The Velvet Sundown, a band mixing 70s psychedelia and folk rock, has recently found itself at the center of growing controversy and speculation surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in music creation. With over 1.4 Million monthly Spotify listeners, a significant jump from 325,000 just weeks earlier- the band’s sudden rise has raised questions about the authenticity of its music and members.
The controversy began after French streaming platform Deezer added a label to the band’s albums warning: “some tracks on this album may have been created using artificial intelligence.” This prompted further investigation by Ircam Amplify, a French tech company, which ran the band’s Dust and Silence album through its AI detection system. According to Music Ally, 12 out of 13 tracks were flagged as likely AI-generated, with most receiving a 100% confidence score.
The Velvet Sundown has gained placement on several prominent Spotify editorial playlists, such as “Vietnam War Music” and “Good Morning- Happy Positive Music.” Some online users have alleged that Spotify is using so-called “ghost artists”, AI-generated music under fake names to reduce royalty payouts to real musicians. This debate intensified when some users noted that attempts to separate instrumental tracks using music apps were less effective on this band’s songs, compared to those by verified human artists.
Additional confusion arose regarding the band’s social media presence. A post on X (formerly Twitter) stated: “Absolutely crazy that so-called ‘journalists’ keep pushing the lazy, baseless theory that The Velvet Sundown is ‘AI-generated’ with zero evidence. Not a single one of these ‘writers’ has reached out, visited a show, or listened beyond the Spotify algorithm.” However, the authenticity of this post was called into question after it was discovered that the account behind the statement was not the same as @tvs_music, the handle linked to the band’s Spotify page. It remains unclear which account is officially run by the band.
According to their Spotify bio:
“The Velvet Sundown aren’t trying to revive the past. They’re rewriting it.”
The listed members of the band are: Gabe Farrow (singer and mellotron player), Lennie West (guitarist), Milo Rains (synth textures), and Orion “Rio” Del Mar (percussionist). However, internet users pointed out that these names appear to match fabricated American names from a Japanese baseball video game, raising further doubts about the group’s legitimacy.
The band’s Instagram account has added fuel to the controversy, with users pointing out a number of AI-generated images — including recreations of iconic album covers such as Abbey Road and various Queen records. One comment noted: “If you go onto the images of the band they are 100% AI as you can see the guitar on it has artifacts and is missing a tuner on the low E.”
Online discussions have highlighted concerns from independent musicians who claim that Spotify is prioritizing AI content over work by emerging human artists. Some Redditors also shared experiences of having their own music taken down or rejected by the platform. Adding to the skepticism, the band recently posted the quote: “They sound like the memory of something you never lived, and somehow make it feel real” – Billboard. However, no record of Billboard publishing this quote exists, leading to further accusations of misrepresentation.
MusicRadar commented that the band’s work has “the unmistakably lo-fi veneer of a Suno creation,” further supporting the belief that the project may be fully synthetic — from the songs to the band members themselves.
The controversy even drew the attention of pop icon Taylor Swift, who reportedly commented: “Real, authentic and genuine artists need to be protected from things like this being pushed.”
Despite all this, The Velvet Sundown continues to grow in popularity and has announced a third album, Paper Sun Rebellion, released on July 14.
The article discusses the controversy surrounding the band The Velvet Sundown, which recently admitted to being an AI-generated music project after weeks of public speculation. Initial suspicions arose due to the band’s lack of real-world presence and unusual online behavior. A person claiming to be their spokesperson denied the AI accusations aggressively on social media, but was later revealed to be a hoaxer named Andrew Frelon. Media outlets and fans quickly caught on, pointing out inconsistencies like AI-generated visuals. Eventually, the band updated their Spotify bio, confirming that their music is created with AI under human direction. The incident sparked backlash, reinforcing skepticism about AI in music rather than fooling audiences.
