When distributing a release, you may encounter the following error:
“The artist ‘[Name]’ is on a Spotify Watchlist. Please email support to confirm that you have the rights to distribute material with this artist.”
This message means that Spotify has flagged the artist for additional review. This could be due to previous violations, impersonation risks, artificial streaming, or association with a well-known name. Delivery of the release is paused until rights are confirmed.
What to Do as a Kingsmen Studio Client
If you are releasing music through Kingsmen Studio and receive this warning, you must contact us before we can proceed with delivery to Spotify.
Please send the following information to [email protected] or submit a ticket through our Help Center:
Artist name (exactly as it appears in the release)
Spotify artist profile link or Spotify ID
UPC of the release
Clarify whether:
This is the well-known artist on the Spotify Watchlist
Or it is a different artist with a similar or identical name (a namesake)
Let us know if you plan to release more tracks with this artist in the future
We will handle the rights confirmation process on your behalf and notify Spotify if required. Depending on Spotify’s internal process, delivery may be delayed by 24–48 hours.
Why Artists Get Flagged
Spotify maintains a Watchlist to prevent impersonation, metadata abuse, copyright fraud, or inflated streaming. Artists may be flagged if they:
Share a name with a major artist
Have had a prior violation or takedown
Are connected to suspicious playlists or artificial streams
Trigger internal quality or safety checks
This is not a ban, but it does require manual confirmation before your release can go live.
Can the Artist Be Removed from the Watchlist?
There is no formal removal process, and Spotify does not notify when an artist is no longer flagged. However:
If no issues occur on future releases
And content follows platform rules
→ The Watchlist status may eventually be lifted silently.
Need Help?
We’re here to support you. Contact us at [email protected] and we’ll walk you through the process to ensure your release is delivered properly.