Bandcamp bars music generated wholly or substantially by AI

On Tuesday, Bandcamp announced on Reddit that it will no longer permit AI-generated music on its platform. “Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp,” the company wrote in a post to the r/bandcamp subreddit. The new policy also prohibits “any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles.” Bandcamp said the rule draws a line between minor tool use and fully automated creation, noting that AI models lack personhood and creative intent while leaving space for human artists who incorporate AI tools into a larger creative process.

The company said it wants to protect its community of human artists—“The fact that Bandcamp is home to such a vibrant community of real people making incredible music is something we want to protect and maintain,” it wrote—and asked users to flag suspected AI-generated content through its reporting tools, adding it reserves “the right to remove any music on suspicion of being AI generated.” The policy contrasts with platforms such as Spotify, which permits AI-generated music and has seen user frustration over an influx of AI-created tracks from tools like Suno and Udio.

In 2023, Spotify removed tens of thousands of AI-generated songs from distributor Boomy after discovering evidence of artificial streaming fraud.

Key Topics

Culture, Bandcamp, Ai Music, Spotify, Suno, Udio