DistroKid pulls songs after UMG lawsuit over AI‑generated music

The independent distributor halted uploads flagged by Universal Music Group’s September lawsuit, prompting royalty freezes for some creators.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:24:51 GMT

DistroKid removed a limited set of recordings after Universal Music Group (UMG) sued the distributor for allegedly flooding streaming services with AI‑generated, copyright‑infringing material, according to Rolling Stone and Billboard.

What happened

In September 2026 UMG filed a lawsuit accusing DistroKid of deceptive trade practices and of distributing "mass AI‑generated, SEO‑optimized, and copyright‑infringing slop" on streaming platforms. Following the filing, DistroKid began taking down certain user uploads. One affected artist, Nashville‑based singer‑songwriter Josh Sahunta, discovered his 2022 album Mellowdrama grayed out on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube in early October 2026. DistroKid’s support told Sahunta the album had been flagged for copyright infringement but did not identify the claimant.

What the reports add

Rolling Stone reported that Sahunta’s album was removed from multiple services after DistroKid issued a copyright strike, freezing his royalty payments. Billboard added that the takedowns were first flagged by disgruntled DistroKid users on social media and that The Verge was the first outlet to link the removals to UMG’s September lawsuit. Billboard also quoted DistroKid’s vice‑president of artist services, Amanda Ferri, who said only a "very small number of recordings" were removed in response to UMG’s claims.

What was said

Amanda Ferri told Billboard, "A very small number of recordings distributed through DistroKid have been removed in response to claims made by UMG. We strongly dispute the allegations underlying UMG’s lawsuit and regret the disruption to affected artists. We are working to minimize that disruption while protecting artists’ ability to release their music."

How it came about

UMG’s lawsuit follows a broader industry focus on AI‑driven music‑streaming fraud, which the U.S. Copyright Office began investigating on Oct. 7, 2026. Earlier this month Felo News reported on that inquiry (see U.S. Copyright Office launches inquiry into AI‑driven music‑streaming fraud). The same week, Felo covered related legal battles involving Universal Music, including a contract dispute with manager Josh Marshall over Gigi Perez (see Music manager sues Universal Music over Gigi Perez contract). These developments illustrate increasing scrutiny of digital distribution practices and the legal risks for platforms that host user‑generated content.

Key facts

UMG sued DistroKid in September 2026 for alleged AI‑generated, copyright‑infringing music (billboard.com)
DistroKid removed a small number of recordings after the lawsuit, affecting artists like Josh Sahunta (rollingstone.com)
Amanda Ferri, DistroKid VP of artist services, said the company disputes UMG’s allegations (billboard.com)