Music Beyond Control: Nearly All of Spotify’s Popular Library Leaks Online
In late December 2025, the music streaming service Spotify found itself at the center of one of the largest scandals in the history of digital music. Activists from the project Anna’s Archive claimed that they had managed to copy a significant portion of the platform’s music catalog, after which the data began circulating in the form of archives and torrent distributions. This was not a leak of individual tracks, but a massive dataset affecting almost all of the service’s most in-demand music.
According to statements by Anna’s Archive, around 86 million audio files were preserved, representing approximately 37% of Spotify’s total catalog. However, the key point lies elsewhere: these tracks account for more than 99% of all user streams on the platform. In other words, nearly all of the popular music listened to daily by hundreds of millions of users worldwide was included in the leak.
In addition to the audio files themselves, metadata for more than 250 million tracks became publicly available, including song titles, artist names, albums, cover art, unique identifiers, and technical information. The total volume of the compiled archive, according to specialized media reports, reaches approximately 300 terabytes of data, making this one of the largest leaks in the history of streaming services.
The initiators of the project describe their actions not as piracy but as an effort to “preserve musical heritage.” In their statements, Anna’s Archive claims the goal is to create a decentralized music archive independent of commercial platforms and licensing restrictions. Nevertheless, legal experts and representatives of the music industry emphasize that distributing content without the consent of rights holders remains a direct violation of copyright law, regardless of the stated intentions.
Spotify officially confirmed the fact of unauthorized access to its catalog but clarified that this was not a classic server hack. According to the company, the data was obtained through automated scraping methods, meaning large-scale collection of content accessible through the platform’s infrastructure. Spotify stated that the accounts involved were promptly disabled and that additional security measures had been implemented.
The company also stressed that no user personal data was compromised. According to Spotify representatives, the leak did not affect login credentials, passwords, payment details, or individual listening histories. The service continues to operate normally, and no changes for regular users have been reported so far.
Experts note that the situation may lead to intensified measures against illegal content consumption. In 2025, Spotify repeatedly restricted access for users employing modified versions of the app and third-party tools to bypass limitations. Cybersecurity specialists warn that installing pirated or modified applications carries not only the risk of account suspension but also potential threats from malware.
The Spotify catalog leak has once again reignited the debate over the future of digital music, artists’ rights, and the role of streaming platforms. Despite technological progress, the issue of content protection and fair access remains one of the most pressing challenges in today’s music industry.
