Rock band with more than 1 million Spotify listeners reveals it's entirely AI-generated — down to the musicians themselves
Share this @internewscast.com

A vibrant rock band that rapidly climbed to the top of Spotify’s charts revealed it was completely created by artificial intelligence, merely a month after its debut album garnered one million listeners.

The band, Velvet Sundown, with its ’60s rock-and-roll style, disclosed on Saturday that nothing about it was authentic, after fans noticed an absence of any personal information or people linked to the band online.

Its debut album, “Floating on Echoes,” was released on June 5 to mass appeal online.

The album’s standout track, a pro-peace folk rock number titled “Dust on the Wind,” reached No. 1 on Spotify’s daily “Viral 50” chart in Britain, Norway, and Sweden from June 29 to July 1.

All the while, the one million monthly listeners who started following the Velvet Sundown had no idea they were just listening to a mass of artificial intelligence made by fake musicians.

The photos of the band shared online and featured on the album’s cover were unnaturally smooth and matte and the guitarist’s hand was wonky with fused fingers gripping his instrument — a classic hallmark of AI-generated images.

The band’s lyrics, too, were a perfect mesh of generic anti-war sentiments and other clichés like “Nothin’ lasts forever but the earth and sky, it slips away, and all your money won’t another minute buy.”

The faux rockstars were also pumping out new albums scarily — and inhumanly — fast, releasing two in June alone and another set for mid-July.

The band finally revealed its secret over the weekend.

It updated its Spotify biography Saturday to reflect the AI twist, assuring that the project hadn’t been trying to bamboozle its audience.

“The Velvet Sundown is a synthetic music project guided by human creative direction, and composed, voiced, and visualized with the support of artificial intelligence. This isn’t a trick – it’s a mirror. An ongoing artistic provocation designed to challenge the boundaries of authorship, identity, and the future of music itself in the age of AI,” the biography reads.

Some people who had seen through the band’s ploy early tried to take advantage of its viral success before the truth came out.

A Quebec-based web safety expert posed as a spokesperson for the Velvet Sundown under the pseudonym Andrew Frelon, which translates to hornet in French, and even slid false information to Rolling Stone magazine about his supposed clients.

But the man behind the Frelon quickly confessed that he was just trying to troll people online.

It’s unclear if the Velvet Sundown will face any backlash from Spotify or any other platforms where it may be eligible for streaming revenue.

Starting on July 15, YouTube announced that it would be cutting all monetization, including advertisements, for any content generated by AI.

In late June, popular YouTuber Mr.Beast announced a tool that would use AI to make thumbnails for videos. He quickly removed it after receiving backlash for supporting an artificial intelligence engine, which often requires massive amounts of energy that would steadily offset his years of environmental work and reforestation efforts.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Pueblo County, Colorado pile-up crash, today: At least 4 killed on I-25 involving more than 30 vehicles in poor conditions Tuesday

Tragic Multi-Vehicle Accident on I-25 in Pueblo County Claims Four Lives Amid Treacherous Conditions

In a tragic incident on Tuesday in Pueblo County, Colorado, four individuals…
3rd arrested in violent overnight home invasion, multiple illegal aliens accused of sexual assault, kidnapping

Shocking Home Invasion: Third Arrest Made in Case Involving Illegal Immigrants Accused of Sexual Assault and Kidnapping

North Carolina authorities revealed on Wednesday the capture of a third individual…
AOC claims her gaffe-filled Munich performance was ‘well-received’ by Europeans: ‘Distract from the substance’ 

AOC Defends Munich Speech as Europeans Applaud Amidst Criticism Over Gaffes

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, representing New York, defended her performance at the Munich…
Pope turns down offer to join Trump's Gaza Board of Peace

Pope Declines Invitation to Join Trump’s Gaza Peace Board

WASHINGTON — Pope Leo XIV has declined President Trump’s invitation to participate…
Readers sound off on tunnel funding, NYC unions and online safety

Public Weighs In: NYC Tunnel Funding, Union Dynamics, and Online Safety Concerns in Focus

The Gateway delay was a costly poke in the eye Manhattan: The…
Texas Dem Senate candidate James Talarico rakes in $2.5M after Stephen Colbert interview nixed from 'Late Show' air

Texas Senate Hopeful James Talarico Gains $2.5M Boost Following Scrapped Stephen Colbert Interview

WASHINGTON — In a surprising twist, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico…
Lake Tahoe slammed with snow amid search for missing skiers

Intense Snowfall Engulfs Lake Tahoe as Search Efforts for Missing Skiers Continue

Rescue teams are facing significant challenges as they search for nine missing…
RFK Jr. wears jeans in latest head-scratching wellness stunt with Kid Rock: 'Madness'

RFK Jr. and Kid Rock’s Latest Wellness Stunt: A Denim-Clad Dive into Controversial Health Trends

In a spirited showcase of resilience and fitness, Health and Human Services…
Tucker Carlson claims he was 'detained' in Israeli airport — but ambassador says it was just routine customs check

Tucker Carlson’s ‘Detainment’ Drama at Israeli Airport: Unpacking the Routine Customs Check Controversy

In a recent turn of events, Tucker Carlson, known for his outspoken…
New Jersey Catholic diocese agrees to $180M settlement with survivors of alleged clergy sex abuse

New Jersey Catholic Diocese Reaches $180 Million Settlement with Clergy Abuse Survivors

A Catholic diocese in New Jersey has reached a $180 million settlement…
Father of XX identified as victim killed by raging SoCal floodwaters

Tragic Loss: Father of XX Confirmed as Victim of Devastating Southern California Flood

The man swept away by floodwaters in San Bernardino has been identified…
US women's hockey captain Hilary Knight proposes to Olympian girlfriend ahead of gold medal game

US Women’s Hockey Captain Hilary Knight Announces Engagement to Olympian Partner Before Gold Medal Match

U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight has announced her engagement in a…