Spotify Blocks Hackers Claiming to Archive Millions of Songs
Spotify has taken action against a group of hackers who asserted they had “saved” a vast library of music and associated data from the streaming platform. The company announced on Monday, December 22, 2025, that it had deactivated the accounts responsible for the unauthorized data collection.
The group, known as Anna’s Archives, detailed their efforts in a blog post, claiming to have successfully backed up 86 million Spotify tracks and the metadata of 256 million tracks through a process called scraping. Their stated goal was to create an open, publicly accessible music “preservation archive.”
This incident comes amid a broader wave of recent cyberattacks, including a disruption of services at La Poste, as reported earlier this month.
According to Anna’s Archives, the 86 million music tracks represent over 99.6% of all plays on Spotify, while the copied metadata accounts for 99.9% of the platform’s total track catalog. This raises questions about the long-term security of digital music archives and the potential for unauthorized duplication.
While Spotify assures users that this security flaw has no direct impact on their listening experience, the scraped data theoretically allows anyone to build their own free music archives. However, the company cautions that such an endeavor would likely result in swift legal action from copyright holders.
“Spotify identified and disabled malicious user accounts engaged in illegal scraping,” a company release stated. The streaming giant emphasized that it has already implemented new security measures to prevent similar attacks and is actively monitoring for suspicious activity.
The company’s response underscores its commitment to protecting the rights of artists and the music industry. “Since day one, we have stood with the artistic community against piracy, and we actively work with our music industry partners to protect creators and defend their rights,” a senior official stated.
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between data preservation efforts and the protection of intellectual property in the digital age. Spotify’s swift action signals its determination to safeguard its content and the livelihoods of the artists it supports.
