Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists

Monday edition • 3 min read

Faking Voices Just Got Riskier

What's Up

We finally got an update on the No Fakes Act. It just cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously. There we go, a step in the right direction.

So What

If you remember, it had a rough time back in 2024. Now it's got some teeth. They're adding content fingerprinting to help flag your voice when it gets used, and there's gonna be a $25,000 fine on every bogus takedown notice, so nobody can weaponize the system you'd use to pull a fake of yourself down. Hey, fraudsters, you know what that means. You're gonna have to find a job if this lands.

The strangest part is who's backing it. AI companies, record labels, unions, and child safety groups. These people can't stand each other, but it's nice to see a little solidarity.

Now What

The first hurdle's cleared. But there's still a full Senate vote left and then the House, which hasn't even scheduled a hearing yet. Tell your reps you want it passed. The RIAA thinks it passes this year. In the meantime, go make some music.

[Full story at DMN]

Watch Out, That Playlist "Promo" DM Is Probably a Bot Farm

What's Up

"Hey! Love your sound. I run a playlist with 40,000 followers and I'd love to feature you."

Sound familiar? A lot of those come from bot farms, and the wrong one can get your track flagged for fake streams and wiped off Spotify. Lucky for you, it doesn't take a PhD to spot the bad apples.

So What

Numbers are always the biggest tell. A legit curator with a playlist that has 40,000 followers probably isn't going to have 7 themselves. That's red flag #1. The second's all about timing. A curator adds songs they like to the playlist. They don't usually add a bunch of random songs in one sitting.

Now What

So before you reply to anyone, pull the playlist up and just take a look. Forget what's "technically" fake. If something doesn't add up, trust your gut. Hypebot's got a lot more signs you can look out for, so check them out.

[Full story at Hypebot]

Google Is Launching Search Profiles: Your Search Page, Your Way

What's Up

Search profiles might be the coolest thing Google has ever come up with. It's your very own customizable page that lives on Google Search. You can add your own avatar, bio, links and pinned content, all in one place.

Not to rain on the parade, though, but it's US-only for now, and you need 100,000 followers on YouTube, Instagram, or X (or 300,000 on TikTok) to even qualify.

So What

Branding is a non-negotiable when it comes to your image as an artist these days. Search profiles is like Google handing you the keys. When someone searches your name, you'll get to control what they see. Not Google.

Now What

We know, we know, 100k followers is a high bar. But you don't have to wait to start owning your search result. Lock your name on every platform, get a real site indexed, and keep your handle identical everywhere. Do it now, and by the time you qualify, your profile's just gonna be a trophy.

[Full story at Music Ally]