Sony Music has filed more than 260,000 takedown requests against AI-generated deepfakes of its artists, nearly double the number it reported in March.

The fakes use voice-cloning tools to make it sound as if stars like Harry Styles, Adele, Queen and Michael Jackson are singing songs they never recorded. Many go viral before they are removed.

The takedowns rely on copyright and related rights. A fake vocal track usually copies the artist's recorded voice, and platforms remove reported uploads under notice-and-takedown rules.

But enforcement is whack-a-mole. New uploads appear as fast as old ones are removed, and some fakes are original compositions that test the limits of current law.

The industry wants new rights over vocal likeness. Several countries are drafting rules that would let artists block AI imitations of their voices.

For fans, the advice is simple: if a surprise collaboration sounds too good to be true, check the artist's official channels before sharing.

Sources: musicbusinessworldwide.com, musically.com, ad-hoc-news.de.