Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 4
Spotify Adds 30,000 Merlin Labels to AI Remix Tool as Paid Preview Nears
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 4

Spotify Adds 30,000 Merlin Labels to AI Remix Tool as Paid Preview Nears

3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 4

Summary

  • Merlin joined Spotify’s upcoming AI remix-and-covers product, bringing more than 30,000 independent labels into a system that lets fans make artist-approved versions of songs.
  • Spotify said the tool is built around consent, credit and compensation for participating artists, framing it as a legal alternative to fully AI-generated music flooding streaming platforms.
  • A research preview will first roll out to a subset of users, and Spotify said it does not need a full catalog to launch; the company gave no release date.
  • The product is planned as a paid add-on that could create a new revenue stream for artists as AI music surges—Deezer says more than 50% of daily uploads are now AI-generated, up from 10% in January 2025.

Insights

With AI tracks flooding platforms, will Spotify's licensed remix tool save human artists or just cannibalize their original streams?
As streaming services battle millions of fraudulent uploads, can Spotify's paid add-on truly stop the rise of unauthorized deepfake music?
If fans can endlessly generate AI covers of their favorite bands, how will independent artists actually get paid for these synthetic hits?