DistroKid Removes Songs Amid UMG Lawsuit, Leaving Artists Frustrated and Confused

DistroKid has been quietly removing songs from its platform in response to a lawsuit filed by Universal Music Group (UMG) in September. The label’s claims have led the music distribution company to take down a significant number of recordings without warning or explanation, leaving many artists frustrated and confused.

The affected artists report that they received no communication from DistroKid before or after their songs were removed. This lack of transparency has sparked outrage among musicians who feel that their work is being unfairly targeted. Musician McGwire, also known as the ‘Video Game boy,’ had six of his songs taken down by DistroKid without any notice.

McGwire’s case highlights the difficulties artists face when trying to contact DistroKid for an explanation. He reported having a lengthy conversation with a bot before finally speaking with a live agent. The removed tracks included a cover song and another that used a licensed beat, but one of the songs was taken down due to an uncleared sample from a track released two years after McGwire’s.

Other artists have shared similar experiences with DistroKid’s removal process. Music producer Jesse Cannon told The Verge that ‘DistroKid gave up on customer service about two years ago.’ He expressed sympathy for the affected artists but seemed unsurprised by the company’s indifference, stating that former employees had described customer service as a waste of profits due to their high market share.

DistroKid has acknowledged removing songs in response to UMG’s claims, with VP of Artist Services Amanda Ferri stating that ‘a very small number of recordings distributed through DistroKid have been removed.’ The company disputes the allegations underlying UMG’s lawsuit and is working to minimize disruption while protecting artists’ ability to release their music. However, many artists remain frustrated by the lack of communication and recourse in this situation.