Spotify Showcase campaigns results in Spotify unreleasing the promoted song.

[musicalme]

The distributor tells me Spotify said that my (Spotify Showcase) campaigns were detected as artificial streams by Spotify.

I contact Spotify for Artists and the Spotify representative tells me there is an unusual streaming activity.

Of course it is because the Spotify campaigns are running.

I give the representative the detailed printouts from the Spotify Showcase campaigns.

The he tells me to contact Spotify Content team.

I ask what is the contact info?

He says contact the distributor and the distributor should give you the contact info.

The total number of streams for the song from 3 (three) campaigns plus regular user activity over several months: 1303.  How is that unusual?

Mic drop....

[ZoneG516]

I completely agree with you. What’s happening here is nothing short of fraud

1. Spotify charges you for their own promotional tools like Showcase, Marquee, and Discovery Mode.
2. Their own algorithm misinterprets the campaign’s success as artificial streams.
3. They flag your streams as fraudulent and take away your royalties.
4. Then, they penalize you—removing tracks, shadowbanning, or even deleting your account.
5. And when you try to get answers, they send you in circles between the distributor and their own content team, with no clear way to defend yourself.

We’ve reported this to both TuneCore and DistroKid, and the pattern is always the same:

• Spotify refuses to provide evidence.
• They never clarify how their own paid promotions result in "unusual activity."
• Artists are left powerless, even after following their rules and paying for their services.

This is a broken system designed to extract money from independent artists while making it impossible for them to grow organically. The worst part? You can't even dispute it properly because "their platform, their rules."

Spotify isn’t just unfair—it’s actively working against independent artists while protecting only the labels and insiders. At this point, it feels like they cash in on indie artists, drain them, and then discard them.

Has anyone actually successfully fought back against this? Or is this just how Spotify operates now?

[ZoneG516]

For this reason, all showcase campaigns for my artist and other artist friends are either suspended or not started at all. This has become known and spread like wildfire. Even Discovery Mode. Until this is fixed, it's not trustworthy.

All of us affected have been red-flagged and shadow-banned, so clearly and blatantly, that it's indefensible for the system.

I'm the first to wish that bots and hacks aren't part of the equation. And that they're persecuted. But I understand that Spotify tools or legitimate social media advertising are another matter.