Key Highlights

• After passing over 1 million following on Spotify, the rock band The Velvet Sundown scores points in a discussion on musical authenticity.
• AI-generated tracks now make up 18% of daily uploads to Deezer—roughly 20,000 songs per day.
• Up to 70% of AI-generated streams may be fraudulent, though they represent just 0.5% of total streams.
• Platforms like Deezer are labeling AI music, excluding it from algorithms, and denying royalties to deter abuse.
• The music industry is facing legal action, ethical debates, and artist-led campaigns pushing for transparency and regulation.

🎸 The Velvet Sundown: AI Rockstars?

Later on in June of 2025, the mysterious psychedelic rock group The Velvet Sundown dropped their debut album, Floating on Echoes, on Spotify. Its first breakout single, named Dust on the Wind, became a huge success in Sweden, topping the Viral 50 chart in this country before reaching the #1 place, and its entire discography shortly attracted over 1 million monthly listeners.

People were puzzled about the group’s generic branding, no live presence, and almost too polished aesthetic. It would soon emerge that everything—music, lyrics, visuals, even bios—was AI-generated, with a tiny bit of human direction.

Spotify has since updated its artist bio to read:

“A synthetic music project guided by human creative direction, and composed, voiced, and visualized with the support of artificial intelligence.”

Critics labeled their sound as “soulless,” but academics like Professor Jason Palamara praised the structure and polish, noting it’s “much better music than most of what we’ve heard from AI in the past.”

📈 The Scale of AI Music on Streaming Platforms

Deezer’s AI Upload Statistics

In April 2025, it was reported by Deezer that 18% of all daily uploads to the platform of around 20,000 songs daily are fully generated by AI. This is an abrupt increase from just 10%, which was recorded a few months earlier.

Yet, despite this surge in volume, AI-generated music accounts for only about 0.5% of total streams, reflecting low engagement from real users.

The Problem of Streaming Fraud

Disturbingly, Deezer estimates that up to 70% of AI-generated streams on their platform are likely fraudulent, often driven by bots trying to manipulate royalties.

This type of streaming abuse threatens the legitimacy of platforms and undermines the earnings of genuine human artists.

⚠️ How Platforms Are Responding to AI Abuse

Deezer’s Strategy

To combat AI-driven fraud and protect creative integrity, Deezer has rolled out several countermeasures:

• AI tagging of tracks and albums
• Exclusion of AI tracks from editorial playlists and algorithmic suggestions
• Royalty blocking for content flagged as fraudulent.

Deezer’s CEO Alexis Lanternier emphasized: “AI-generated music without human creativity is being exploited purely for profit. We are taking strong action to stop this misuse.”

Industry-Wide Detection Tools

Other platforms, including YouTube and SoundCloud, are developing similar tools to detect and regulate AI music uploads. Startups like Vermillio and Musical AI are working on stem-level tagging and provenance tracking, ensuring ethical licensing and proper attribution.

⚖️ Legal Battles & Artist Backlash

Copyright Lawsuits

Major record labels, including Universal, Sony, and Warner, have filed lawsuits against AI music companies such as Suno and Udio, alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted music to train AI models.

These lawsuits aim to clarify whether AI-generated content can legally sample, remix, or replicate the works of human artists without consent.

Artists Demand Transparency

Top musicians like Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, and Céline Dion have spoken out against AI’s unchecked influence. Many are joining forces with organizations like the Ivors Academy and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) to push for:

• Mandatory AI-labeling
• Consent-based AI training
• Fair compensation for sampled artists

🎹 AI’s Creative Promise vs. Ethical Pitfalls

1. Expanding Creative Possibilities

AI platforms such as Suno and Udio offer free and premium tools that allow users to create songs through simple prompts—no instruments or training required. This democratizes music production and accelerates creative ideation, especially when paired with human vision.

2. Concerns Over Authenticity

Despite technical improvements, critics argue that AI-originated compositions miss emotional conviction; thus, they may lack depth, or more so, they lack true artistic endowment. While they do have structural integrity, these seem robotic or uninspired in their usual form.

3. Economic Impacts

With tens of thousands of AI songs uploaded daily, real musicians risk being drowned out. This oversaturation can devalue royalty pools, making it harder for human artists to earn a living.

🌐 What This Means for Stakeholders

🎧 For Listeners

• Expect visible AI labels on music platforms.
• Decide whether to support human-made music or explore AI-generated novelty.

🎼 For Creators

• Use AI as a co-creation tool, not a replacement.
• Focus on authenticity, licensing, and preserving human value in art.

🖥️ For Platforms

• Implement fraud detection, AI labeling, and royalty controls.
• Balance innovation with ethical responsibility to maintain trust.

🚀 The Future of AI in Music

The use of artificial intelligence in the musical realm has shifted out of the exploratory phase to the vivid use in the mainstream. AI tools have now become common in creating whole pieces of high-quality music at a level that most listeners would be unable to draw a distinction from music composed by human beings.

Still, critical questions remain:

• How can copyright and royalties evolve to fit this new landscape?
• Will AI creators get compensated—or penalized?
• Will listeners demand greater transparency and disclosure?

Research indicates that near-perfect AI-generated music detection is already possible, although adversarial manipulation remains a concern. Platforms like Deezer are leading the charge, with others expected to follow.

✅ Final Thoughts

Music produced by artificial intelligence has developed beyond a hypothetical possibility to a disruptive element in the world music market. The work by Velvet Sundown shows, as an example, that the creative potential and ethical issues of this technology are very clear.

To move forward, the industry must develop this fine balance between building upon technological advances and then defending the soul of music—that is, human artistry.

That means clearer labeling, better detection tools, enforceable royalty protections, and legal clarity. Only then can AI music coexist fairly and transparently alongside human creativity.

🔍 FAQ: Common Questions About AI Music

Q: How much AI music is on streaming platforms?

Around 18% of daily uploads to Deezer are fully AI-generated—roughly 20,000 songs per day.

Q: Is AI-generated music popular?

Yes. The Velvet Sundown, an AI rock band, has over 1 million monthly Spotify listeners.

Q: Are AI-generated streams legitimate?

Not always. Deezer reports that up to 70% of AI music streams may be fraudulent, often manipulated by bots.

Q: How are platforms responding?

Deezer and others are tagging AI content, excluding it from recommendations, and blocking royalties for fraudulent uploads.

Q: Is AI music legal?

That’s under debate. Major lawsuits are underway, and many artists demand consent-based AI training and clearer laws.