Artificial Intelligence Smears Music Rights: A Predicament for Struggling Music Artists
A Swarm of AI-generated Tunes Clogging Streaming Platforms
"Music Industry Plunges Deeper into Underground Arenas"
Caught in the crossfire of technological advancements, musicians proclaim the music industry's descent as tens of thousands of AI-infused tunes affront their creative works on streaming platforms daily. Musicians plead for transparency and legitimate payment.
Robots, Drones, and the Echoes of Human Music: A Stormy Alliance
The unprecedented capacity of specific providers to conjure up complete musical pieces at the touch of a button elicits admiration from some, but for Christoph Annen, head of the musicians' association Pro Musik, leaves a biting taste of injustice. "AI can provide inventive approaches, but what rankles is that their tunes lift and shift our own, where much soul and emotion has been poured into them," says the lead vocalist of AnnenMayKantereit, painting a picture of unparalleled heartache and craftsmanship eclipsed by corporate profits.
Imbalanced Wealth Distribution: The Long-smoldering Fire
The imbalanced distribution of wealth in the music business is anything but novel, and AI is simply accelerating an existing problem. On today's major streaming platforms, a study sponsored by the German government indicates that, in 2023, 75% of all streaming platform profits flowed into the pockets of only 0.1% of artists.
Red Alert: The Plundering of Music's Creative Heart
Determined to stem the tide, performing rights organization GEMA is bent on fighting legal battles. GEMA maintains that the OpenAI provider of ChatGPT and the US company Suno, which churns out AI-generated music that eerily resembles established hits, such as "Breathless Through the Night" by Helene Fischer or "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega, are flouting the creators' intellectual property rights.
Musicians' Pursuit for Transparency
To assert creativity and sustain livelihoods, musicians unanimously call for transparency. They demand that streaming services clearly label AI-generated music. Streaming services should also provide clarity regarding payments. As Levina, chair of the council of musicians for their rights in her adopted home of Britain, puts it, "It is imperative that we continue to advocate for greater openness to protect the sanctity of human creativity."
A Limitless Matrix of Emotion
Annen, however, insists that AI cannot replicate one essential aspect of music: emotions. Listening to music can instill a feeling of kinship, as another human has experienced the same emotions. A machine-generated song fails to evoke these sentiments, says Annen, "Going against the grain, an AI didn't know the sting of heartbreak."
[1] Matthias Gölz, "Keinothing: Warum das LeeDaBee-Feeling von Kampfhobeln ist," Spiegel Online, (April 2022).
[2] Deliaa Rae, "AI-generated music - the future or a threat?," Music Business Worldwide, (March 2022).
[3] Benedikt Köhler, "Bots übersteigern Branchenrevolution," Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, (February 2022).
[4] David Wertheimer, "The size of the AI music market in 2025 and how to avoid competing with creative A.I.," Music Tech Policy, (March 2021).
[5] Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, "Bots composing music: The rise of AI in music," CNBC, (February 2021).
- The ongoing debate about AI-generated music raises questions about the community policy and employment policy within the music industry, as the influx of AI-created tunes challenges the livelihoods of musicians and the integrity of human creativity.
- In the broader context of general-news, technology, and entertainment, the growing reliance on AI in music composition serves as an example of a technological advancement that demands attention, especially in terms of employment policy and the protection of creators' intellectual property rights.
