If you’re a podcaster who includes music in your episodes, it’s important to be aware of Spotify’s strict stance on music. Recently, Spotify has been actively removing episodes containing music, regardless of whether you’ve obtained a proper license for the tracks.
Why is Spotify Removing Episodes with Music?
Spotify has made it clear that their platform is not intended to be a music distribution tool, even for podcasters who have legally licensed the music. This means that even if you’ve purchased a license to use music in your podcast, whether it’s in the U.S., Mexico, Europe, or elsewhere, Spotify’s policy still applies.
Example of takedown notice from Spotify
Regardless of the licensing status of the music, our podcast service is not intended to be a music distribution tool.
They do not allow music in podcasts at all, regardless of the licensing status. If your episode includes music, you may receive a notification from Spotify stating that the episode has been removed.
What Can You Do Instead?
To avoid episode takedowns, we recommend using music that’s free from copyright restrictions. There are many resources where you can find royalty-free music or music licensed under Creative Commons, which is ideal for podcasters.
For more information see also article Music Copyright Basics for Podcasters.
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