Months after removing their entire catalog from Spotify in protest, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard found themselves victimized by an AI clone on the platform they abandoned.
An account operating under the name “King Lizard Wizard” uploaded what appeared to be AI-generated versions of the band’s songs. Each one had the same title and lyrics as an actual King Gizzard song, suggesting someone had fed the band’s lyrics into an AI music generator programmed to mimic their sound. Some uploads from the counterfeit account even listed KGLW frontman Stu Mackenzie as composer and lyricist.
The fraudulent tracks gained significant visibility through Spotify’s algorithms, appearing in users’ Release Radar playlists and accumulating tens of thousands of streams before they were finally removed.
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Responding to the incident, Mackenzie told The Music he was “trying to see the irony in this situation,” adding, “But seriously wtf we are truly doomed.”
This marks the second time King Gizzard has faced impersonation on Spotify. The band departed Spotify in July over CEO Daniel Ek‘s investment in Helsing, a defense company developing AI-powered military drone technology.
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Spotify removed the content and stated no royalties were paid, emphasizing that artist impersonation violates platform policies. The company updated its AI impersonation policy in September, declaring: “Unauthorised use of AI to clone an artist’s voice exploits their identity, undermines their artistry, and threatens the fundamental integrity of their work. Some artists may choose to license their voices to AI projects—and that’s their choice to make. Our job is to do what we can to ensure that the choice stays in their hands.”
However, the incident underscores ongoing challenges streaming services face in combating AI-generated content that exploits legitimate artists.