AI and the Future of Music: Creativity Meets Technology
How AI is changing music creation, empowering artists, and raising questions about creativity, quality, and copyrights.
Music has been my lifelong passion. It has shaped my journey. I learned instruments as a teenager and spent 20+ years in a band. I explored creative outlets and careers. Music was always present.
Now, a major shift is happening. Artificial intelligence is entering music production. This brings exciting possibilities. It also raises thought-provoking questions. Artists, music industry leaders, and fans are weighing in. There are bold predictions. There are concerns about human creativity.
In this exploration, I will analyze the changes. I have deep respect for artistry. I want to preserve expression. I also embrace innovation's potential. My lifetime with music fuels curiosity. I aim to harmonize core artistry with progress. This is a brave new world for music.
Latest news first - Prominent Musicians Raise Concerns Over AI Music Generation
In a notable development, over 200 prominent musicians, including influential figures such as Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Stevie Wonder, and Miranda Lambert, have united their voices by signing an open letter. This letter addresses the pressing concerns surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the music industry.
The petition, spearheaded by the Artists Rights Alliance non-profit organisation, acknowledges AI's potential to advance human creativity when utilised responsibly. However, it also raises alarms about certain entities employing AI irresponsibly, thereby posing a threat to "sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders."
Key concerns articulated within the letter include:
The unauthorised use of artists' works to train AI models aimed at replacing human-created music
The potential for AI to substantially diminish the royalty pools paid out to artists
Threats to artists' ability to protect their privacy, identities, music, and livelihoods
The letter issues a compelling call to action for AI companies, urging them to pledge their commitment to refrain from developing or deploying AI music generation tools that undermine human artistry or deny artists fair compensation. It states, "This assault on human creativity must be stopped," and advocates for safeguarding against the "predatory use of AI to steal professional artists' voices and likenesses, violate creators' rights, and destroy the music ecosystem."
This petition emerges amidst growing concerns from artists about the ascendance of AI-generated music and its potential to reshape the industry profoundly. Queen's Brian May poignantly warned in 2023 that the landscape could appear "completely different" by 2024, with a blurring of lines between human-created and AI-generated music.
How Music Production Was Democratised Over the Years
The democratisation of music production has been a gradual yet remarkable journey, fuelled by advancements in technology and the development of affordable music production software. In the early days of music recording, the process was costly and accessible to only a privileged few. The first record producers were often record label owners, artist managers, or audio engineers, primarily focused on technical aspects such as microphone placement and signal levels.
However, the 1960s and 1970s ushered in a transformative era, as producers began to assume a more active role in shaping the sound of recordings and contributing to the creative process. The rise of synthesisers, drum machines, and electronic music in the 1980s and 1990s further evolved the producer's role, introducing a new realm of sonic possibilities.
The digital revolution of the 2000s proved to be a game-changer, profoundly impacting the music industry. Advancements in home recording software and the emergence of digital distribution platforms allowed musicians to record at a significantly lower cost, effectively sidestepping the industry's conventional, controlled channels. Software-based virtual instruments and MIDI technology offered a wealth of creative potential, catering to tech-savvy producers.
Today, inexpensive Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) are widely utilised by bedroom producers, facilitating the creation of music within the confines of their homes. Songwriters can now compose elaborate arrangements through synthesisers and music production software, offering artists an unprecedented level of creative freedom.
In summary, the evolution of music production technology, from analogue tape to digital recording software and virtual instruments, has democratised the music industry, making music creation accessible to a wider audience than ever before.
Now, with the advent of the AI age, we stand on the precipice of the next level of democratisation in music production, poised to make it accessible to everyone at the cost of a few coffees per month.
Here Frank Zappa explains what's the reason we ended up with such a normalised music and music production.
The Music Industry's Historical Resistance to New Technology and its Rationale
The music industry's relationship with new technologies has been complex and often marked by resistance over the years. Despite this, innovative technologies have continued to shape the industry's trajectory, albeit with occasional growing pains.
The introduction of the compact disc (CD) in the 1980s initially ushered in a period of growth for the industry, with worldwide sales tripling between 1985 and 1995. However, the industry was sluggish in adapting to the rise of digital music and file-sharing in the late 1990s.
The invention of the MP3 format in 1995 was initially rejected by major record labels, who were focused on selling CDs at the time. It wasn't until the launch of Napster in 1999 that the industry began to panic about the threat posed by free music downloads.
The industry resisted offering their catalogues to early digital download services, causing many of them to fail. It took the resounding success of iTunes in the early 2000s to establish a viable paid download model.
The emergence of music streaming in the 2010s once again disrupted the industry, with revenues plummeting before streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music helped drive a return to growth. However, the industry has been slow to adapt to the shift in power towards streaming platforms.
New technologies have also democratised music creation and distribution, allowing artists to record at home and release music independently. This development has challenged the traditional role of record labels.
While the industry has often been resistant, new technologies have also created opportunities, such as utilising AI for music recommendations, tracking royalties through blockchain, and offering immersive live experiences through holograms and virtual reality (VR).
In summary, the music industry has historically been slow to adapt to disruptive technologies. However, it has eventually embraced them to drive innovation and growth, even if the transition has been painful at times. Adapting to new technologies remains an ongoing challenge and opportunity for the industry.
The Story of Napster
The Bottom Line: Artists Join the Industry's Resistance to AI, but the Tide is Turning
The music industry's historically slow adoption of new technology has now been joined by artists themselves, as they seek to slow down the development of AI in the realm of music. At the same time, a cursory check reveals that there are already over 100+ AI music generation applications on the market, and this number continues to grow.
Explore by yourself here: https://www.futurepedia.io/ai-tools/music-generator
AI is poised to make music accessible to everyone, eliminating the need for formal musical education or even a comprehensive understanding of how music is created. AI is set to become the new tool, and if one were to refer to a song in this context, it could aptly be described as "AI killed the video star."
The Pros of AI in Music?
This represents the next step in democratising music creation - now in a completely different and novel way. This development is exhilarating, as it promises to unleash a new wave of artists, genres, collaborations, and art forms that have never before been seen or heard. The accessibility of these new tools to everyone means that people's innate curiosity and creativity will undoubtedly yield unprecedented results.
The Cons of AI in Music?
Initially, the incorporation of AI into music may be accompanied by a cacophony of noise, as we navigate the phase of disruption marked by an abundance of quantity over quality. Artists and the entire music industry will inevitably voice their complaints and attempt to maintain the status quo as much as possible, as disruptions are seldom embraced with open arms. Furthermore, this transition may adversely impact revenue and profit shares.
New AI artists will emerge, competing for their place under the sun, with some undoubtedly achieving success. Debates surrounding copyrights, licensing, and related issues are likely to ensue.
Here is a short playlist I just created in Suno . This is 100% text-to-audio-generated music. You can make your own decisions.
https://suno.com/playlist/ec61ab9a-0de3-41fe-9f50-d57e0c5c5bcd
Bold Predictions for the Future of Music as We Know It
1. A new creative wave of AI-generated music will carve out its own niche, establishing itself as a distinct art form within the broader musical landscape.
2. Completely new artists will emerge, some of whom may have no formal musical education or training whatsoever.
3. AI-generated music will become mainstream, competing directly with traditional music for the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.
4. We will witness a boom in experimental music, blending genres, instruments, and languages in unprecedented ways, thereby shattering the conventions of the traditional 3 min radio-friendly track composed, produced, and mastered according to industry standards.
5. Social networks will play a pivotal role in creating and amplifying new AI-generated music and artists, propelling them to newfound levels of popularity.
6. Users, in general, will be indifferent to whether music is AI-generated or not, judging solely based on the quality of the end product.
7. Some traditional musicians will embrace AI as a tool and incorporate it into their creative process for composing and producing music.
8. Music distribution platforms will endeavour to create, promote, and boost their own AI-generated music and artists, retaining a greater share of the revenue within their platforms.
9. Within the next three years, we will witness the emergence of AI music categories across prestigious music awards like Grammy Awards, Brit Awards, MTV Video Music Awards etc
10. Live concerts featuring AI-generated music artists will become a reality, presenting an entirely new frontier in the live music experience.
11. Live music performances will experience a resurgence in popularity, with ticket prices continuing to rise as audiences seek out authentic, human-driven musical experiences alongside AI-generated offerings.
12. We will witness waves of innovation spanning software, hardware, and musical instruments, all aiming to cater to and facilitate the creation and consumption of AI-generated music.
13. Novel business models will emerge, redefining the relationships between artists, labels, platforms, and audiences, as the industry grapples with the seismic shifts brought about by AI's integration into the creative process.
Lingering Questions (Not that I have the Answer)
Quantity versus Quality: The democratisation of music creation will likely lead to a boom of new music, some of which may be of very low quality and little value. However, we may also bear witness to compositions that defy analogy, birthing completely new genres and song structures that challenge our preconceptions.
Normalisation in Music: If AI-generated music becomes a significant data source for training algorithms, there is a risk of homogenisation, where musical pieces begin to sound increasingly similar, stifling creativity and individuality.
Copyrights and Intellectual Property: The intersection of AI and music will inevitably raise complex legal and ethical questions surrounding copyrights, ownership, and fair compensation for artists whose works are utilised in training AI models.
At its core, music is a deeply human endeavour, created for and by the masses. As we navigate the uncharted waters of AI-generated music, it is crucial to strike a balance between technological progress and preserving the essence of human artistry and expression.
A Bright Future Ahead (as Always)
Despite the disruptions and growing pains, music will undoubtedly continue to exist and be created in diverse forms, for it has always held a cherished place in the hearts of people worldwide. There is reason to be optimistic that we will witness the birth of fascinating, surprising, and radically different genres of music, inspiring the next generation of music creation. Remember that change is the only constant, and the music industry must continually evolve to remain relevant.
When the music is over, turn off the lights
Jim Morrison