A recent comprehensive parliamentary investigation in France has revealed a disturbing truth: sexual violence and harassment remain endemic within the country’s entertainment sector.
The inquiry, led by MP Sandrine Rousseau, gathered testimonies from nearly 400 individuals spanning film, television, theater, music, and advertising.
The report described the problem as “systemic, endemic, and persistent,” reflecting a culture permeated by moral, sexist, and sexual violence that continues largely unchecked despite years of public awareness following the #MeToo movement.
Abuse frequently targets women and minors, with evidence showing ingrained silencing attitudes and denial prevalent within French society. The report made 86 recommendations, including tighter oversight on casting, mandatory intimacy coordinators, and restrictions against sexualizing children in productions.
Despite these proposals, the findings revealed limited societal progress, highlighting deep-rooted challenges to meaningful reform.
Key figures such as actors Juliette Binoche and Pierre Niney publicly supported the report; high-profile cases like Gérard Depardieu’s pending sexual assault trial keep the topic in focus.
The inquiry was propelled by allegations from actress Judith Godrèche, who accused famous directors of abuse during her youth, sparking debate over entrenched behaviors and industry resistance to change.
Global Reflections: Harassment Beyond French Borders
France’s revelations echo similar patterns worldwide. International studies confirm harassment as a widespread hazard in entertainment globally, worsened by factors common to many creative sectors.
Power imbalances, gender inequality, precarious contract work, and lack of stable employment increase vulnerability. Women, especially those from marginalized groups, face harassment alongside wage disparities and job insecurity.
The #MeToo movement exposed many high-profile offenders in Hollywood and beyond, yet surveys suggest workplace cultures have made only modest progress.
Fear of retaliation and reputational harm still deters victims, perpetuating silence and ongoing misconduct.
A Center for Talent Innovation study revealed 41% of women in media jobs have faced sexual harassment at some point, the highest prevalence across white-collar sectors. The study highlighted skewed power dynamics and the exploitation of authority by influential figures as root causes.
Why Reform Proves Slow: Cultural and Structural Barriers
Several reasons explain why progress lags despite growing condemnation. Entertainment industries tend to have hierarchical power structures that enable abuse, especially where informal networks govern hiring and career advancement.
The allure of fame and economic opportunity pressures victims to remain silent for prospects. Celebrity culture often shields high-profile figures from scrutiny and consequences.
Sexual Violence Protest (Credit: CNN)
Cultural attitudes also impede reform. In France, some initially dismissed #MeToo as an American import, reflecting widespread reluctance to confront sexism and victim blaming. Societal norms around gender roles and sexuality perpetuate the denial or minimization of abuse.
Inconsistent regulation and weak enforcement compound challenges. Many countries lack tailored legal frameworks protecting vulnerable creative workers; informal, project-based employment complicates interventions.
Calls for mandatory training, improved complaint systems, and independent oversight are growing but unevenly implemented.
Latest Global Statistics Underscore Urgency
Recent data worldwide reinforce the scale of the problem. A 2020 Hollywood Commission survey found over 2,250 of 5,399 women in entertainment experienced unwanted sexual advances, coercion, or assault during their careers, underscoring persistent risks despite #MeToo.
UNDP and international organizations are conducting studies focused on Asia’s media sectors, aiming to improve grievance redress mechanisms and workplace cultures.
The 2023 Women In Film survey noted a 33.7% reduction in abuse reports in Hollywood compared to previous years, signaling some progress but continued prevalence of misconduct.
Globally, surveys confirm 81% of women have experienced sexual harassment in their lives, emphasizing the systemic nature of the issue beyond entertainment alone.
Toward a Safer, More Accountable Industry
France’s detailed report stands as a wake-up call to the global entertainment community. Sexual abuse and harassment remain ingrained in industry cultures, demanding comprehensive legal, cultural, and organizational reforms.
Addressing power imbalances, fostering safe workplaces, and expanding protections, especially for minors and marginalized groups, are essential.
While increased awareness represents progress, sustained enforcement, education, and victim support must continue to break cycles of silence and denial.
The global industry must draw lessons from France’s experience and the wider international context to accelerate change, ensuring that the momentum sparked by #MeToo leads to meaningful and lasting transformation.
Since 2016, Spotify has faced scrutiny amid reports that the platform commissions tracks under pseudonymous or outright fabricated artist names.
Publications such as Music Business Worldwide and Vulture Magazine allege that this strategy allows Spotify to feature music on its curated playlists at a significantly lower royalty cost than what they pay traditional recording artists.
Internal sources indicate a network of production companies creates these tracks, labeled as “fake artists,” which populate popular genre and mood-based playlists like chill, ambient, and piano music.
In 2016, Music Business Worldwide revealed that Spotify paid flat fees for these commissioned tracks to be listed under invented identities, some with impressive streaming numbers reaching millions. This was seen as an experiment, but with potentially serious consequences for royalty distribution to real artists.
Though Spotify categorically denied creating fake artists or withholding royalties, claims persisted, noting large volumes of artists without online presence, industry representation, or verifiable information.
Many of these acts amassed huge streams despite minimal exposure elsewhere, raising questions about whether Spotify’s playlist strategies were financially disadvantaging legitimate musicians.
The Perfect Fit Content Program
A major breakthrough in understanding Spotify’s strategy came with journalist Liz Pelly’s December 2024 investigation, published in Harper’s Magazine. Pelly uncovered Perfect Fit Content (PFC), an internal initiative designed to produce background and “lean back” music tracks that fit specific playlists.
The motivation, she explained, was to optimize royalty expenses by providing suitable but lower-cost content for users who listen passively, rather than “full attention” streaming.
This program enlisted contracted composers and producers who created tracks, often anonymously, which were then strategically inserted into Spotify’s curated playlists by company employees.
Many playlist editors who resisted this practice left or were replaced, while PFC became a widespread tool to fill hundreds of playlists focused on sleep, focus, ambient, and chill music.
Pelly’s research, based on internal communications, interviews with former employees, and industry sources, indicated a troubling replacement of real artists with these commissioned “ghost” tracks in some cases supplanting original music by established creators.
Spotify’s public response cited user demand for this style of background music and framed PFC as typical data-driven experimentation rather than a ploy to dominate royalties.
Yet, the depth and scale of the program raised serious concerns about transparency, artist compensation, and the ownership of music emerging on what is the largest streaming platform globally.
Who Are the Ghost Producers?
Investigations traced many of these “fake artists’ tracks” to prolific producers and companies. Swedish production house Firefly Entertainment was linked to over 800 pseudonymous acts, with 495 placed on official playlists.
Johan Röhr emerged as a key figure with thousands of tracks across hundreds of fabricated artist profiles. Similarly, Christer Sandelin, operating through his Chillmi label, was reported to have produced “chill” music tracks amassing billions of streams under fake artist names since 2015.
Spotify Logo (Credit: NBC)
These creators often operate in a shadowy area between legitimate production work and ghostwriting, blurring lines between genuine artistry and commercial content manufacture.
Many musicians, unaware of the broader practice, simply provide anonymous compositions for these projects under contractual terms that offer little name recognition or royalties compared to traditional routes.
Artificial Intelligence: The Next Frontier
The rise of AI-generated music on Spotify has added another dimension to this debate. Reports surfaced of AI-created tracks and albums entering Spotify’s ecosystem, some indistinguishable from human compositions.
Former Stability AI executives and industry observers have noted the increasing presence of AI music, including cover versions of popular songs created algorithmically.
Concerns have mounted about AI-generated content diluting artist earnings and raising ethical questions about authenticity and copyright. Spotify currently lacks a clear policy governing AI-produced tracks, but has occasionally removed AI content violating its guidelines.
Critics worry about Spotify’s growing reliance on AI and algorithmic curation, fostering a culture of “quantity over quality,” trending toward mass-produced, low-cost music, and replacing human creativity in popular playlists.
Industry insiders worry this shift could reshape music consumption permanently, as millions listen passively to algorithm-picked songs optimized for engagement, not artistry. Spotify’s own statements portray AI music as an opportunity, but many artists and fans express apprehension about its impact on the music ecosystem.
Spotify’s Stance and Industry Impact
Spotify continues to deny creating fake artists or intentionally suppressing real musicians. Their official line emphasizes licensing from rights holders, payment of royalties for all tracks, and data-driven playlist curation responding to consumer demand.
Yet, leaked documents and whistleblower accounts contrast with these claims, underscoring tensions between corporate profitability and artist livelihoods.
The controversy has fueled growing artist discontent and prompted calls for greater transparency, fairer royalty structures, and clearer distinctions between human and AI-generated music.
Several artists and user groups have organized boycotts and campaigns demanding accountability for Spotify’s playlist practices and algorithm management.
As Spotify expands its footprint with podcasts, exclusives, and now AI initiatives, the discussion about its role in shaping music culture intensifies. Industry analysts note that streaming dominates how most listeners discover music today, placing platforms like Spotify in gatekeeper roles historically absent in music’s evolution.
A mounting question lingers: How will Spotify balance financial incentives with preserving genuine artistry and supporting the creators whose work forms the core of music’s cultural value?
The Future of Streaming Transparency
The Spotify fake artist controversy serves as a stark reminder of the challenges technology creates in the music business’s digital age. While streaming democratizes access and offers unparalleled reach, its operational models also present risks to artistic integrity.
Emerging solutions may involve stronger regulations on transparency, artist rights protection, and enhanced user awareness of AI involvement. As external pressure mounts from media, artists, and governments, streaming platforms face crucial choices shaping music’s future.
For listeners, understanding the complexities behind their favorite playlists adds new depth to streaming’s role not merely as entertainment but as a significant cultural force charged with ethical responsibility.
