Spotify has invalidated roughly 500,000 streams of a recent chart-topping song after uncovering evidence of artificial playback activity tied to users of prediction platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi. The move directly affected “Earrings,” a viral hit by emerging artist Malcolm Todd, which had experienced a meteoric rise to number one on Spotify’s charts.
The investigation was reportedly set in motion when other traders on those same prediction markets—who speculate on the chart performance of songs across streaming services—began scrutinizing Spotify’s data and flagged unusual spikes in listenership. An internal review by the streaming giant confirmed the anomaly: the streams were artificially generated, apparently for speculative gain. As a result, Spotify deducted approximately 500,000 fraudulent plays, causing “Earrings” to drop to fourth place in the rankings.
In an official statement, a Spotify spokesperson emphasized that while all streaming services face evolving manipulation tactics, the company has implemented advanced detection systems to identify and neutralize bogus streams. The spokesperson also clarified that Spotify does not pay royalties for plays it deems illegitimate.
The incentive to distort the charts is no coincidence. Platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi allow users to place financial bets on which artists will secure the top spots on weekly music rankings. In this case, Todd’s sudden surge—which spiked by as much as 70% within a single 24‑hour period—came just days after Kalshi had given him only a 2.5% chance of reaching number one by the end of June.
While the artist himself is not believed to have been involved in the manipulation, the incident has once again drawn scrutiny to prediction markets. Though these platforms have grown increasingly popular in recent years, they continue to struggle with recurring issues such as insider trading and intentional distortion of outcomes.
Additionally, according to sources cited by Bloomberg, Spotify has formally requested that both Kalshi and Polymarket remove the Spotify logo from their websites, to prevent users from mistakenly assuming there is an official partnership or endorsement between the companies. Both platforms are currently reviewing the allegations, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Wired.
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