Spotify has removed hundreds of thousands of independent tracks over alleged "artificial stream" violations, prompting over 5,000 artists to sign a "Restore Our Music" petition demanding reinstatement of their music.

The widespread removal affected approximately 750,000 tracks across all music distributors. Spotify justified the action through their Spotify for Artists FAQ, stating that third-party promotional services advertising streams for payment violate their terms and conditions.

DistroKid, which has a minority investment from Spotify, has created an appeal form for affected artists. Their CEO Philip Kaplan confirmed these takedowns were "distributor-agnostic" and impacted music from all distributors.

Many artists claim their music was removed despite never using fake streaming services. Buffalo-based artist Dylan Toole initiated the petition, which has gathered over 5,100 signatures. Some affected artists report their tracks had minimal plays (as few as 5 per month) before removal.

While some music remains offline, certain tracks are gradually becoming available again. For example, Dylan Toole's "Cold Hearted Love Story" album has been fully restored after initially having only four tracks accessible.

However, other artists continue to face challenges. Manchester-based Heavy Salad reported no response from Spotify or DistroKid after two weeks of filing a counterclaim, with their page still showing zero albums and reduced singles.

The situation highlights ongoing tensions between streaming platforms and independent artists, raising questions about transparency in stream verification and appeal processes. The impact on artists' livelihoods, especially during challenging times, remains a significant concern for the independent music community.

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