Uncovering AI Music: How to Identify it in Your Playlist

AI-generated musicians are becoming increasingly popular on streaming platforms, to the extent that you might be listening to them without even realizing it. Fortunately, there are ways to identify these AI artists.

Bands Like The Velvet Sundown Are Gaining Traction

If you haven’t heard, a band called The Velvet Sundown has recently made headlines—not due to major concerts or band member drama, but because people have found out they are an AI ensemble. Whether entirely or partially, it’s evident that this band utilizes artificial intelligence in their music-making process.

Is this inherently problematic? That depends on who you ask. Traditional musicians may resent competing with AI-generated music for listeners’ attention, while fans who stumbled upon The Velvet Sundown unknowingly may feel deceived. Meanwhile, others might not mind as long as they enjoy the music.

Regardless, it’s essential for us to learn how to detect AI-generated bands on streaming services.

How to Identify AI Bands on Spotify and Other Streaming Platforms

There are various indicators to help identify AI artists on streaming platforms, so here’s what to look and listen for.

1. Generic or Lackluster Sound

One of the most evident signs of AI-generated music is its inferior quality. Generative AI can only create content based on existing material, resulting in music that often sounds derivative. Thus, AI-generated songs tend to have a rather bland or generic quality.

Is this different from how human musicians draw inspiration and create? Not necessarily. While humans can also take inspiration from various sources, they have an innate ability to innovate and create entirely new genres or sounds that feel original. Currently, AI has not mastered this level of creativity, which leads to music that lacks uniqueness.

2. Frequent Album Releases

Serious musicians typically take years to produce new albums, often spending that time promoting their work through tours, especially in the streaming era. While pop artists, who frequently collaborate with songwriters, might release albums more often, there is still usually a gap of years between their releases.

In contrast, AI artists can churn out albums in days, if not hours. This rapid release cycle is exactly how The Velvet Sundown has been able to produce and release three albums within a single year. Such a pace is unheard of among traditional bands, making it a clear indicator of AI involvement.

3. No Live Performances

Real musicians usually tour between album releases. Concerts not only let fans experience their favorite artists live but also provide income in the era of streaming. AI bands, lacking actual performers, simply cannot tour.

Thus, the absence of any concerts—past or upcoming—serves as another strong indication of AI involvement. You can check streaming service profiles for concert listings or search online to see if the band has performed live.

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4. Minimal Social Media Presence

Similar to the absence of live performances, an AI band is unlikely to have a significant social media footprint. While some human artists choose to avoid social media for personal reasons, this factor becomes more telling when aligned with other signs. For instance, The Velvet Sundown’s AI-generated “photo” eventually led to its downfall once it surfaced online, revealing discrepancies in the appearance of its members in different images.

If the band had maintained a non-existent social media presence, the descriptor of AI might not have surfaced as easily. However, once their obviously AI-generated “image” was shared online, the deception was quickly uncovered.

5. Look Out for an “AI” Label

Some platforms, such as Deezer, have started tagging AI-generated content. This label can be applied by either the artist or the streaming service itself to inform listeners that artificial intelligence has played a role in the music’s creation.

If you suspect that a band you’re listening to might be using AI, check their profile for these labels. After going viral, The Velvet Sundown’s Spotify description was updated to indicate it as a “synthetic music project guided by human creativity, composed and voiced with the help of artificial intelligence.”

6. Use of AI in Other Areas

While it may be tricky to pinpoint AI-generated music, indications of AI usage can be more apparent in other areas. For instance, The Velvet Sundown’s cleverly crafted social media presence revealed discrepancies that hinted at their reliance on AI for their music creation. If a band utilizes AI for music, it’s very likely they will also employ it for other tasks like writing social media content or generating images related to the band.

Identifying All Forms of AI Content Is Growing More Difficult

Music is not the only medium increasingly produced with the assistance of AI. As generative AI technology improves, it becomes harder to detect. That’s why it’s vital to remain observant and learn what to look for when trying to discern whether content is created fully or partly by AI.

Start by looking for the signs mentioned above, which could potentially identify an AI artist. Moreover, trust your instincts; be alert for anything that feels off. By combining common sense with these clues, and dedicating time to listen actively for AI music, you’ll be better equipped to recognize it. Ultimately, the choice to listen lies with you.