“Completely unacceptable,” “cheeky,” “exploitative.” With these words, musicians and producers describe the ongoing proliferation of AI-cloned versions of their voices and works. Anger is mounting, turning into calls for real action to stop what they describe as “nonsense” that threatens the future of human creativity.
Article contents:
- Escalating crisis in the industry
- Streaming and distribution platform problems
- Real-life stories of affected artists
- Faking success and charts
- Legal moves and the future
- Frequently asked questions
Escalating crisis in the industry
AI-generated tracks are no longer new, but as fraudsters become bolder, artists are responding with greater anger. We saw this previously with fake tracks for the artist Drake, but over the past two years, the problem has worsened. Everyone, from Beyoncé to experimental composer William Basinski, has found fake songs, likely AI-generated, streaming alongside their names. The singer of King Gizzard commented on the matter with anger and resignation: “We are truly doomed.”
Streaming and distribution platform problems
Spotify has taken steps to address the issue, removing 75 million random tracks. However, the scale of the problem and the way the current system works make it difficult to rein in. Streaming platform Deezer says that 50,000 AI-generated tracks are uploaded daily. Bad actors exploit the fact that music passes through third-party distribution services like DistroKid, where identity verification procedures appear insufficient to prevent impersonation.
Real-life stories of affected artists
William Basinski, known for his ambient music, found a random reggaeton song on his Spotify page, describing it as “complete nonsense.” Similarly, the indie band Here We Go Magic, dormant for years, woke up to find an AI track on their page. Even major bands like Toto were not spared from the appearance of strange songs they never recorded on their official pages, prompting members to describe it as “cheeky.”
Faking success and charts
The issue has even reached the manipulation of music charts. The song “Breaking Rust” climbed to the top of digital country music sales, sparking misleading headlines. Artist Blanco Brown accused the song’s creator of modeling his voice, saying: “AI can run a formula, but it cannot recreate humanity.” The song reportedly reached the top with just 3,000 purchases, suggesting the path to the top was bought.
Legal moves and the future
The Union of Musicians and Allied Workers makes no secret of its stance, calling AI music “exploitative.” The union is lobbying Congress to pass the Living Wage for Musicians Act, aimed at protecting artists from corporate exploitation and ensuring royalty payments go only to humans. For now, the burden falls on artists and fans to remain vigilant against fake content.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do fake songs reach platforms?
A: Through intermediary distribution services that lack strict identity verification procedures.
Q: Are there laws protecting artists?
A: Current laws fall short, and there are demands for new legislation to protect intellectual and personal rights.
Q: What is the stance of the platforms?
A: Platforms like Spotify try to delete infringing content, but the massive volume of files makes the task difficult.
