Imagine discovering that the songs you’ve been enjoying on the radio were not conceived by a human artist, but generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The question arises: would this revelation prompt you to change the station, or does the origin of a piece of music matter if the enjoyment remains unchanged?
Recently, AI-crafted songs with a distinct Northern Irish theme have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on social media and sparked a polarizing debate after being broadcast on local commercial radio. These tracks have since been removed from playlists following considerable online discussion.
While their creators champion them as a novel form of artistic expression and self-representation, a segment of writers, musicians, and artists has voiced strong opposition to the technology.
‘Musicians are leaving the industry because of AI’
Paul Connolly, a seasoned figure in the music industry for nearly two decades, expresses feelings of profound frustration and deflation regarding the rise of AI-generated music. He describes it as a “slap in the face to artists whose job it is to help us make sense of the world.”
“We’re seeing an unprecedented difficulty for authentic artists to gain recognition, primarily because they struggle to cut through the noise generated by AI,” he stated.
Connolly is both a songwriter and the lead vocalist for the alternative-punk band The Wood Burning Savages.
He also leads music workshops for diverse age groups, yet he observes a diminishing landscape of opportunities for musicians to perform live and secure radio play for their compositions.
“AI music is insidiously entering the charts on streaming platforms, and as a consequence, we’re witnessing artists devaluing their own work and exiting the industry.”
Connolly explicitly disagrees with streaming services and radio stations providing a platform for music created by artificial intelligence.
He elaborated, “AI lacks the capacity to offer comfort or inspire the next generation of songwriters.
“Music serves as the soundtrack to our existence on Earth, and if that soundtrack is being composed by AI, it results in a rather uninspired and artificial creation.
“Music nourishes the soul, whereas AI is akin to consuming fast food that clogs the arteries.”
‘My AI music has my story behind it, I don’t just press buttons’
In 2025, Oliver McCann achieved a milestone by becoming the first AI music designer to secure a contract with a conventional record label.
He posits that his work is not about “replacing artists,” but rather about “expanding the realm of possibility.”
“AI now manages tasks that once required a team of individuals and a substantial studio budget, enabling me to accelerate my creative process and maintain focus on the narrative and emotional essence of a song,” he explained.
McCann, who has a background in visual design, began experimenting with AI to explore its potential in “bringing his lyrics to life.”
He was subsequently signed by the independent record label Hallwood Media after one of his compositions garnered 3 million streams on the AI music platform, Suno.
“Building a career within the current streaming model feels akin to manufacturing CDs just before the iPod revolutionized music consumption. I am observing where the future of music creation is truly taking shape,” he remarked.
McCann argues that radio broadcasting has historically been guided by a singular principle: whether a song resonates with listeners.
“This fundamental hasn’t changed,” he stated, adding that while the tools musicians employ continue to evolve, the core relationship between the artist and their audience remains constant.
He acknowledges the validity of concerns surrounding AI in music, concurring with the broader sentiment that the human creative process is “sacred.”
“My music is infused with my personal narrative,” he affirmed.
“There’s a significant distinction between an artist intentionally utilizing this technology and someone merely pressing a button. I do not simply press buttons.”
What are streaming platforms doing about AI?
Currently, there is no legal mandate for streaming platforms to identify AI-generated songs, despite mounting pressure for them to clearly label such tracks.
Spotify has implemented some measures to address these concerns.
In April, the platform introduced a trial feature that displays in a song’s credits how an artist has utilized AI. However, this system is voluntary and relies on information provided by the artist to their record label or distributor.
The streaming service Deezer employs an AI detection tool alongside a system designed to tag AI-generated music.
Deezer reports that its detection system can identify tracks produced using the most prevalent AI music creation tools and is actively working to enhance its capability to detect music from other sources.
Apple Music mandates that labels and distributors transparently disclose the use of AI in their submissions.
Rather than enforcing a blanket prohibition, Apple requires the use of ‘transparency tags’ within its metadata to indicate whether artificial intelligence was employed in the creation of a track or video.
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Business Style Takeaway: The evolving landscape of AI in music production presents a complex challenge for businesses in the creative industries. Brands and executives must navigate the balance between embracing innovative technologies for efficiency and content creation, while respecting the value of human artistry and ensuring transparency with consumers to maintain brand integrity and audience trust.
According to the portal: www.bbc.com