Marc Mysterio sues Amazon and DistroKid over alleged shadow-ban and unpaid royalties
Award-winning musician and producer Marc Mysterio has taken legal action against Amazon and DistroKid, alleging that he has been denied proper compensation for his music streams and that his content has been shadow-banned since September 10, 2024.
According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 1:25-cv-01705), Mysterio claims Amazon blocked or partially blocked his music from streaming, causing fans to receive “streaming error” messages when attempting to play his tracks or request them via Alexa.
“We filed this lawsuit to make sure that Marc Mysterio gets the fruits of his labor as one of the top performers on Amazon Music in 2024 and injunctive relief to end the shadow-ban,” said Michael H. Joseph, Mysterio’s attorney.
Marc Mysterio’s massive streaming success
From September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, Mysterio achieved:
- 80 million+ streams on Amazon Music
- 1.25 million+ fans/followers
- 15 million unique listeners in 2024
- 45,000 Alexa requests in August 2024
- Amazon and Billboard chart placements
Despite these achievements, his royalties have not been fully accounted for, and the alleged shadow-ban has caused substantial financial losses, the lawsuit claims.
Allegations against Amazon and DistroKid
Mysterio’s legal team argues that Amazon has interfered with streaming figures, affecting Amazon/Billboard chart rankings and directly harming his earnings. Additionally, DistroKid, which was responsible for distributing his music, allegedly failed to remit 100% of the royalties received from Amazon.
“Defendants need to account for royalties due, as well as compensate for future losses proximate from the shadow-ban. These losses are already in the ‘millions’ and will increase by trial date,” Joseph added.
UnitedMasters also affected?
Further complicating the issue, Mysterio’s music distributed through UnitedMasters has also been impacted, according to an email from UnitedMasters VP of Music, David Melhado, confirming ongoing issues with Amazon.
“I am currently in the US, and I’m having the same issue with streaming your music. I’ve followed up with Amazon a few times and am still not hearing back.”
Mysterio has posted screenshot evidence from his Amazon Music Artists’ Account on his X (Twitter) profile (@marc_mysterio), showcasing his streaming figures, chart rankings, and fan engagement metrics.
What happens next?
The lawsuit seeks:
- Full accounting of unpaid royalties
- Injunctive relief to end the alleged shadow-ban
- Compensation for damages, estimated in the millions
This case has the potential to set a precedent for independent artists battling against music industry giants and streaming platforms.
