How to Get Verified on Spotify
Distribution & Stores

Spotify changed its checkmarks in 2026, so older guides are out of date. There are now two different things, and you get them in different ways.

Registered Artist: the old blue check

From January 28, 2026, Spotify began replacing the blue "Verified Artist" checkmark with a Registered Artist label. Spotify's reason: "verified" had come to suggest more than the checkmark ever meant. All it ever showed was that the profile is claimed and managed in Spotify for Artists.

Nothing else changed. Spotify says the switch doesn't affect visibility, discovery, royalties or access to Spotify for Artists tools. (Spotify: Updates to the verification checkmark)

So getting the old blue check today means claiming your profile. Here's how.

Claim your profile after your first release

Spotify creates your artist profile automatically when your first release is delivered. You can't create one yourself, and every release has to come through a label or distributor.

1. Release your music through your distributor. With MOOSYC, one upload reaches 43+ platforms, Spotify included.
2. Go to Spotify for Artists and submit a request for your artist profile.
3. Add a link to your website or social channels so Spotify can confirm it's you.
4. Wait for the review. Spotify checks requests by hand, so approval can take a few days. If it's rejected, Spotify emails you the next steps.

Only one claim can be open per profile at a time. If someone else already claimed yours, a band member or a manager, say, ask that team's Admin to invite you instead.

(Spotify: Getting access to Spotify for Artists)

Claim it before release day

You don't have to wait for the song to come out. Spotify lets you join your team early: contact Spotify with your artist link and the UPC of your upcoming release.

• Your UPC is in MOOSYC: open the release in your Library and choose Copy UPC from its menu.
• Your artist link exists once your release has been delivered to Spotify. Help claiming your Spotify profile is part of the plan.

Claiming early is worth it if you want to pitch to Spotify's editors. Pitching happens in Spotify for Artists, and Spotify asks you to deliver at least 7 days before release so its editors have time to listen.

Keep every release on one profile

When you release again, MOOSYC asks which Spotify profile is yours. Pick the same one every time, and spell your artist name exactly the same way, so everything lands on one profile instead of splitting into two. Metadata Guidelines covers the details.

Verified by Spotify: the new badge

Verified by Spotify arrived in April 2026, and it means something different. Spotify reviews profiles for:

• Consistent listener activity over time, from people actively seeking you out
• Good standing with Spotify's platform policies
• Signs of a real artist on and off Spotify, like concert dates, merch and social accounts linked on your profile

Spotify pairs these standards with human review, and adds the badge on an ongoing basis. Its support page doesn't describe a way to apply. If you don't have it yet, Spotify says that doesn't mean you won't get it later. Profiles that mainly represent AI-generated or AI-persona artists aren't eligible, though artists who use AI tools responsibly can be. (Spotify: Verified by Spotify)

It's Spotify's call, not your distributor's. What you can do is give Spotify the signals it looks for:

• Claim your profile and keep it current
• Link your social accounts, and list your shows and merch
• Release consistently and grow real listeners
• Stay away from anything that sells streams, followers or playlist spots. See Stream Manipulation Policy Explained.

If your claim is rejected

Spotify emails you the next steps.