obligation, or penalty for non-compliance.
Ten of the 24 names are major-owned (UMG, Sony, and Warner entities including Virgin, FUGA, The Orchard, AWAL, ADA, and Revelator). DistroKid remains a Music Fights Fraud Alliance member from 2023, even while sitting out this IFPI standard — a gap the rest of the industry will be watching as AI upload volume keeps climbing.
Credit: Music Business Worldwide / Tim Ingham — https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/distrokid-which-distributes-up-to-40-of-all-new-music-hasnt-signed-ifpis-new-anti-fraud-standards-unlike-cd-baby/; Music Week / Andre Paine — https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/music-companies-unite-on-ifpi-led-streaming-integrity-initiative-to-tackle-fraudulent-content/094977