The Music Industry is Safe From AI

Music’s Human Quality is Why We Love It

By Ava Wiseley

Graphic by Sisi Chen

Since its release in November 2022, ChatGPT and other forms of generative AI have taken the world by storm. AI has infiltrated nearly every industry, leaving almost no exception.

In the music industry, AI is used for a multitude of tasks, including analyzing trend data, planning tours, and creating personalized playlists on streaming services.

While those who are fully against AI might frown upon these uses, these applications are not what concern artists and industry professionals. Their concern lies in the use of AI to create art itself.

Last year, a band called The Velvet Sundown gained a million streams on Spotify in just a few weeks. However, it was later revealed that the band was fully AI-generated, with everything from their music to their promotional material created by artificial intelligence. Currently, on their website, they sell T-shirts with taunting slogans on them like “sorry, real musicians” and  “take a seat, rocker.”

Some wonder if AI generated music like this will destroy the industry. But ultimately, although the rise of AI generated music content is disheartening, the answer is no—the music industry as we know it is not going anywhere.

Just as AI use is growing in the industry, the importance of live music is growing too, and live performance is perhaps the only thing AI cannot replicate.

A Goldman Sachs report from last year predicted a 7.2% compounded annual growth rate in the live music industry from 2024 to 2030. Live music remains one of the main ways artists make money.

Additionally, a survey conducted by Live Nation—which surveyed 40,000 people from 15 countries—revealed that 40% of people rank live music as their favorite form of entertainment.

While a generative AI program might be able to make a decent song, it can’t put on a live show. The Live Nation report also found that 93% of fans go to shows because they crave a real experience. AI can only deliver a virtual one—it can’t reach out into a crowd and hold the hands of the people in front of the stage.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the importance of human connection, which is one of the key reasons music remains such a huge part of our lives. Even beyond live performances, there are things AI generated music cannot achieve simply because there are no humans behind it.

While people who don’t consider themselves big music fans might let an AI generated song slip onto their playlist, those who really care—those who go to shows, buy merch, and connect with their favorite artists—will ensure that the music business remains intact and that real artists continue to serve as its backbone.