I discovered this just the other day through Rick Beato's YouTube channel. Crazy! (Like yourself, I am okay with AI doing the tasks we don't enjoy but not the art itself.)
Exactly! It’s a fact of life that we all should learn, adjust to, and figure out how it can make life better. It’s just not an acceptable way of making art!
I think the true test will be if they keep gaining listeners, or if after the initial hype dies down people become less curious and the monthly listeners go back down.
That said, you can never really know if the streams are legit in the first place. Not only could it be bots streaming their tracks, it could also be complete hoax that the entire industry is in on.
Everyone likes to point fingers at Spotify (even though this band is on several platforms, if not all), but everyone seems to have forgotten that TIDAL got caught faking streams for their preferred artists back in 2018. You'd have to be extremely naive to think that platforms and labels wouldn't have some kind of shady deals involving reported streams... simply because they can — it's just a number on a screen.
But worse that all that would be the realization that most listeners don't actually care as long as it's marketed properly, and I think that's the elephant in the room no one is talking about. The music industry can do whatever it wants, but happens to real musicians when it becomes clear that the audience doesn't care if you're actually human?
I agree with your take. And I definitely made mention of the fact that people will likely not care where their music comes from in the article and in the YouTube shorts.
This can certainly (and to some extent is) be an industry wide game being played on an uncaring and unsuspecting audience.
As far as the Spotify thing, at this point “Spotify” has pretty much become what Xerox was to the copier industry. It’s a term that is all encompassing. Spotify is almost synonymous with streaming the same way people used to say “Can you xerox this?” when what they’re asking for is a copy.
"It’s a term that is all encompassing...the same way people used to say 'Can you xerox this?'"
Yeah, that makes sense, though.... maybe the "xerox" thing is giving your age away. Technically, I'm also Gen X† and I've been working in offices since my early 20s... but I've never said "xerox", and I can't remember the last time I've heard anyone say it. I think maybe "Kleenex" or "Q-tip" have had more longevity as far as being used as generic terms. Just sayin'...lol
† though, the youngest of Gen X... was included in 4 different generations until they finally settled on the dates... X, Y, Millennial, Oregon Trail.. back to X. Needless to say, but generational cohorts don't mean a whole lot to me as I just happened to be in the sweet spot to see that it was all marketing nonsense
We were talking about this in a group chat yesterday. I think it all depends on how long the hype curve is.
Right now, we're all talking about the project itself--and largely denouncing it-- but how long until people start "ironically" liking it? How long until the first wave of branded merch starts showing up everywhere?
We're accustomed to being at the forefront of new technologies, the new shiny toys. The internet, Napster, streaming, the fall of the old record industry, etc. This is one of those, but potentially the most destructive. I think you're right to question if people will start to "ironically" like it. I can see that happening, merch and all. AI is an avalanche that has no destination; it's here to stay. I just hope people will choose to ignore and shame AI-generated music so real musicians can continue to do what they're here to do.
"but how long until people start "ironically" liking it?"
Will it even be "ironic" though? Everyone hated auto-tune at first, we all saw what happened with that. It's 2025, and while its use has died down a little bit, it's still there in every hip-hop track (just pulled up a random track that was released yesterday... auto-tune all over it).
Not only is it still being used, it's apparently not seen as corny or old-fashion for some reason (mostly likely because we live in a zombie culture where nothing dies, but nothing is created... we still live in the paradigm of the 90s, but that's its own convo). Imagine if rappers started using a mid-80s flow in 2005, everyone would laugh. But in 2025 auto-tune is still apparently perfectly acceptable... how did that happen? (I have theories, but again, different convo)
Anyway, my point is: I kinda don't think it's gonna die down... in 25 years it will just be the norm.
I’m definitely on the older side of Gen X. I’m 52 but that makes me very aware of the beginnings of the entire movement, long before it was a movement.
I get what you’re saying about auto tune, but just like auto tune, AI generated music sucks and requires no artistic ability. You’re right when you say it will become the norm over time but that’s because the audience that accepts it will be apathetic at best and ignorant at worst. Acceptance does not equal right. Either way, it’s not good.
Oh. lol... no.. I'm definitely not saying it's a good thing! just that it's.. going to be a thing — and has probably been in the pipeline far longer than we imagine. I think a lot of people forget about the "Industry" part of the "Music Industry".
I discovered this just the other day through Rick Beato's YouTube channel. Crazy! (Like yourself, I am okay with AI doing the tasks we don't enjoy but not the art itself.)
Exactly! It’s a fact of life that we all should learn, adjust to, and figure out how it can make life better. It’s just not an acceptable way of making art!
I think the true test will be if they keep gaining listeners, or if after the initial hype dies down people become less curious and the monthly listeners go back down.
That said, you can never really know if the streams are legit in the first place. Not only could it be bots streaming their tracks, it could also be complete hoax that the entire industry is in on.
Everyone likes to point fingers at Spotify (even though this band is on several platforms, if not all), but everyone seems to have forgotten that TIDAL got caught faking streams for their preferred artists back in 2018. You'd have to be extremely naive to think that platforms and labels wouldn't have some kind of shady deals involving reported streams... simply because they can — it's just a number on a screen.
But worse that all that would be the realization that most listeners don't actually care as long as it's marketed properly, and I think that's the elephant in the room no one is talking about. The music industry can do whatever it wants, but happens to real musicians when it becomes clear that the audience doesn't care if you're actually human?
I agree with your take. And I definitely made mention of the fact that people will likely not care where their music comes from in the article and in the YouTube shorts.
This can certainly (and to some extent is) be an industry wide game being played on an uncaring and unsuspecting audience.
As far as the Spotify thing, at this point “Spotify” has pretty much become what Xerox was to the copier industry. It’s a term that is all encompassing. Spotify is almost synonymous with streaming the same way people used to say “Can you xerox this?” when what they’re asking for is a copy.
"It’s a term that is all encompassing...the same way people used to say 'Can you xerox this?'"
Yeah, that makes sense, though.... maybe the "xerox" thing is giving your age away. Technically, I'm also Gen X† and I've been working in offices since my early 20s... but I've never said "xerox", and I can't remember the last time I've heard anyone say it. I think maybe "Kleenex" or "Q-tip" have had more longevity as far as being used as generic terms. Just sayin'...lol
† though, the youngest of Gen X... was included in 4 different generations until they finally settled on the dates... X, Y, Millennial, Oregon Trail.. back to X. Needless to say, but generational cohorts don't mean a whole lot to me as I just happened to be in the sweet spot to see that it was all marketing nonsense
We were talking about this in a group chat yesterday. I think it all depends on how long the hype curve is.
Right now, we're all talking about the project itself--and largely denouncing it-- but how long until people start "ironically" liking it? How long until the first wave of branded merch starts showing up everywhere?
We're accustomed to being at the forefront of new technologies, the new shiny toys. The internet, Napster, streaming, the fall of the old record industry, etc. This is one of those, but potentially the most destructive. I think you're right to question if people will start to "ironically" like it. I can see that happening, merch and all. AI is an avalanche that has no destination; it's here to stay. I just hope people will choose to ignore and shame AI-generated music so real musicians can continue to do what they're here to do.
Me too! I’m cautiously optimistic.
"but how long until people start "ironically" liking it?"
Will it even be "ironic" though? Everyone hated auto-tune at first, we all saw what happened with that. It's 2025, and while its use has died down a little bit, it's still there in every hip-hop track (just pulled up a random track that was released yesterday... auto-tune all over it).
Not only is it still being used, it's apparently not seen as corny or old-fashion for some reason (mostly likely because we live in a zombie culture where nothing dies, but nothing is created... we still live in the paradigm of the 90s, but that's its own convo). Imagine if rappers started using a mid-80s flow in 2005, everyone would laugh. But in 2025 auto-tune is still apparently perfectly acceptable... how did that happen? (I have theories, but again, different convo)
Anyway, my point is: I kinda don't think it's gonna die down... in 25 years it will just be the norm.
I’m definitely on the older side of Gen X. I’m 52 but that makes me very aware of the beginnings of the entire movement, long before it was a movement.
I get what you’re saying about auto tune, but just like auto tune, AI generated music sucks and requires no artistic ability. You’re right when you say it will become the norm over time but that’s because the audience that accepts it will be apathetic at best and ignorant at worst. Acceptance does not equal right. Either way, it’s not good.
Oh. lol... no.. I'm definitely not saying it's a good thing! just that it's.. going to be a thing — and has probably been in the pipeline far longer than we imagine. I think a lot of people forget about the "Industry" part of the "Music Industry".
I agree, it’s not going away and one of the reasons is your point about the “industry” part being ignored.
If you want to reject it, you need to be exposed to enough of it to know what it sounds like.