AI-generated band earns thousands on Spotify with no human musicians involved

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Psychedelic rock band The Velvet Sundown has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify and earns thousands of dollars every month. However, the catch is that it’s not a traditional band at all. It’s mostly made by artificial intelligence.

Their Spotify bio confirms that the group is a synthetic music project, guided by human creative direction but composed, voiced, and visualized using AI. This is a sign of where music may be headed.

This revelation has sparked heated debate within the music industry. Some people see it as an exciting new frontier for creativity. Others see it as a threat to everything music has traditionally stood for: originality, emotion, and human expression.

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AI tools are making full songs in minutes

Platforms like Suno and Udio now allow users to generate original songs with just a few prompts. These tools handle everything, vocals, instruments, structure, with startling sophistication.

The Velvet Sundown reportedly earned more than $34,000 in a single month from streaming platforms. And it’s not alone. Other acts, such as Aventhis, a “dark country” musician with over 600,000 monthly listeners, are also believed to be powered by AI-generated content.

This isn’t happening in a studio with a team of producers. It’s often just one person inputting text and outputting tracks. The barrier to entry is nearly gone. With a laptop and internet connection, anyone can create and distribute AI-generated songs on a massive scale.

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The music industry responds with worry and legal action

Major record labels are pushing back. Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Records have filed lawsuits against AI music platforms, accusing them of using copyrighted material without permission during the training process.

At the same time, music creators and advocacy groups are demanding regulation. They want AI-generated tracks to be clearly labeled. They’re also calling for updated copyright protections to prevent the misuse of human-created work during AI training.

Streaming platforms are starting to acknowledge the issue. Deezer revealed that nearly one in five new uploads are entirely AI-generated. This trend is growing and reshaping the very idea of what it means to be a musician today.

Artists feel like they’re competing with ghosts

For emerging musicians, the rise of AI is deeply frustrating. Tilly Louise, an alternative pop artist based in the UK, has amassed millions of streams but still works a full-time job because her music doesn’t generate enough income. Watching an AI-generated band pull in massive streaming numbers feels like being pushed aside by something that isn’t even real.

She’s not alone in this sentiment. Many artists feel overwhelmed by an industry that increasingly rewards volume and virality over authenticity and hard work.

Some critics warn that AI-generated art dilutes genuine human expression, believing it floods the internet with hollow content, making it harder for listeners to form a genuine connection through music.

Some embrace the tech while others brace for impact

Not everyone sees AI as the enemy. Grammy-winning producer Timbaland recently launched a venture called Stage Zero, which plans to spotlight AI-generated pop stars. Music schools are also adapting. Educators are now teaching students how to utilize AI tools to enhance their creative process, rather than avoiding them.

Still, even those who are optimistic about the technology admit that it could completely upend the music business. As AI-generated content becomes increasingly easy to produce, the competition for listener attention and streaming dollars will intensify.

Nobody knows exactly what the future will look like, but the direction is clear: AI is no longer on the fringes. It’s already in the mainstream.

Kurt’s key takeaways

AI is no longer just supporting music creation; it is actively creating music that listeners are streaming and enjoying. Whether it’s rock, country, or pop, AI-generated songs are showing up in more playlists every day. The real question is not whether AI music is good enough. It’s whether listeners will care that it wasn’t made by a human. As technology improves and the lines between human and machine blur, that question will only get harder to answer.

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