Spotify (SPOT) disabled several user accounts after a piracy-linked group claimed it had scraped a large volume of music and metadata from the platform. The group, known as Anna’s Archive, said it copied around 86 million audio files and metadata for 256 million tracks. The group framed it as a preservation project, but Spotify said the scraping was unlawful and violated digital rights rules.
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The group said its collection spans over 99.6% of Spotify’s listening activity. In total, the archive covers about 300 terabytes of data, including song information, codes, and audio files in compressed formats. According to its blog, Anna’s Archive grabbed public metadata and found ways to get around Spotify’s copyright protection to download songs. The group has released only the metadata so far, but it said audio files will be shared later in bulk downloads.
The data includes 186 million unique song codes. The group says this makes it the biggest public database of music metadata on record.
Meanwhile, SPOT shares haven’t been affected by the leak, with a modest 0.10% rise on Tuesday, closing at $579.39.
Spotify’s Position and Impact
In response, Spotify stated it took down the accounts tied to the scraping and added new safety measures to block similar attempts. The company also noted that the scraping did not affect any user accounts or private data. Spotify also said it is working with other industry groups to help protect music rights.
While no financial damage was reported, the scale of the operation could raise fresh questions about how secure digital streaming models really are. Spotify has often stressed its support for music creators and has pushed back strongly against piracy efforts.
From an investor’s view, the issue doesn’t appear to impact Spotify’s core business today. But it adds to the risks platforms face from growing pressure on digital security and rights enforcement.
Is SPOT a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to the Street, Spotify boasts a Moderate Buy consensus, based on 26 analysts’ ratings. The average SPOT stock price target is $769.33, implying a 32.78% upside from the current price.
