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Snapshot 5:Thu, Jul 3, 2025 6:40:57 PM GMT last edited by SofiaLanfri

AI Band Velvet Sundown Revealed as Elaborate Art Hoax

AI Band Velvet Sundown Revealed as Elaborate Art Hoax

Above: A generic image of a concert microphone. Image copyright: Unsplash

The Spin

This issue is bigger than just AI music,; trainedit ondeals artistswith Big Tech's workprofit withoutmotives permission,and endangersfaulty creativitystreaming andanalytics. livelihoods,The whichVelvet isSundown whywas theable likesto ofgame EltonSpotify's John,"monthly Billielistener" Eilishalgorithm, andwhich, Paulrather McCartneythan decryrevealing unauthorizedgenuine usepopularity, inonly LLMs.shows Ashow thousandsmany oftimes lawsuitsa againstsong AIcame startupsacross exposea rampantuser's copyrightpage. violationsMusic corporations, platformsbacked mustby bolsterthe algorithm safeguardsgovernment, andaren't regulatorslikely shouldto mandatechange licensingthe tosystem protect artistswhether it's rightsgamed andby ensureAI fairor compensationnot — that benefits them.

WhileAI the music, industrytrained should,on andartists' iswork without permission, regulatingendangers AIcreativity musicand livelihoods, it'swhich alsois acceptingwhy the inevitabilitylikes of thisElton growingJohn, practice.Billie WithEilish, algorithmsand alreadyPaul beingMcCartney implementeddecry tounauthorized flaguse AI-generatedin songsLLMs. beforeAs theythousands goof viral,lawsuits coupledagainst withAI licensingstartups andexpose compensationrampant policiescopyright toviolations, ensureplatforms artists'must rightsbolster aren'talgorithm violatedsafeguards, thisand technologyregulators willshould becomemandate alicensing boon to theprotect industryartists' withoutrights harmingand theensure humansfair at the heart of itcompensation.

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ThereThis issue is abigger 66%than chancejust thatAI bymusic; 2050it deals with Big Tech's profit motives and faulty streaming analytics. The Velvet Sundown was able to game Spotify's "monthly listener" algorithm, atwhich, leastrather 25%than ofrevealing Year-Endgenuine Billboardpopularity, Hotonly 100shows songshow willmany betimes primarilya composedsong came across a user's page. Music corporations, backed by AIthe government, accordingaren't likely to change the Metaculussystem prediction communitywhether it's gamed by AI or not — that benefits them.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 66% chance that by 2050, at least 25% of Year-End Billboard Hot 100 songs will be primarily composed by AI, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


Editor's Note

This story currently has limited coverage. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our reporting as additional information becomes available.

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