In a recent legal move, musician Marc Mysterio has accused Amazon and Distrokid of unjustly withholding royalties from his music streams. The Canadian-Irish artist claims that his work has been shadowbanned on the Amazon Music platform due to an "IF/THEN" programming block implemented by Amazon. This issue reportedly disconnects his songs from his profile, fans, and related artists, significantly impacting his earnings and visibility. To support his case, Mysterio released a detailed YouTube series providing evidence of this alleged manipulation.

Detailed Insights Into the Legal Battle

On February 27th, in the bustling city of New York, Marc Mysterio initiated a lawsuit against tech giants Amazon and music distributor Distrokid. This legal action unfolded in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Mysterio's team, composed of forensic cybersecurity experts, uncovered what they believe is an intentional programming block within Amazon Music’s system. In essence, this block changes the metadata associated with Mysterio's tracks, rendering them artist-less and thus invisible to users.

This situation emerged during a period when Mysterio enjoyed substantial success on Amazon Music, boasting over 80 million streams and gaining 1.25 million fans. However, starting in September 2024, his songs began disappearing from playlists and stations, including those linked to Taylor Swift's channel. Mysterio meticulously documented this phenomenon through a three-part YouTube series. Part one showcases his Amazon Music profile, part two presents technical evidence of the shadowban, and part three examines real-time data from Amazon Music for Artists.

Mysterio’s counsel, Attorney Michael H. Joseph, emphasizes the significance of Amazon's ability to restore certain aspects of Mysterio’s profile post-complaint but leaving the shadowban intact. This selective restoration raises questions about Amazon's intent and their capability to fully resolve the issue if they so desired.

From a journalist's perspective, this case highlights the complexities artists face in the digital age. It underscores the importance of transparency in algorithms and fair treatment by platforms that control significant portions of the music industry. Marc Mysterio’s decision to make his legal strategy public not only empowers him but also serves as a call to action for other artists who may be silently suffering similar injustices. His courage to expose these practices could lead to broader reforms ensuring equitable treatment across digital music platforms.