Sony Music artists including Harry Styles voice deepfake
Sony Music has issued over 260,000 takedown requests for AI-generated tracks that impersonate the voices and likenesses of its artists without authorization
- Reported date
- Oct 5, 2026
- Target
- Sony Music artists including Harry Styles, Adele, and Michael Jackson
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
Sony Music is engaged in an escalating battle against unauthorized AI-generated content, having issued over 260,000 takedown requests for tracks that impersonate its artists. The company describes the proliferation of these deepfakes as an uphill struggle that harms artists, misleads fans, and undermines the ethical use of AI technology.
What happened
By the end of September 2026, Sony Music reported that it had requested the removal of more than 260,000 AI-generated tracks from digital platforms. This figure represents a significant increase from the 135,000 takedowns reported in March 2026 and the 75,000 reported in March 2025. The company estimates that it has been issuing an average of over 20,000 takedown requests per month throughout the second and third quarters of 2026.
The deepfakes target high-profile artists on the Sony roster, including Harry Styles, Adele, Britney Spears, Queen, and Michael Jackson. These tracks utilize generative AI to imitate the specific voices and likenesses of these performers without permission. According to Dennis Kooker, President of Global Digital Business & US Sales at Sony Music Entertainment, these deepfakes are often demand-driven, with bad actors exploiting the popularity of artists during promotional cycles for new music.
Beyond simple impersonation, the industry is grappling with broader issues of streaming fraud. Reports suggest that fraudsters use AI to mass-produce tracks and deploy bot networks to generate illegitimate streams, potentially siphoning royalties away from legitimate rightsholders. Industry executives estimate that such streaming fraud could cost the music industry up to $2.2 billion annually. While platforms like Spotify have introduced policies against unauthorized vocal impersonation and piloted artist profile protection features, Sony continues to advocate for stronger legal frameworks, such as the proposed US NO FAKES Act, to establish clear federal rights regarding the protection of an individual's voice and visual likeness against unauthorized digital replication.