DistroKid Removes Independent Artists’ Albums Amid UMG Copyright Suit

Josh Sahunta learned his album was gone when a friend asked him why he had taken it down. The Nashville singer-songwriter had not touched Mellowdrama, his 2022 LP and one of his most-streamed releases. Searching for an explanation, he found the record grayed out on Spotify, his DistroKid account flagged, and his royalty payments frozen. Within days it had also vanished from Apple Music, YouTube and other platforms.

DistroKid customer support eventually told him the album he wrote and recorded himself had been flagged for copyright infringement. They did not identify the recordings he was accused of copying, or name anyone filing the claim.

After a run of unanswered emails, Sahunta posted about it on Instagram last Tuesday. He says the responses came from other artists describing the same problem. DistroKid, the largest distributor by volume, has since acknowledged the takedowns. “A very small number of recordings distributed through DistroKid have been removed in response to claims made by UMG,” said Amanda Ferri, the company’s vice president of artist services.

The backdrop is litigation. UMG sued DistroKid in September, alleging deceptive business practices and copyright infringement, and claiming the platform has been used to push AI-generated recordings that divert revenue from legitimate artists and rightsholders. UMG did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DistroKid says it strongly disputes the allegations and regrets the disruption to affected artists, adding that it is working to limit it while protecting their ability to release music.

What the episode exposes is a structural imbalance. In a dispute between a distributor and the world’s largest label group, the independent artist holds no leverage and usually learns what happened only after the income stops.