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
The LA councilmember trying to stop developers exploiting wildfire hotspots

LA Councilmember Takes Bold Stand Against Developers Exploiting Wildfire-Prone Areas

In California, developers are exploiting a rarely noticed loophole to construct numerous…
Trump touts lower drug prices, reveals TrumpRx's first customer, during State of the Union address

Revolutionizing Healthcare: Trump Unveils TrumpRx’s Inaugural Customer and Breakthrough in Drug Pricing at State of the Union

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Trump highlighted…
Texas Department of Public Safety closes Capitol grounds following 'credible threat' to lawmakers

Federal Judge Halts Enforcement of Abbott’s DEI Ban in Key Texas School Districts

A federal judge has temporarily halted the enforcement of significant sections of…
Iran to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China: report

Iran Plans to Acquire Advanced Supersonic Missiles from China, Report Reveals

Iran is on the verge of acquiring supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles from…
Another California wine giant shuts site and axes staff as chaos rips across Napa Valley

Prominent California Winery Closes Facility and Reduces Workforce Amid Napa Valley Turmoil

California’s wine industry is experiencing a significant shift as another major player…
City overcharged residents for city sticker, Chicago parking ticket for years, judge rules

Judge Determines Chicago Residents Overcharged for City Stickers and Parking Tickets Over Several Years

A Cook County judge has determined that the city of Chicago has…
Washington state stabbing rampage leaves 5 dead, including suspect shot by deputies

Tragic Stabbing Rampage in Washington: 5 Dead, Including Suspect Shot by Deputies

Authorities are currently delving into a violent incident in Washington state where…
Epstein files related to Trump abuse investigation withheld by DOJ: report

DOJ Withholds Epstein-Trump Abuse Investigation Files: New Report Reveals

According to a recent report, the Justice Department is accused of withholding…
Utah snowmobiler becomes third avalanche victim in a week amid backcountry dangers

Tragic Avalanche Claims Third Snowmobiler in Utah’s Backcountry This Week

A snowmobiler tragically lost his life after being engulfed by an avalanche…
Virginia Dem Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers response to Trump's State of the Union address

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger Responds to Trump’s State of the Union with Powerful Address

Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia posed a series of probing questions during…
President Trump's State of the Union speech breaks time record

President Trump’s Record-Breaking State of the Union: Longest Speech in History Unveiled

President Donald Trump has now set a new benchmark for the longest…
A mob blocks a police cruiser at a street takeover as smoke bombs explode in the background.

Dramatic Footage Captures Masked Individuals Assaulting Police Vehicle with Officer Inside Amid Unauthorized Street Takeover

A dramatic video has emerged depicting masked individuals brazenly assaulting a police…