AI Band Shocks Spotify with Million Plays, Sparks Labeling Debate

The rapid ascent of the Velvet Sundown, an AI-generated band that garnered over a million Spotify streams in mere weeks, has sent shockwaves through the music industry. Initially presented as a conventional country-folk act, the truth emerged that their music, imagery, and backstory were entirely machine-made. This revelation has ignited a heated discussion about authenticity in music and the urgent need for transparency on streaming platforms.
The band had released two albums, Floating On Echoes and Dust And Silence, before an adjunct member exposed their reliance on the generative AI platform Suno. Despite initial denials, the Velvet Sundown’s social media channels eventually confirmed their AI origins, describing themselves as Not quite human. Not quite machine. This admission has prompted calls from industry leaders for legal obligations on streaming services to clearly identify AI-generated content.
Figures like Roberto Neri of the Ivors Academy and Sophie Jones of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) are advocating for mandatory labeling. They argue that without such safeguards, consumers are left in the dark about the origins of the music they consume, raising concerns about transparency, authorship, and consent. The fear is that AI, if not ethically managed, could undermine human creativity and exploit artists whose work is used to train these models without compensation.
The case of the Velvet Sundown underscores a growing tension between technological advancement and existing legal frameworks in the music industry. While some see AI as a powerful new instrument, others warn of the potential for market saturation with AI-generated content, potentially at the expense of human artists. Deezer has already implemented AI detection and tagging, highlighting a potential path forward, while Spotify currently maintains it does not prioritize AI music and relies on third-party licensing. The debate rages on, with many believing clear regulations are crucial to ensure a fair and ethical future for music creation.