Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation several major music streaming services over an alleged bribery scheme tied to song promotion.
Paxton announced an investigation into Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and YouTube, accusing them of engaging in payola practices. The companies are alleged to have accepted payments to artificially boost certain songs, artists or content without properly disclosing those arrangements.
Authorities say the shift from traditional radio to digital streaming has opened new avenues for pay-for-play tactics, including record labels or artists paying for placement in influential playlists or recommendation algorithms.
“Music artists deserve to compete on a level playing field, not one distorted by bribes, and listeners deserve transparency in what they are being recommended,” said Attorney General Paxton. “That is why I am investigating these popular streaming platforms. I will ensure that if any big streaming service is accepting bribes to push certain content and deceive users, they will be held accountable to restore fairness and integrity in the music industry.”
Paxton’s office has issued Civil Investigative Demands to each of the companies as part of the probe.
