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
Deported illegal immigrant caught by GPS tracker pleads guilty to robbing 7 convenience stores in California

GPS Tracker Unmasks Deported Immigrant’s California Crime Spree: Guilty Plea for 7 Robberies

An illegal immigrant who had previously been deported confessed in court on…
Disney World cast member injured after massive boulder prop veers off track at Indiana Jones stunt show

Disney World Cast Member Injured as Large Boulder Prop Deviates from Track during Indiana Jones Stunt Performance

A dramatic incident unfolded at Disney World’s Indiana Jones stunt show on…
Online video reveals alleged animal sexual abuse by Interlachen man

Interlachen Man Faces Serious Allegations After Online Video Exposes Suspected Animal Abuse

Authorities have taken action against a 24-year-old Interlachen resident, Brendan Hanes, following…
Kerri Ann Abatti killed: California farmer Michael Abatti pleads not guilty to killing estranged wife in Arizona

California Farmer Denies Charges in Tragic Arizona Murder of Estranged Wife

In a dramatic courtroom development, Michael Abatti, a well-known farmer from California,…
Girl begged for help months before alleged killing by father, girlfriend — earlier abuse case closed: report

Tragic Oversight: Pleas for Help Ignored Months Before Father’s Alleged Murder of Daughter, Report Reveals

In a heart-wrenching revelation, recently unveiled police documents have brought to light…
Somali daycare in Minnesota broken into, key documents stolen in overnight burglary

Overnight Heist at Minnesota Somali Daycare: Crucial Documents Stolen in Bold Burglary

A daycare center in Minneapolis, operated by the Somali community, recently suffered…
Construction on ‘Arc de Trump’ to begin within 2 months, president says

President Announces Construction of ‘Arc de Trump’ Set to Commence Within Two Months

President Donald Trump announced plans to initiate the construction of a “Triumphal…
Gov. DeSantis makes new appointment to St. Augustine Airport Authority

Governor DeSantis Appoints Key Leader to Propel St. Augustine Airport Authority Forward

With the Florida Senate’s confirmation, Daniel Bean is set to join the…
Missing juvenile found during Flagler County stop, sex offender and teen arrested after pursuit

Flagler County Traffic Stop Leads to Arrests of Sex Offender and Teen; Missing Juvenile Safely Located

A gripping encounter with law enforcement unfolded in Flagler County, Florida, as…
Mamdani picking Hochul infrastructure adviser as top operations deputy: sources

Governor Hochul’s Infrastructure Adviser Tapped by Mamdani for Key Operations Role, Sources Reveal

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is poised to appoint Julia Kerson, an infrastructure adviser…
Two African nations ban American citizens in diplomatic tit-for-tat following Trump admin move

U.S. Passport Privileges Revoked: African Nations Retaliate Against Trump-Era Diplomacy

In a dramatic diplomatic face-off, two West African countries have chosen to…
Cincinnati viral beating victim says violent mob started attacking 'like a pack of wolves'

Kohberger’s Plea and Cincinnati Incident Among 2025’s Most Talked-About Legal Cases

This year has been marked by significant stories that sparked national debates…