A viral folk-pop track, created with the help of artificial intelligence, has been officially excluded from Sweden's national music charts despite achieving significant streaming success. The song, Jag vet, du är inte min (I know, you're not mine), performed by an artist named Jacub, had topped Spotify's rankings in Sweden.
Chart Body Draws a Line on AI
The Swedish music trade body, IFPI Sweden, which compiles the official Sverigetopplistan, confirmed the exclusion. Ludvig Werber, IFPI Sweden's chief executive, stated the organisation's clear rule: "if it is a song that is mainly AI-generated, it does not have the right to be on the top list." This decision came after an investigation revealed the AI origins of the track.
The acoustic guitar-led song is part of a six-track EP titled Kärleken är Bränd (Love is Burned). It has been streamed more than 5 million times globally, with approximately 200,000 of those streams originating in Sweden.
The AI Artist Unveiled
Investigative journalist Emanuel Karlsten uncovered that the song was registered to a Danish music publisher called Stellar. Notably, two of the credited rights holders work in the company's AI department. In a statement, Stellar confirmed that "the artist Jacub's voice and parts of the music are generated with the help of AI as a tool in our creative process."
The company, which describes itself as a creative music firm and not a tech outfit, defended the release. It argued that creating the hit required more than simple AI prompting, involving significant time and artistic vision from music professionals. Stellar also distanced itself from what it termed "AI music slop"—mass-produced, low-quality AI content.
Broader Implications for the Music Industry
This incident highlights the growing regulatory grey area surrounding AI in creative industries. Spotify does not currently require music to be labelled as AI-generated, though it has taken steps to combat AI-made spam tracks that fraudulently generate royalties.
Campaigners like composer Ed Newton-Rex argue that Jacub's success underscores the urgent need for mandatory AI labelling. "If Spotify told users when they were listening to AI music this wouldn't have made it so high in the charts, taking streams and royalties away from human musicians," he said.
This is not the first case of an AI artist finding an audience. Last year, a completely AI-generated "band" named Velvet Sundown amassed over a million streams before its artificial nature was revealed.
In response to these challenges, Spotify, which is headquartered in Sweden, has backed the development of a new voluntary industry standard for disclosing AI use in tracks, being developed by the non-profit DDEX. However, the Jacub case demonstrates how existing chart rules are already being tested by this rapidly evolving technology.
