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It’s not every day that the world’s biggest music streamer decides to flex its legal muscles against a small open-source patching project, but here we are. Spotify, soon after rolling out lossless audio, has just fired off a DMCA takedown notice to ReVanced, the folks known for making patches that tweak Android apps, over their “Unlock Premium” patch. And the legal drama is already looking messy.

So, what’s the beef?

According to Spotify, this patch is a derivative of their copyrighted code and, even worse (in their eyes), it circumvents their technological protection measures. That’s lawyer-speak for “you’re breaking our locks and sneaking into the VIP section without a ticket.” Specifically, Spotify claims the patch lets users bypass encryption, transfer key protocols, and premium restrictions like unlimited skipping.

In short: Spotify thinks ReVanced’s patch is basically a key to the premium candy store.

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But ReVanced isn’t taking that lying down. In a public announcement, the team insists that their patch does not copy Spotify’s code. They argue that Spotify Free users still only get access to free-tier songs. The patch doesn’t unlock downloads or magically conjure unavailable tracks. The main thing it does, they say, is make the app usable when modified, because Spotify requires “attestation” (a kind of integrity check) to stop patched versions from even running.

Here’s where it gets tricky:

If simply bypassing attestation counts as a DMCA violation, then even patches that exist just to make Spotify work when modified could be considered illegal. And that’s where the legal hair-splitting begins. Past court cases like 321 Studios v. MGM (remember the DVD ripper wars?) and MDY v. Blizzard (gamers will know this one) show that U.S. courts sometimes treat bypassing software restrictions as circumvention, even if it’s about features rather than directly stealing content.

So yes, this isn’t just about skipping ads. It’s about whether any tweak to Spotify’s walled garden is a DMCA no-no.

ReVanced, knowing they’re standing in front of a legal freight train, is now asking for copyright/DMCA experts to step in and advise them before their deadline, which is just one business day from the notice.

As someone who’s seen plenty of David vs. Goliath moments in tech, I can’t help but feel that this is one of those classic standoffs: a global streaming giant determined to protect its subscription model versus a scrappy open-source group arguing that their patch is about usability, not piracy.

And honestly? This fight could set a pretty important precedent for the open-source patching scene. If Spotify’s argument sticks, it might not just be ReVanced that’s in trouble. Anyone tinkering with app functionality could find themselves in murky DMCA waters.

For now, though, ReVanced has put out the call: if you know copyright law and want to help them avoid being legally steamrolled, they’re waiting on Discord and email.

Hot take: Spotify has every right to protect its business, but at the same time, if your free tier feels so unusable that patches like this even exist, maybe the problem isn’t just the patchers.