The Unexpected Success of an Entirely AI-Generated Band on Spotify
The revelation is finally here: a new musical sensation on Spotify, captivating listeners, is entirely created by artificial intelligence, confirming suspicions many harbored.
Introducing The Velvet Sundown
The Velvet Sundown is a recently emerged musical act causing a stir on Spotify, boasting an impressive one million monthly listeners within a short span. This is remarkable for a band producing what can be described as unoriginal psychedelic and folk rock music. The quality, while not exceptional, captured enough Spotify users’ attention to catapult them into the limelight—and under intense scrutiny regarding its AI origins.
Suspicions Confirmed: The AI Origin of The Velvet Sundown
A recent update on The Velvet Sundown’s Spotify artist page confirms long-held beliefs, including mine. The project is presented as an artistic endeavor aiming to challenge the notions of authorship, identity, and the future of music in the AI era.
The AI creation was evident. The band photos possess a distinct AI-generated look, even after editing. While editing can improve the images, the signature AI style is noticeable: consistent textures, a yellowish tint, and an unnatural, overly perfect appearance. Notably, the band members appear different in each image, mirroring the inconsistencies in the lead singer’s voice across tracks.
Further fueling suspicion was the band’s sudden emergence and the release of two full studio albums in rapid succession, followed by a third album later in the year. Such speed is unusual, especially for a band perceived to be of similar quality.
The Enduring Presence of The Velvet Sundown and AI Music
Despite the disclosure, The Velvet Sundown continues to create and release music. The popularity of this AI band is intriguing for several reasons. The music is unremarkable, but familiar; a classic 1970s psych/folk rock sound that is easily listenable for extended periods.
The lyrics, though simple, are memorable and easy to understand. A prime example is their most popular song, “Dust on the Wind,” which contains broad themes and military undertones but avoids controversy. This combination creates a calming, almost hypnotic effect, enhancing its listenability.
However, there’s another aspect to consider. There is speculation that The Velvet Sundown’s success is partly due to Spotify’s listening bots, a known problem affecting the platform. It is plausible that the creators utilized bots to inflate the band’s statistics and secure placement on lucrative playlists.
AI music is increasingly present on Spotify playlists, with the platform actively promoting some AI artists. The emergence of other AI artists, like Aventhis, on personalized playlists underscores this trend. The music was generic, and I ignored it at the time, only recognizing later that it was AI-generated. Spotify’s promotion of AI music is undeniable, and there’s no way to avoid it.
A Turning Point for Music and Transparency
The Velvet Sundown’s rise highlights a critical turning point in music discovery. The success of an AI band raises concerns about the future for emerging human artists. It also brings into question the need for transparent labeling of AI-generated content on platforms like Spotify.
As the line blurs between AI and human-created music, listener preferences become important. This isn’t a fleeting trend; it signifies a significant shift in the music industry.