Image credit: AaronP/Getty Images via Billboard. Story sourcing: Billboard / Variety.
Universal Music Group filed a federal lawsuit against DistroKid on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, accusing the high-volume distributor of flooding Spotify and other platforms with mass AI-generated, SEO-optimized, and copyright-infringing music that UMG’s lawyers call “slop.” The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware and also names Capitol Records among the plaintiffs.
According to Billboard and Variety, UMG alleges DistroKid — a distributor valued at more than $2 billion — has grown by pushing “illegal, deceptive and unlawful practices,” including presenting itself as a pipeline for artist-backed releases while enabling bot-style uploads. One cited example is an account branded “Lofi Chill” that released 4,562 tracks in a single 12-month stretch, a pace UMG says no human musician could sustain.
The suit also claims DistroKid has distributed sped-up or remixed versions of UMG recordings, and that in some cases uploads continued after infringement notices. Beyond federal copyright claims, UMG alleges violations of Delaware’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act, arguing consumers are misled into thinking they are hearing legitimate artist-backed releases.
A DistroKid spokesman declined to comment to Billboard; Variety reported the company did not respond to an immediate request for comment. UMG stressed the case is not about disclosed AI music in general, writing that the lawsuit targets DistroKid “masquerading as something it is not.”
The filing lands days after IFPI unveiled its Streaming Integrity Initiative. Major labels including UMG signed on; Variety, citing a Music Business Worldwide dataset, notes DistroKid was not among the signatories.