If you’ve spotted your track on a questionable playlist – maybe you noticed an unexpected spike from a generic playlist in your Spotify for Artists stats, or you caught it using our Playlist/Artist Checker tool – you’re not alone. It’s frustrating when your music appears on a botted playlist, especially when it happens without your permission – and it happens to many artists these days.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to remove your song from the playlist yourself. But if you’re looking to protect your Spotify profile from any potential penalties, here’s what to do:
Step 1: Contact the playlist owner
Your first move should be to reach out to the playlist owner and request they remove your track. Many payola or bot-driven playlists actually display contact information – often an email or social media handle – as part of a strategy to attract artists into paying for more streams. Typically, they add tracks temporarily to boost streams and then remove them, hoping artists will reach out for continued placement.
Use the provided contact info (email or IG handle), and keep your message clear and direct. Here’s a simple template you can edit to your liking:
“Hi! I noticed my track ([Artist + Track Name]) is on your playlist ([Playlist Name + Link]), but I didn’t request this. I find the playlist suspicious and not a good fit, so I’m asking for immediate removal. Thank you.”
Even if the playlist owner doesn’t respond, you’ve just taken an important first step to prove you didn't ask for this.
Step 2: Notify Spotify for Artists support
Next, log in to your Spotify for Artists account. Spotify recently launched the Playlist Reporter feature allowing you to report any suspicious or obviously botted playlist you were added to. "No actions will be taken against artists as a result of submitting through the form" (stated in in the comments section of their post announcing the feature) – so start this new reporting tool. Afterward, open a chat with Spotify for Artists support to report the playlist and provide additional details about the situation.
This step is possibly even more important than contacting the playlist owner, as it shows Spotify that you’re proactively working to avoid any association with fake streams or artificial practices. Here’s a direct link to Spotify for Artists support (make sure you’re logged in first).
When messaging the S4A agent, include:
- Your artist name and Spotify profile link
- The song title and Spotify link to the track in question
- The playlist’s name and link, explaining that it seems suspicious
- Mention that you’ve already reached out to the playlist owner to request removal, expressing concern since you would never pay for streams or ask for questionable placements.
Here’s a message template you can customize as needed:
Hi, I’m [Your Artist Name] – my Spotify profile is here: [Spotify Profile Link]. I noticed my song [Song Title] ([Spotify Song Link]) was added to a very suspicious playlist: [Playlist Name] ([Spotify Playlist Link]). I didn’t request this placement and have contacted the playlist owner to immediately remove my song, but I’m concerned about potential consequences. I would never pay for or request this type of playlisting. Could you please advise on what more I can do to avoid any issues?
Since Spotify’s policies around botted streams are strict, documenting your actions with them will help if any issues come up later.
Step 3: Inform your distributor
Since your distributor is responsible for managing your music across platforms, they’re another key contact to notify. If something goes wrong, they may be the ones to issue fines or takedowns, so keeping them in the loop helps. Send a quick message with the playlist details, your song info, and the steps you’ve taken so far, making it clear you’re aware of the situation but never requested this placement.
Such a message might look like this:
"Hi, I discovered my song [Song Title, UPC] on a suspicious-looking playlist that I didn’t request – it seems like some sort of scammy scheme. I’m committed to avoiding any bot streams or issues with my profile, so I’ve already contacted the playlist’s owner to request immediate removal and also notified Spotify for Artists. Do you have any additional advice on protecting my streams and profile in this situation?"
While your distributor may not be able to remove your track from the playlist, this step demonstrates your commitment to transparency and reinforces your proactive approach.
Why does contacting all three matter?
Although only the playlist owner can remove your song from a botted (or any other) playlist, reaching out to all three parties – the playlist owner, Spotify, and your distributor – helps you establish a documented record of your actions to protect your artist profile. Spotify takes fake streams seriously and may penalize artists, even if they didn’t knowingly participate in such practices. Having proof of your efforts to distance yourself from botted playlists can safeguard you against potential penalties.
If your song is taken down anyway
If the streaming platform anyhow decides to remove your track due to the playlist’s suspicious activity, well, that sucks, but you’re not out of options. You should be able to re-upload the song using the same ISRC (although possibly with a different distributor if needed). Be sure to save all relevant emails and conversations – this documentation can be useful if you need to explain the re-upload to your distributor as a necessary step following an issue you proactively tried to resolve.
How to avoid botted playlists in the future
Steering clear of botted playlists can be challenging, but these steps can help keep your streams legitimate:
- Don't risk and stick with trusted playlists and playlisters. On SubmitHub, we vet our curators thoroughly, accepting only a very small percentage of applicants, but not all services are like that. Be careful and do your research.
- Carefully vet playlists on other platforms. Whether you’re using Dailyplaylists, Groover, or cold emailing (or Instagram messaging), use tools like our Playlist Checker to verify playlists before reaching out.
- Be alert for red flags. Signs of a botted playlist include:
- Sudden, unusual spikes in streams.
- Very generic playlist names or a mix of random artists and genres.
- Playlists with similar follower counts (e.g., 20k or 40k) across multiple lists but no profile followers.
- An email contact listed in the playlist description can indicate pay-to-play (payola) schemes.
- Steer clear of DistroKid’s “Wheel of Playlist” known to attract bot companies targeting indie artists. Also, be cautious with their Playlister feature, which lacks proper vetting.
- Be wary of “too good to be true” offers. Sites promising a set number of streams or certain placements for a fixed price, more often than not, use bots to deliver those numbers. If the site’s inner workings seem unclear, it’s best to steer clear.
- Monitor Spotify for Artists regularly. Keping an eye on your numbers can help you catch unusual activity early. Sudden spikes from unfamiliar sources or regions (like Helsinki, Finland) may indicate fake streams, which you can address by following the three steps outlined earlier in this article.
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Finding your song on a fraudulent/botted playlist can be frustrating, especially as Spotify tightens its policies on fake streams. Avoid paying for placements or streams, and steer clear of services with unclear practices. If you still end up on a suspicious playlist, be proactive – document your actions to clearly separate yourself from any involvement in fake streams.