On 2 February, at the Grammy Awards ceremony, The Beatles won the award for Best Rock Performance of the Year. Although two of the group’s members are deceased, it is thanks to AI that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr won the title. It was a victory that caused controversy.
It’s really incredible, if you think about it. The Beatles have done an incredible job, they’re still in the culture and people still listen to the music. They’re the greatest band of all time,’ said Sean Ono Lennon, John Lennon’s son.
The legendary rock band made their comeback last weekend at the Grammy Awards, thanks to their new song Now and Then. Released in November 2023, no one would have been able to enjoy this music without the help of AI.
For a bit of background, Now and Then is an old demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s. At the time, it was impossible to make a full song out of it, as the sound quality was far too mediocre. After Lennon’s assassination in 1980, his wife Yoko Ono recovered the soundtrack and gave it to the band members. A few years later, in 2021, Starr and McCartney decided to resume and complete this project, which could well be made possible by a new tool that did not exist before: artificial intelligence. They isolated Lennon’s voice, eliminated certain interfering noises and added electric and acoustic guitars recorded in 1995 by George Harrison. Starr and McCartney then added drums, piano and bass.
If you’re interested in the story of how this music came to be, this video released by the rock band tells it in detail:
Following the announcement of the release of this track, mixed reactions were already being heard. Some saw it as a miracle, while others denounced it as an artificial manipulation of the past.
Revolution or cheating?
This is the first time in the history of the Grammys that an AI-based track has won an award. However, the Grammy Academy introduced a new rule two years ago: ‘only human creators are eligible’ for its prestigious awards. ‘A work that does not contain a human author is not eligible in any category’. However, no voice or sound has been created by AI, the tape has just been cleaned up. As Paul McCartney himself has assured us: ‘Nothing has been artificially created. It’s all real. We’ve just used modern tools to improve on what was there’.
Several artists and producers have denounced this victory as a threat to music creation. ‘It’s no longer John Lennon singing, it’s software giving him a voice again. At what point do we stop listening to the Beatles to hear an illusion of them?’ said one influential music critic.
But where do you draw the line between tool and creation? How far can AI go?
A threat to the future of music?
Of course, AI is now being used in more and more tracks, whether to restore archives or improve mixes. But AI is dividing public opinion. Some warn that it could diminish the role of artists. If it is possible to create lyrics, a voice and a soundtrack, then it becomes possible to compose songs without a human presence. This could lead to the disappearance of artists. What’s more, the case of the Beatles calls into question an ethical challenge that some people don’t appreciate: resurrecting the voices of deceased artists. Is this a way of preserving a musical heritage or a form of artificial exploitation of the past? Finally, AI could lead to the loss of many jobs if it is now possible to generate songs on demand.
But not everyone sees AI in a bad light. AI advocates see it as a creative tool that can come up with musical creations and facilitate production. There’s also no need for musical training. Anyone inexperienced in music can create tracks. Finally, the recovery of damaged recordings, as with the Beatles.
In the end, it all depends on how you use it. It’s a wonderful tool that is revolutionising the world in every way. However, it must be used wisely, because if it is used too often and abused, music could end up being impoverished. It’s up to the artists to decide.
If you want to learn more about the future of AI in the music industry, here’s a very interesting Channel 4 News report that I recommend you watch.
What do you think about the use of AI in music? Feel free to leave a comment
