This AI-generated rock band fooled 1M Spotify fans
What's the story
The Velvet Sundown, a new rock band that recently topped Spotify charts, has revealed that it is entirely artificial intelligence (AI)-generated. The announcement comes just a month after the release of its debut album Floating on Echoes, which garnered over one million listeners. The '60s-inspired band made the revelation recently after fans noticed an absence of any human presence associated with them online.
Album release
Debut album 'Floating on Echoes' released on June 5
The Velvet Sundown's debut album was released on June 5. The album quickly gained popularity online, especially its most popular song Dust on the Wind. The pro-peace folk rock song topped Spotify's daily "Viral 50" charts in Britain, Norway, and Sweden from June 29 to July 1. Despite their massive following of one million monthly listeners, many were unaware that they were listening to a product of AI-generated music.
Synthetic creation
AI-generated images and generic lyrics
The visuals of the band shared online and on their album cover were also eerily smooth and matte. The guitarist's hand in these images was fused with his instrument, a common sign of AI-generated images. Similarly, the band's lyrics were a perfect blend of generic anti-war sentiments and other cliches like "Nothin' lasts forever but the earth and sky, it slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy."
Fast output
AI band released music at an alarming rate
The Velvet Sundown released two albums in June alone and another one was set for launch in mid-July. The band finally revealed its secret over the weekend, updating its Spotify biography to reflect the AI twist. It assured that the project wasn't trying to trick its audience but was instead an "ongoing artistic provocation designed to challenge the boundaries of authorship, identity, and the future of music itself in the age of AI."
Future implications
Will the band face any repercussions?
It remains to be seen if The Velvet Sundown will face any repercussions from Spotify or other platforms where it may qualify for streaming revenue. YouTube recently announced plans to cut all monetization, including ads, for AI-generated content starting July 15.