Recent reports highlight a growing scandal on Spotify, where numerous AI-generated cover bands are reportedly profiting by farming millions of streams from unsuspecting users. A group of Reddit users has uncovered this phenomenon as significant numbers of these AI cover bands, featuring names like Highway Outlaws and Saltwater Saddles, have appeared on the platform with monotonous characteristics. These band profiles show a lack of meaningful social media presence, bios that seem artificially generated, and a music catalog consisting exclusively of covers across genres such as classic country, ambient, electronic, and jazz.
This issue has been developing over several years, with emergence hastened by the widespread availability of sophisticated AI tools enabling anyone to create music. According to the user who initiated the Reddit discussion, this technology has made it possible for anyone, not just dedicated musicians, to produce songs with vocal tracks. Complicating matters, some established artists in genres like metalcore have reported unauthorized releases attributed to them, stirring concern over the potential legal ramifications of this burgeoning sector.
An industry expert, Bruce Houghton, emphasized the intricacies involved in regulating and identifying these faux artists on platforms like Spotify. While there are mechanisms through which royalties for songwriter payments can technically be passed down the line with the use of automated systems, the enforcement has proven decidedly uneven to date. If the creators behind these AI covers manage to compensate songwriters legitimately, then no illegality may occur, but the operational burden falls largely on platforms like Spotify to maintain integrity within their catalog of music.
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