Spotify responds to claims of massive 300TB data scrape from piracy-linked site

Spotify has responded to claims that a piracy-linked group has obtained a massive amount of data from its platform, including metadata and audio files tied to millions of songs.

The streaming giant confirmed it is actively investigating the allegations following widespread media coverage.

The claims originate from Anna’s Archive, a website best known for backing up books and academic research. In a blog post published on December 20, the group asserted that it scraped metadata for approximately 256 million Spotify tracks and archived audio files for around 86 million songs. According to the post, the dataset represents roughly 99.6 percent of all listens on Spotify and totals just under 300 terabytes of data. The archive is reportedly being distributed through bulk torrent files and sorted by popularity.

In a statement shared with Android Authority, a Spotify spokesperson acknowledged unauthorized activity involving the platform. The company said an internal investigation found that a third party scraped publicly available metadata and used illicit methods to bypass digital rights management protections in order to access some audio files.

Spotify emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and has not confirmed the full scale of the incident. While Anna’s Archive claims near-total coverage of Spotify’s catalog and listening data, Spotify has stated only that “some” audio files were accessed. The company has not disclosed whether user data was involved or if legal action will be pursued.

Anna’s Archive has framed its actions as a preservation effort, arguing that large volumes of music—particularly lesser-known tracks—could disappear if streaming platforms lose licenses or shut down. The group described Spotify as a key source for preserving modern music history.

However, experts note that mass scraping and redistribution of copyrighted material violate Spotify’s terms of service and copyright laws in many jurisdictions. As Spotify’s investigation continues, the true scope and potential consequences of the alleged data grab remain unclear.