The Velvet Sundown: AI Band or Real Musicians? Spotify Sensation Sparks Debate

A band known as The Velvet Sundown has rapidly gained traction on Spotify, accumulating hundreds of thousands of listens in just weeks, leading many to question: is this a genuine band or an AI creation? [[1]]. With a verified Spotify page boasting over 850,000 monthly listeners, The Velvet Sundown’s sudden rise to fame is shadowed by the mystery surrounding its members [[2]].

The Mystery of The Velvet Sundown

The band consists of four named musicians,yet none have given interviews,maintain individual social media accounts,or have records of live performances. This absence has fueled accusations that their music is artificially generated [[3]]. The band denies these claims on social media,but has not responded to requests for interviews [[2]].

Adding to the confusion,a Rolling Stone US report initially stated that a band spokesman admitted to using the Suno AI tool to generate their music. However, the magazine later retracted the statement, revealing the spokesman was a hoax [[2]]. The band has as disavowed any connection to the individual,stating they have “no affiliation with this individual,nor any evidence confirming their identity or existence.”

did You Know? AI-generated music is becoming increasingly refined,blurring the lines between human and artificial creativity.

AI in Music: A Growing Concern

The Velvet Sundown’s situation highlights a broader issue concerning the increasing role of AI in the music industry. Professor Gina Neff, from the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge, emphasizes the importance of protecting online information, stating that the story “plays into the fears we have of losing control of AI” [[2]].

The band’s music, described as “fairly easy, if bland” indie ballads with lyrics that could be either AI-generated or human-penned, further complicates the matter [[2]]. Deezer, a competing music streaming platform, reported that its AI detector flagged the Velvet Sundown’s music as “100% AI generated” [[2]].

Pro Tip: Use tools like AudioShake to separate a song into its component stems, allowing for detailed analysis of its creation.

Industry response and the Future of Music

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has stated he does not intend to ban AI-generated music but disapproves of using AI to mimic real artists [[2]]. However, many in the creative arts industry are deeply concerned about the impact of AI. Hundreds of musicians have protested the use of their content in training AI tools [[2]].

Sir Elton John and Dua lipa joined members of the House of Lords in advocating for AI and copyright inclusion in new data laws, though their campaign was unsuccessful [[2]]. The government is reportedly conducting a separate consultation on AI and copyright.

Ed Newton Rex,founder of Fairly Trained,argues that The Velvet Sundown’s situation exemplifies musicians’ concerns,calling it “theft dressed up as competition” [[2]]. Sophie Jones, chief strategy officer at BPI, emphasizes the need for government action, stating that the discussion reinforces concerns about AI and music rights [[2]].

The velvet Sundown Timeline

The following table summarizes the key events in the rise of the Velvet Sundown:

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