Spotify has removed the AI impersonator of popular Australian rockers King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard from the streaming service, with the band’s frontman expressing disappointment over the situation.
King Gizzard removed his music from Spotify in July in protest of the company’s chief executive Daniel Ek, who is chairman of military technology company Hellsing as well as a major investor.
Apparently attempting to fill the void, a new artist called King Lizard Wizard appeared on Spotify earlier this month, featuring the band’s psychedelic rock, identical song titles, and AI-generated artwork that weakly mimics the band’s fictional album sleeves.
Spotify has now removed King Lizard Wizard from its service, saying: “Spotify strictly prohibits any form of artist impersonation. The content in question was removed for violating our platform policies, and no royalties were paid for any streams generated.”
King Gizzard frontman Stu McKenzie said he was “trying to see the irony in this situation” following the band’s earlier departure from Spotify, but added: “Wtf really – we’re really ruined.”
AI-generated music is proving to be extremely controversial, and has become one of the most discussed issues in the music industry.
In September, Spotify announced it had removed 75 million tracks created by AI artists last year, as fraudsters attempt to generate income by flooding the platform with fake artists who could generate royalty payments. There have also been examples of “deepfake” versions of popular artists such as Drake being uploaded online.
But while most of these tracks get stuck in spam filters and never arrive on the platform, or are immediately removed if they do, AI-generated or enhanced music is likely to become more popular.
Currently in the UK Top 40 is I Run, produced by British dance duo Heaven, the original version of which included AI-manipulated vocals. Harrison Walker of Heaven acknowledged using AI, saying: “As a songwriter and producer I enjoy using new tools, technologies and being at the forefront of what’s happening.” The song went viral, but it was removed from streaming services following requests from labels and industry bodies, alleging that the AI-generated voice too imitated that of British singer Jorja Smith.
Heaven then re-recorded I Run with human vocals, although Smith’s label Fam alleges that both versions “infringe Jorja’s rights and misappropriate the work of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates”. Haven has not responded to Pham’s claim.
However, AI-generated music is expected to enter the mainstream once the tools become available to the general public. In recent weeks, major labels Universal and Warner have struck deals with companies Udio and Suno that will allow users to create AI music from the work of real artists signed to those labels (artists will be able to opt in and out of making their music available).
Speaking to the Guardian this week, Eurythmics producer Dave Stewart described AI as an “unstoppable force” in music, and argued: “Everyone should be selling or licensing their voice and their skills to these companies.”
But others have expressed concerns. Following the settlement between Universal and Udio, Irving Azoff, founder of the Music Artists Coalition in the US, warned that artists could be “marginalized with garbage”, adding: “Every technological advancement offers opportunity, but we have to make sure it doesn’t come at the expense of the people who actually make the music – the artists and songwriters… Artists deserve creative control, fair compensation, and deals that can be made based on their catalogues.” There should be clarity about.”
