A comprehensive analysis of more than two million tracks has raised fresh questions about whether Spotify’s growing reliance on algorithms and artificial intelligence is limiting the visibility of Australian music rather than supporting it.

The research, conducted using data covering over two million tracks, thousands of playlists and more than twelve thousand artists, found that Australian acts remain underrepresented across influential global playlists.

These playlists, which play a central role in shaping listener discovery, are increasingly driven by algorithmic recommendations that favour familiarity, scale and established global reach.

The findings suggest that while streaming platforms offer unprecedented access to audiences, they may also reinforce structural imbalances.

Factors such as label resources, prior popularity and international exposure appear to play a decisive role in determining which artists are promoted through automated systems.

Concerns have been amplified by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence-generated music, which has introduced a new layer of competition.

The ability to produce large volumes of low-cost content has led to a surge of tracks entering the platform, some of which are designed to exploit recommendation systems or streaming royalties.

Industry efforts to curb this trend have already led to the removal of tens of millions of tracks identified as artificial or deceptive.

Despite these developments, available evidence indicates that AI-generated content has not yet fundamentally displaced human artists in terms of listener engagement.

Streaming platforms maintain that the proportion of user listening directed toward such material remains relatively low, even as the volume of uploads continues to grow.

For Australian musicians, however, the challenge appears less about direct competition with AI and more about discoverability within an increasingly crowded and automated ecosystem.

Analysts note that algorithmic curation can create feedback loops in which globally dominant artists are repeatedly prioritised, making it harder for emerging local talent to break through.

At the same time, consumer research suggests strong public interest in discovering local music, indicating a disconnect between audience demand and platform visibility.

This gap has prompted calls for policy responses, including potential quotas, improved transparency in recommendation systems and greater investment in local content promotion.

The debate highlights a broader transformation in the music industry, where technological innovation is reshaping how artists reach audiences.

While streaming has expanded access and lowered barriers to entry, it has also introduced new gatekeeping mechanisms embedded within algorithms and data-driven systems.

Rather than a simple question of artificial intelligence replacing human creativity, the emerging picture points to a more complex dynamic in which platform design, commercial incentives and technological scale are redefining whose music is heard.