Spotify continues wide spread stream deduction | Pulse Nigeria

Since February 2025, Spotify has been deducting screams from different artists.

In another round of deductions in early April, several Nigerian stars have seen stream subtracted from some of their songs.

While Spotify hasn’t provided an explanation for the stream subtractions, the global streaming platforms have a policy of removing streams that are deemed fraudulent.

As provided in the company’s policy, artists are not allowed to use third party services that offers streams in return for money.

“Paid 3rd-party services that guarantee streams aren’t legitimate.

3rd-party promotional services that advertise streams in return for payment violate our terms & conditions, and using them could result in your music being removed from Spotify.

Any service that claims to offer guaranteed placement on playlists on Spotify in exchange for money are in violation of our terms & conditions, and they shouldn’t be used.”

The policy further prescribes the correction of public sreaming numbers, removal from playlists, and some cases takedowns and withoding royalties as consequences for fraudulent.

“When we identify confirmed cases of artificial streaming or stream manipulation, we take actions that may include the withholding of associated royalties, the correction of public streaming numbers, and measures to ensure the artist or song’s popularity is accurately reflected in our charts.

Depending on the severity of the artificial streaming detected, the song may also be removed from Spotify playlists.”

Streaming manipulation is an issue that continues to confront music streaming globally, especially in Nigeria.

In 2024, Drake accused Universal Music of using bot streams to inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar‘s hit song ‘Not Like Us.’

Digital streaming platforms continue to restate their zero tolerance for fraudulent streams, which they describe as a way of gaining undue advantage and cheating other artists out of their due revenues.