Bandcamp lays down its policies on AI music, doubling down on an artist-first approach in an industry still figuring out what to do with AI.

2025 was no stranger to AI-generated music. From AI band The Velvet Sundown building an audience on Spotify, to AI artist Xania Monet landing a reported $3 million record deal, to music generator Suno hitting a multi-billion-dollar valuation and partnering with Warner Music, AI music continues to capture headlines. 

Now, Bandcamp has made its position on AI music crystal clear. Human artists are central to Bandcamp, and AI music has no place on the platform. 

Bandcamp’s new AI policies

Bandcamp’s updated policy doesn’t leave much room for interpretation. Under the new guidelines: 

  • Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not allowed on the platform.
  • Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited in accordance with Bandcamp’s existing policies prohibiting impersonation and intellectual property infringement.

In short, Bandcamp is drawing a hard line against music where AI does the heavy-lifting, rather than being used as a supporting tool. 

It makes sense too. Bandcamp’s mission has always been about helping real artists connect directly with real fans. Initiatives like Bandcamp Fridays, where artists keep 100% of profits on their music sold on those Fridays, have been known to help generate millions of dollars for independent artists.

By banning AI-generated music, Bandcamp is reinforcing its position as an artist-first platform. Plus, it reinforces trust on both sides of the platform. Fans can continue to support artists, knowing that they’re supporting genuine, human creativity. Meanwhile, artists know they’re not competing with AI uploads. 

Bandcamp Fridays generate $19M for artists in 2025

Moving forward

AI isn’t going anywhere, and in 2026 the questions around AI music are only getting louder. Streaming platforms are still working out how to deal with AI. 

As the lines between human-made and artificial music get more blurry, the decision is only becoming more difficult. A recent Deezer survey indicated that 97% of people can’t even tell the difference between a human or AI-made track, and that’s concerning. 

Bandcamp is clearly setting a high bar by prioritizing human creativity above all else. But for other streaming platforms, calls for transparency could be the middle ground. If platforms do allow AI-generated music, listeners deserve to know whether they’re listening to real or AI-generated music. 

For now though, the message for artists and fans on Bandcamp is refreshingly straightforward.

Distribute your music independently to all major streaming platforms for free with RouteNote today!