Bandcamp has officially banned all audio “generated wholly or in substantial part by AI,” drawing a clear line between human-made art and machine-generated content.
In a blog post titled “Keeping Bandcamp Human,” published on Tuesday, the company reiterated its long-standing mission of putting artists first. Founded in 2008 as a direct-to-fan marketplace, Bandcamp emphasized that its ecosystem is built around human creativity, community, and direct artist support—values it believes are fundamentally undermined by AI-generated music.
Under the new policy, Bandcamp has placed a complete embargo on AI-generated music and audio. The ban also extends to the use of AI tools that impersonate existing artists or replicate specific artistic styles. According to the platform, there is no longer space for AI-generated content on Bandcamp, and it reserves the right to remove any uploads that violate this policy.
The decision comes amid a surge of controversies surrounding AI music across the wider streaming landscape. As generative AI artists and tracks increasingly infiltrate algorithm-driven playlists, platforms have faced mounting pressure to respond. Spotify, for instance, announced stronger protections for artists after the exposure of Velvet Sundown as a generative AI group and similar incidents. In September, Spotify revealed it had removed more than 75 million “spammy” tracks over the previous year, attributing the influx to “bad actors and content farms” flooding the ecosystem with low-quality AI content.
Despite these measures, AI-generated music has continued to gain visibility. Just weeks later, the AI musician Xania Monet debuted on multiple Billboard charts, becoming the first known AI artist to do so. Around the same time, AI music generator Suno reached a reported valuation of $2.5 billion, while French streaming platform Deezer published findings from its first AI music survey. The report revealed that roughly 50,000 fully AI-generated tracks were being uploaded daily—accounting for 34% of total uploads—even though only 11% of respondents believed AI-generated music should be treated the same as human-created music on charts.
In December, Spotify also removed several AI-generated tracks falsely attributed to Australian psych-rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, who had already withdrawn their catalogue earlier in the year in protest of CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in an AI defense company.
While other platforms have focused on labeling, moderation, or partial regulation, Bandcamp’s outright ban stands apart. The move has been met with overwhelmingly positive reactions from artists, fans, and independent music communities, many of whom see it as a rare and decisive stand in favor of creators.
In an industry increasingly shaped by automation and scale, Bandcamp’s policy may signal a potential shift—or at least offer a blueprint—for platforms seeking to preserve the value of human artistry. At the very least, it reinforces Bandcamp’s identity as a haven for independent artists and listeners who prioritize authenticity over algorithms
