Spotify — music streaming platform hosting African and international artists, with content selection and anti-piracy concerns in recent coverage.
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Joy Online
… She has also applied to trademark audio of herself saying “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” from clips she recorded for Spotify and Amazon Music to promote her album The Life of a Showgirl last autumn. …
Taylor Swift files to trademark voice and image after AI concernsJoy Online
… Finding his Spotify playlists increasingly sprinkled with tracks he suspected were AI-generated, the Leipzig-based software developer built a tool to automatically label and block them from his listening. …
Why Spotify has no button to filter out AI musicGrammy-nominated Malian singer, songwriter, guitarist and actress Fatoumata Diawara has been announced as Spotify's EQUAL Africa artist for June. Known for blending Mali's Mandinka traditions with global contemporary sounds and collaborations with artists including Damon Albarn and Gorillaz, she is set to release her solo album MASSA in June 2026.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Grammy-nominated Malian singer, songwriter, guitarist and actress Fatoumata Diawara has been announced as Spotify's EQUAL Africa artist for June. Known for blending Mali's Mandinka traditions with global contemporary sounds and collaborations with artists including Damon Albarn and Gorillaz, she is set to release her solo album MASSA in June 2026.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghanaian artist Stonebwoy's 10-track album TORCHER II has surpassed one million viewership on Spotify, following its exclusive March 2026 launch and wider release in May 2026. The project blends Afro-dancehall, reggae, and introspection, exploring themes of perseverance and spiritual grounding.
8 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Ghanaian duo DopeNation's track "Kakalika" has been selected by Spotify's editorial team for its 2026 Songs of Summer Predictions list alongside international artists. The song was highlighted as part of a growing wave of sun-soaked global dance hits blending Azonto and Amapiano influences.
2 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Italy's financial police busted a sophisticated piracy network using an application called CINEMAGOAL that caused roughly €300 million in damages to rights holders including Sky, DAZN, Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify. The operation involved seizing foreign servers and prosecuting identified users across Italy, France and Germany.
25 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Nigerian Afrobeats musician Wizkid has become the first African artiste to surpass 11 billion total streams on Spotify across all credits, according to music chart platform ChartsAfrica.
21 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Nigerian singer Asake told Spotify that Lagos nurtured him into manhood after he relocated there following university and inspired many of his songs. He expressed gratitude that his talent is being appreciated worldwide, despite acknowledging there are more talented musicians who remain unheard.
1 May 2026 · Joy Online →
MTN Ghana held its first Digital Music Conference to address how artistes can earn sustainable income in the digital age. The event featured industry stakeholders and examined revenue challenges on streaming platforms, with officials noting that alternative channels like caller ring-back tones (CRBT) may offer more accessible earnings routes.
30 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Universal Music Group said it would sell half its equity stake in Spotify and double its share buyback programme, with proceeds also shared with artists under a commitment made when Taylor Swift re-signed with the label in 2018. The move comes after activist investor Bill Ackman made an unsolicited $64 billion bid for UMG three weeks prior, citing undervaluation of the company's 2.7-billion-euro Spotify stake.
30 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have transformed music distribution, but a "shadow economy" of bot farms now artificially inflates play counts using automation to mimic listeners at scale, with some offering paid services to artists and labels seeking chart visibility.
29 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A Business & Financial Times opinion piece argues that Ghanaian businesses focused on running digital ads and driving traffic often miss the deeper issue: they have not engineered the actual customer journey from discovery to loyalty. Growth comes from designing how technology and marketing work together, not from campaigns alone.
28 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Taylor Swift has filed three US trademark applications covering a stage photo from her Eras Tour and audio clips of her introducing herself, seeking to protect herself against AI-generated impersonations. The move follows a broader trend among celebrities using trademark rules to combat AI misuse of their likenesses.
28 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A Leipzig-based developer created an unofficial tool to block over 4,700 suspected AI artists from Spotify playlists after finding them increasingly prevalent, as frustration grows among users who prefer not to hear AI-generated music. Spotify has only implemented a voluntary labeling system in song credits that relies on artists and labels to self-report AI use.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →