The NMPA (National Music Publishers' Association) has launched a major takedown action against Spotify, targeting over 2,500 instances of alleged music infringement in podcasts. This action involves 19 member publishers, including major publishing companies.

This move follows the NMPA's May 2024 cease-and-desist letter, which addressed concerns about Spotify's unauthorized use of lyrics, music videos, and musical works in podcasts without proper compensation or consent from publishers.

The timing is notable, coinciding with Spotify's strong Q4 2024 earnings report and record stock price. The action also comes after the January 2025 dismissal of an MLC lawsuit challenging Spotify's bundling reclassifications, which have reportedly saved the company over $100 million in royalty payments.

NMPA president David Israelite emphasized that this takedown initiative was expected and called for podcast hosts to advocate for better creator compensation. He specifically criticized Spotify's bundling strategy and its appeal against songwriter rate increases.

Spotify's Response:

• Dismissed the action as a "weak reaction" to the MLC lawsuit dismissal
• Questioned the NMPA's timing in reporting these episodes
• Committed to promptly removing episodes where appropriate

The scope of potential infringement on Spotify's platform includes:

• TikTok video compilations with music
• Unauthorized mixtapes
• Television episodes with unlicensed music
• Unauthorized concert recordings
• Various other content using copyrighted music

The NMPA has indicated that these takedown notices will continue, suggesting an ongoing conflict between the publishing industry and Spotify over music rights and compensation in podcast content.

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