Spotify Locks Accounts After Piracy Group Claims Massive Music Hack

Spotify says it has shut down accounts linked to a piracy activist group after claims that millions of tracks and vast amounts of internal music data were copied from the platform without authorization.

The music streaming company confirmed on Monday that it had identified and disabled what it described as “nefarious” user accounts involved in unlawful scraping activities, following public claims by Anna’s Archive that it had backed up nearly Spotify’s entire catalogue.

Anna’s Archive, a group known for controversial “digital preservation” efforts, said in a blog post that it had copied 86 million audio files from Spotify, alongside metadata for 256 million tracks. According to the group, the files represent more than 99 percent of listening activity on the platform, while the metadata accounts for almost all listed tracks.

While Spotify did not dispute that scraping attempts occurred, it stressed that the incident did not compromise user data or affect the listening experience of subscribers.

The company also downplayed the immediate impact of the breach, noting that although the data could theoretically be used to build an alternative music archive, any such attempt would likely face swift legal action from rights holders and industry bodies.

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In a statement sent to AFP, Spotify said it had taken decisive action once the activity was detected.

“Spotify has identified and disabled the nefarious user accounts that engaged in unlawful scraping,” the company said. “We’ve implemented new safeguards for these types of anti-copyright attacks and are actively monitoring for suspicious behaviour.”

The company added that its position on piracy has remained consistent since launch, emphasising its alignment with artists, record labels, and publishers.

“Since day one, we have stood with the artist community against piracy, and we are actively working with our industry partners to protect creators and defend their rights,” Spotify said.

Scraping refers to the automated extraction of large volumes of data from online platforms, often in violation of terms of service. While metadata scraping is a known challenge for streaming platforms, large-scale copying of music files raises more serious copyright concerns.

Anna’s Archive framed the action as an effort to create an open “preservation archive” for music, arguing that digital platforms pose long-term risks to cultural access. That position, however, directly conflicts with copyright law and the commercial frameworks that underpin the global music industry.

Spotify has not indicated whether it plans to pursue legal action, but the company said it has strengthened internal systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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The development comes as streaming platforms face increasing pressure from both piracy groups and artificial intelligence developers seeking large datasets for training purposes. For rights holders, the incident underscores ongoing fears that digital catalogues can be replicated faster than enforcement mechanisms can respond.

Despite the claims, Spotify maintains that its core systems remain secure and that artists’ earnings and listener accounts were not affected.

For now, the platform says it will continue monitoring for suspicious behaviour as it works with industry partners to curb anti-copyright activities across the streaming ecosystem.