Spotify and Merlin Join Forces to Revolutionize AI Remixes

Spotify and Merlin Join Forces to Revolutionize AI Remixes

During its second-quarter earnings call, Spotify once again mentioned the imminent launch of a new product that will allow music fans to use AI to create covers and remixes of artists' tracks, with their consent.

The company also announced that Merlin, a licensing partner for independent labels and distributors, has joined Universal Music Group (UMG) in this new AI-based musical initiative. This agreement allows the integration of over 30,000 labels from the Merlin network into the product, thus enabling the creation of covers and remixes by artists who agree to participate.

Spotify has positioned its AI-based music product as significantly different from more controversial AI music startups that have been used to create entirely artificial songs. During the call, co-CEO Gustav Söderström told investors that the company's AI music product will involve "real artists, not fictional artists."

"We want artists to consent to have their work included in this catalog, so that people can have fun with covers and remixes based on their art," added co-CEO Alex Norström. "We also want to give them credit. And finally... we not only have consent and give credit, but we also ensure compensation for it. So, in reality, we are talking about the first legal way to participate in this AI dynamic that we see emerging for interactive music," he stated.

AI music has flooded streaming services. The music service Deezer recently noted that over 50% of daily track downloads were generated by AI, compared to 10% in January 2025.

The company informed investors that a research preview of the remix and cover product for fans would initially be made available to a subset of users. Spotify also clarified that it would not require a complete music catalog to get started. The company did not specify when the preview would be available.

The new tool will be launched as a paid option, thus creating an additional revenue stream for artists, Spotify previously stated.

"Our remix and cover product is, I think, incredibly exciting because there is no one else who can really do this," said Söderström. "Normal generative music will happen with or without us. This product will not happen without us, and it needs to exist for existing artists to participate."