Spotify has launched an investigation after a large portion of its music library was reportedly leaked online. Millions of audio files and metadata were shared by a pirate activist group using peer-to-peer networks.
The leaked content includes tens of millions of tracks and extensive metadata linked to Spotify’s catalogue. The total size of the files is estimated to run into hundreds of terabytes. The material has been circulated widely, allowing access outside Spotify’s platform.
Spotify confirmed it is aware of the situation and has started internal efforts to assess and contain the breach. The company stated that the issue did not involve a direct compromise of its internal systems. Instead, it resulted from misuse of publicly accessible data combined with illegal methods to access protected audio files. “A third party scraped public metadata and used illicit tactics to circumvent DRM to access some of our audio files,” a Spotify spokesperson said.
The company is also taking steps to prevent further distribution of the leaked files and to strengthen safeguards around its platform. Spotify added that user accounts and personal data were not affected.
The group behind the leak described its actions as part of a broader digital archiving effort. Copyright experts, however, warned that distributing copyrighted music without authorisation is illegal. The release has drawn significant attention within the music industry, where streaming platforms rely on licensing agreements to compensate artists, songwriters, and rights holders.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about digital content protection and intellectual property enforcement. Spotify said investigations into the source and extent of the scraping remain ongoing.
For more stories like this visitnaijabeats.com
