Spotify’s Stockholm headquarters. Photo by Goombah, cropped (CC0)
Want to hear your favorite rock song as a dance track, made by AI? You’ll apparently have to wait. Spotify’s planned AI remixes and covers feature is now aimed at early 2027, the Financial Times reports, according to heise online and the Australian Financial Review.
Key Takeaways
- The FT, citing a person familiar with the plans, says the launch target is now early 2027.
- The feature could cost an extra $4 to $5 a month, according to the report.
- The main hurdle is persuading major current artists to take part. Artists can reportedly opt in or out even if their label signs on.
- Universal and Spotify announced a deal for AI remixes in May; talks with Sony Music and Warner Music are reportedly ongoing.
The Full Story
Unlike AI apps that spit out brand-new songs, Spotify’s idea is to let listeners have AI rework tracks by participating artists, from covers to genre-flipped remixes. Artists are expected to get a share of the extra fees when their songs are changed, per the report.
But a label deal isn’t enough. Spotify apparently has to negotiate with musicians one by one, and some of today’s biggest names are wary. Olivia Rodrigo told The Hollywood Reporter in October, “I would never use AI in any of my music, absolutely no.” Some established older artists have reportedly signaled they’re open to it.
Co-CEO Gustav Söderström said in August the product would arrive when it was ready, with a research preview for some users first, according to the FT. Bernstein analyst Ian Moore estimates 7% to 8% of Spotify’s paying U.S. customers could use it by the end of 2028.
The Social Conversation
The delay shows where AI music is headed: less about whether the tech works and more about who says yes. With labels suing some AI startups and licensing others, artist consent is turning into the real product.
