Deezer introduces a remix tool that operates without AI and compensates artists for each stream.

      Deezer has introduced Remix Lab, a feature allowing fans to remix songs directly within the app using built-in tools, rather than relying on artificial intelligence. This feature requires explicit approval from the original artists and rights holders, ensuring that artists receive royalties for each stream of the remixed songs.

      Currently, this tool is available on select artists’ pages within the Deezer app in France. Users can modify the tempo, add reverb, or make more significant alterations like changing a track's genre or style, as explained by head of product Pierre Trochu.

      Deezer is intentionally setting itself apart from platforms like Spotify, which has faced challenges with AI-generated content. Earlier this year, Spotify entered a significant licensing agreement with Universal Music Group, allowing Premium users to create AI-generated remixes and covers of participating artists' music. In contrast, YouTube's Dream Track program uses Google's AI to enable creators to rework licensed songs using text prompts.

      Deezer's initiative completely avoids AI. The remix tools are integrated within the app, with the outcomes based on user input regarding tempo, effects, and style, rather than relying on generative models. The company views this as part of its broader stance against AI-generated music on streaming services.

      Earlier this month, Deezer also launched a free tool that scans playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms for AI-generated tracks. According to the company, it processes nearly 75,000 entirely AI-generated tracks daily, which constitutes over 44 percent of all uploads. Deezer actively excludes AI tracks from its recommendations and editorial playlists.

      “This remix tool perfectly aligns with our vision of enhancing the listening experience for fans, allowing them to engage in the creative process and connect more deeply with their favourite music,” stated CEO Alexis Lanternier. He emphasized that these features are “enabled by the full participation of the artists, respecting their rights, and maximizing earnings for each track.”

      The launch includes tracks from artists such as Celine Dion, Alain Souchon, Alonzo, Ronisia, Mosimann, Tiakola, and Zaho. Users can also join contests via Deezer Club, where winning remixes will be highlighted in a dedicated Deezer playlist, and winners will receive tickets to a Deezer Purple Door event along with artist merchandise. Winners will be announced in early September.

      The feature is currently limited to France, with intentions to expand to additional countries, although Deezer has not provided a specific timeline for a wider rollout.

      The discourse regarding how streaming services manage remixes has created a divide in the industry. Spotify and Universal advocate that AI-generated fan covers, based on a consent-credit-compensation framework, provide artists with a new revenue channel. In contrast, critics, including researchers cited by WBUR, argue that AI remixes inundate platforms with synthetic content, making it increasingly difficult for human artists to gain visibility in a saturated market.

      Deezer is positioning itself on the opposing side of this debate. The company reported 132 million euros in revenue in the first quarter, a slight decline from the previous year, but saw a nine percent growth in its direct subscriber base, totaling 5.7 million. While it remains significantly smaller than Spotify, this distinction provides Deezer with less at stake and a greater incentive to stand out.

      Whether a non-AI remix tool focused on a select number of French artists can compete with the extensive scale of Spotify's AI-enabled offerings remains uncertain. Nevertheless, for a company that has shaped its recent identity around opposing AI-generated content, the launch of Remix Lab is a logical progression.