Spotify's response could be a classic non-denial denial.

>"We do not and have never created 'fake' artists and put them on Spotify playlists. Categorically untrue, full stop"

For this to be true: some third party created them on behalf of Spotify.

>“We pay royalties -- sound and publishing -- for all tracks on Spotify, and for everything we playlist.

FTTBT: they pay the third party a non-zero sum (normal rates??)

>"We do not own rights, we’re not a label, all our music is licensed from rightsholders and we pay them -- we don’t pay ourselves."

FTTBT: third party frontman "owns the rights", duuh

Then again, I, for one, welcome our new musical overlords ;)