Hi Pex Partner,

Last week we released data on modified audio across DSPs, which was featured in several publications including Billboard. We're glad the industry took notice considering these modified tracks are earning royalties for the wrong people, and we need to work together to solve this problem.  

Despite all the attention drawn to this issue, every example of modified audio we shared last week is still live across DSPs, and are therefore still potentially diverting royalties from the correct rightsholders. Whose responsibility is it to investigate these tracks and remove them if fraudulent? Will any royalties paid out incorrectly be recovered? The response so far has been slow, but we hope to get answers to these questions soon. 

For now, we're back with five new examples of modified songs to show you what you've been missing. If you know someone who should be seeing this, tell them to sign up for our newsletter here.

This week's modified audio

“Poker Face” - Original recording by Lady Gaga
Manipulated audio: “Poker Face (sped up) - remix” - by Splice Records
4,287,872 streams on Spotify as of 11/06/23
Currently live on: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Tidal

“That's What I Like” – Original recording by Bruno Mars
Manipulated audio: “That's What I Like (Sped Up) - Remix” – by Muppet DJ and SECA records
2,635,744 streams on Spotify as of 11/06/23
Currently live on: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Tidal

“Harleys in Hawaii” - Original recording by Katy Perry
Manipulated audio: “Harleys in Hawaii - Nightcore” - by Neko
566,030 streams on Spotify as of 11/06/23
Currently live on: Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Tidal

“Pumped Up Kicks” - Original recording by Foster The People
Manipulated audio: “Pumped Up Kicks - Slowed+Reverb)” - by Sped Up+Slowed
685,787 streams on Spotify as of 11/06/23
Currently live on: Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Tidal

“Hey Brother” - Original recording by Avicii
Manipulated audio: “Hey Brother (Switching Vocals)” - by Fly By Nightcore
11,756,388 streams on Spotify as of 11/06/23
Currently live on: Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Tidal

Want to know if you're losing royalties from these tracks, or need to prevent your platform from distributing them? Sign up for a demo of our new ACR solution Pex Search. We'll show you what you've been missing.

See you next week,

The Pex Team