The NMPA has launched a major takedown action against Spotify, targeting over 2,500 instances of alleged copyright infringement in podcasts. This initiative involves 19 member publishers, including major publishing companies, and comes after Spotify's controversial decision to reclassify most U.S. subscriptions as bundles.

NMPA president David Israelite emphasized that this action follows previous warnings and a cease-and-desist letter sent in May 2024. The letter highlighted concerns about Spotify's unauthorized use of lyrics, music videos, and musical works in podcasts without proper compensation to publishers.

The timing coincides with Spotify's strong Q4 2024 earnings report and record stock price. The NMPA's action also follows the January 2025 dismissal of an MLC lawsuit challenging Spotify's bundling reclassifications, which have reportedly saved the company over $100 million in royalty payments.

Spotify's response characterizes the takedown effort as "a weak reaction" to the MLC lawsuit dismissal, noting that the NMPA delayed months before reporting these episodes despite Spotify's requests for details.

The scope of potential infringement extends beyond the initial 2,500 cases, with problematic content including:

• TikTok video compilations with music
• Unauthorized mixtapes
• Television episodes with licensed music
• Unauthorized concert recordings
• Various other content using copyrighted music

The NMPA has stated it will continue issuing takedown notices until Spotify addresses these copyright concerns and ensures fair compensation for songwriters.

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