Spotify listeners flocked to The Velvet Sundown, a country-folk band whose music and story seemed genuine. The band amassed over a million streams, but behind the scenes, everything—from the melodies to the band’s persona—was the work of artificial intelligence.
With two albums, Floating on Echoes and Dust and Silence, the group built a loyal audience. Their human-like artistry fooled fans until an insider revealed the truth: the band was powered by Suno, a leading AI music platform.
Despite initial denials by the band’s representatives, public pressure led to a confession on their social media accounts. The revelation left many fans feeling betrayed by what they thought was authentic music.
This episode has highlighted the urgent need for streaming platforms to address AI-generated content. Calls for mandatory disclosure are growing louder as the music industry seeks to protect the relationship between artists and their audiences.
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