An indie rock band known as The Velvet Sundown, which promotes its music through AI-generated images of non-existent members, is reportedly generating significant revenue on Spotify. The band has publicly asserted, “we never use AI,” in response to allegations regarding its authenticity.
Following accusations of being an AI creation, the band’s official X account has taken steps to manage the narrative, aiming to increase streaming numbers. In a recent tweet, the account criticized journalists for perpetuating the “lazy, baseless theory” that The Velvet Sundown is AI-generated, claiming that none of these writers have engaged with the band directly or explored their music beyond algorithmic recommendations.
While skepticism remains, the denial raises questions. The band’s promotional images are evidently AI-generated, and their biography previously referenced a fictitious article from Billboard. If these elements are fabricated, it casts doubt on the authenticity of both the band’s music and their statements.
This situation underscores the disruptive impact of generative AI on the music industry, a topic that has sparked considerable debate. Many established artists have called for regulatory measures in response to the influx of AI-generated content on streaming platforms.
Currently, The Velvet Sundown is achieving over 550,000 monthly listens on Spotify, but social media users have expressed concerns regarding the band’s legitimacy. One Reddit user lamented, “As a music maker, it breaks my heart,” while another criticized the lack of transparency about the band’s fabricated nature.
Spotify competitor Deezer has also flagged the band’s latest album, “Dust and Silence,” as containing “AI-generated content,” indicating that some tracks may have been produced using artificial intelligence.
Our investigation found no evidence supporting the existence of any of the band’s claimed members. The Instagram account is filled with images that are clearly AI-generated, suggesting that their assertion of “never using AI” is misleading. Additionally, the band’s Spotify bio exhibits characteristics typical of AI-generated text, including a peculiar sentence structure indicative of AI text generation.
The name “The Velvet Sundown” appears to be a combination of the iconic band The Velvet Underground and the Montreal indie group Sunset Rubdown, and the band is now in damage control mode amid growing criticism. Their X account stated, “This is not a joke. This is our music, written in long, sweaty nights in a cramped bungalow in California with real instruments, real minds, and real soul.”
The account further emphasized, “Every chord, every lyric, every mistake — HUMAN,” and defended their authenticity by stating, “Just because we don’t do TikTok dances or livestream our process doesn’t mean we’re fake.”
However, without tangible evidence of the band’s existence—such as a video of them rehearsing—it’s challenging to assess the validity of their claims. As noted by PC Gamer, The Velvet Sundown may be leveraging music streaming algorithms by emulating popular artists to gain visibility.
AI music-generating tools have advanced significantly, enabling nearly anyone to produce convincing tracks effortlessly. In December, Paul McCartney expressed concerns that AI “could just take over,” particularly affecting young composers and writers who rely on music for their careers.
The rise of AI-generated diss tracks has also prompted major record labels, representing artists like Drake, to demand the removal of such content from streaming platforms.
