A band named The Velvet Sundown has exploded in popularity on the music streaming service, Spotify, recently. The only thing is that the band is completely AI generated which was confirmed after its debut album gained a significant viewing.
According to the New York Post, “The ’60s-inspired rock-and-roll band, the Velvet Sundown, revealed on Saturday that nothing about it is real after fans of the up-and-coming artists noticed there were virtually no traces of any people associated with it online. Its debut album, ‘Floating on Echoes,’ was released on June 5 to mass appeal online. The most popular song in the album, pro-peace folk rock song ‘Dust on the Wind,’ clinched the No. one spot for Spotify’s daily ‘Viral 50’ chart in Britain, Norway and Sweden between June 29 and July 1.”
It’s no secret the damage that AI is doing is there. The rise of AI generated content has been a disaster, as the crude imitations they propose lack any resemblance of soul or depth. It takes away from the process and creativity that goes into creation and makes a product for the sake of creation alone without thought and this fake band is a prime example. Its music is generic and vague with an odd amalgamation of already existing lyrics from other artists and draws attention from legitimate artists. Even the cover art of the band feels vague and uninspired. It’s clear that we’ve long passed the point where we’ve thrown concern for the conservation of art out the window.
