You May Hate the Idea of AI Music, but Chances Are You’re Already Listening to It—You Just Don’t Know It

Offering a wide variety of music, Spotify alone houses over 10 million artist profiles. With even more songs to pick from, a listener can get completely lost in its catalog. But among all the singers hoping and dreaming of getting discovered is a growing trend of artificial intelligence. Since first going public, AI instantly changed the landscape of the entertainment business. Producing weeks’ worth of work in seconds, AI is becoming so efficient at creating music – 97% of listeners can’t tell the difference. 

Videos by American Songwriter

As AI infiltrated Hollywood and the internet, the music industry prepared for the massive influx of fake music. But what shocked many was how quickly AI could gain a following. According to the Country Digital Song Sales by Billboard, the No. 1 song in the United States was “Walk My Walk” by Breaking Rust. While not the first song to top the charts, it was entirely created using AI. 

Surveying 9,000 people from eight countries, Deezer wanted to understand their thoughts on AI-generated music. Their research found that 97% of listeners had no idea AI created the songs they listened to. Among those asked, 73% were in favor of AI-generated music being labeled. Another 45% felt positive about a filtering option that excluded AI content. 

[RELATED: Tyler Childers, Lainey Wilson, Zach Top, and Many More Receive 2026 Country Music Grammy Nominations]

Lainey Wilson Calls AI A “Gut Punch”

Although the groups above supported AI, 40% hoped streaming platforms would do away with songs created by the technology. Adding their voice to the conversation, Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier saw the advantages of AI but noted the importance of creating being in the hands of humanity. “We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected.”

Aside from music, several actors, singers, and musicians watched AI steal their likeness. Not having any control over the content being created with their likeness, stars like Lainey Wilson asked the government to take a stand.“I do not have to tell you how much of a gut punch it is to have your name, your likeness, or your voice ripped from you and used in ways that you could never imagine or would never allow.”

Whether viewed as progress or peril, AI’s growing role in music has become impossible to ignore – and the industry’s next big hit might not come from a human at all.

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)