In the wake of Bandcamp announcing a ban on AI-generated music on its platform, arts columnist Derek McArthur wonders about the odds of streaming behemoths like Spotify following suit.

Music distributor Bandcamp, the home base for independent musicians seeking to showcase their work, has finally made a much-needed decision to ban AI-generated music from its platform.

The site took to Reddit to make the announcement, stating: “The fact that Bandcamp is home to such a vibrant community of real people making incredible music is something we want to protect and maintain.

“Today, in line with that goal, we’re articulating our policy on generative AI. We want musicians to keep making music, and for fans to have confidence that the music they find on Bandcamp was created by humans.”

It is something that has hung in the air for Bandcamp, particularly since the presence of AI music on its platform has been antithetical to what the site has always stood for. The rot of AI-generated music has plagued major streaming services as of late, and it has begun to proliferate onto Bandcamp as well, the uploading of AI material muscling in on the site’s charts and genre listings at an increasing pace. Now the site pledges to ‘keep Bandcamp human’.

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It stands in opposition to the attitude of Spotify, which

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