Getting verified on Spotify now means two different things. Claiming your profile in Spotify for Artists gives you the Registered Artist label (the old blue check), while the separate Verified by Spotify badge goes to artists Spotify reviews for sustained listener interest and signs of a real artist behind the profile.
If you're reading an older guide that says 'claim your profile and you get the blue tick', it's out of date. Spotify changed its labels in 2026, and the word 'verified' now means something stricter. Here's the new setup, from Spotify's own support pages and newsroom.
The two labels side by side
| Label | What it means | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Artist | The profile is claimed and actively managed in Spotify for Artists | Claim your profile in Spotify for Artists |
| Verified by Spotify | The profile has been reviewed and it meets its criteria for authenticity and trust | Spotify's review; there's no form to fill in |
What happened to the blue check
Spotify says that starting on January 28th 2026, it began rolling out changes to the artist verification checkmark. The old Verified Artist blue check is being turned into a Registered Artist label in the About section of artist profiles. Spotify's reasoning is that 'verified' came to suggest more than the checkmark was designed to mean. All it ever showed was that someone had claimed the profile and was managing it. The change doesn't affect visibility, discovery or your access to Spotify for Artists tools.
What the Verified by Spotify badge needs
This is the stricter one. Spotify's support page lists two areas it reviews:
- Consistent listener activity over time. Spotify focuses on profiles listeners are actively and intentionally seeking out over a sustained period, not ones with a one-off spike.
- Signals of a real artist. An identifiable presence on and off Spotify, such as concert dates, merch and linked social accounts on the artist profile.
The line that matters for a lot of uploaders: at launch, profiles that appear to primarily represent AI-generated or AI-persona artists aren't eligible. Spotify also says it pairs these standards with human review, and that more than 99% of the artists listeners actively search for were verified at launch, most of them independent. So if people are searching for you by name, you're likely already covered.
How to claim your profile, step by step
- Go to Spotify for Artists and start the claim process for your artist profile.
- Add a link to your website or social channels so Spotify can confirm it's you.
- Wait for the manual review. Spotify says approval can take a few days.
- If your team has already been claimed, you can't request to join it. Ask the team's Admin to invite you instead.
- In a hurry? Ask your label or distributor for your artist link, then contact Spotify with that link and the UPC or EAN of an upcoming release for faster access.
If you don't have the Verified by Spotify badge yet
Spotify is careful to say a missing badge may simply mean a profile hasn't met the criteria yet, not that anything is wrong. The practical levers are the ones it reviews: link your social accounts on your artist profile, list your concert dates and merch, and keep releasing so listeners keep coming back. Spotify is also adding a beta section to every artist profile showing career milestones, release activity and touring activity, whether or not the profile has the badge.
My verdict
Claim your profile today if you haven't; Registered Artist is the label you control. The Verified by Spotify badge isn't something you can apply for, so treat it as a result of real activity rather than a box to tick. For the growth side, my Spotify marketing strategy covers how to build listeners, and here's how to change your Spotify username if your account details need tidying first.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Spotify blue check gone?
It's being renamed. Since January 28th 2026, Spotify has been changing the Verified Artist blue check into a Registered Artist label, which shows the profile is claimed in Spotify for Artists.
How do I get the Verified by Spotify badge?
There's no application. Spotify reviews profiles for consistent listener activity over time and signals of a real artist, such as concert dates, merch and linked social accounts.
Can AI artists get verified on Spotify?
At launch, Spotify says profiles that appear to primarily represent AI-generated or AI-persona artists aren't eligible for Verified by Spotify.
How long does it take to claim a Spotify artist profile?
Spotify reviews claims manually, so approval can take a few days. A label or distributor can help you get faster access.
