In June 2025, reports surfaced regarding the pervasive issue of fraud and fakery within the music streaming industry, particularly affecting independent artists. The fraudulent activities, which include the use of AI and bot farms, have significantly impacted the integrity of music streaming platforms. The fraudulent practices involve the manipulation of streaming numbers to artificially boost the popularity of certain tracks. This manipulation often results in independent artists being unfairly disadvantaged, as their genuine efforts to gain listeners are overshadowed by artificially inflated statistics. The use of AI and bot farms to generate fake streams has become a growing concern, undermining the trust and fairness of the music streaming ecosystem. The issue highlights the broader challenges faced by the music industry in maintaining authenticity and fairness. Independent artists, who often rely on streaming platforms to gain visibility and revenue, are particularly vulnerable to these fraudulent activities. The manipulation of streaming data not only affects the artists' ability to earn income but also distorts the metrics used by streaming services to recommend music to listeners. As the music industry continues to grapple with these issues, there is a growing call for more robust measures to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. Industry stakeholders are advocating for enhanced transparency and stricter regulations to ensure that streaming data accurately reflects genuine listener engagement. Efforts are underway to develop more sophisticated algorithms and monitoring systems to identify and mitigate the impact of AI and bot farms on music streaming platforms.