AI in music: How much is too much?

Jonathan Adame

Local Music Journalist

AI has been one of the most controversial topics in history lately. Sparking debates about how it should be used, how it’s currently used, and if it should be used in the future. In the science realm some see it as a step up and an advantage. However, in the creative realm like music and art, many artists and audience members have entirely disowned the idea of AI being anywhere near creative projects. It is clear that some musical artists don’t share the same values regarding AI, with many artists using AI in their songs and others speaking publicly in support of it. So, it offers up the question: how much AI is too much in music?

There have been two artists in the news recently that have expressed their support for AI and have also been open to how they’ve used it in their music. Dr. Dre, a known producer and artist working with rappers like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar, has recently come out and said that he uses AI in his creative process. Going on to admit that he uses informative AI for his beats to see if what he just made is good saying “I use it as a tool to see what it would do with what I just did.” Dre would go on to add that another popular producer, Timbaland, is also using the same technology.

Going on to drop a quiet bombshell saying that there are plenty of producers in the scene that are quietly doing the same thing. The most worrying topic in that story is that a lot of other producers are in on it as well. Even though Dr. Dre hasn’t been as big as he once was. He is still a key contributor and one of the most known names on the producer’s side of the music industry. So that statement he made at the end might seem empty to some, but to me and many other others, it seems like a warning that AI may already be inside of most music. More music than we might even be able to grasp. Some music fans have gone online in support of Dr. Dre. Saying that while AI is inherently a bad thing for music, the way he is using AI is more so as an accuracy checker of sorts, rather than AI coming up with the beats itself. On the other side of the coin however there was one other artist who hasn’t been so lucky with the reaction online to using AI in their music.

Popular Compton artist Tyga has been under fire recently after proudly posting that AI was used throughout his newest album, “$tarface,” an experimental 80’s pop album that was a step away from his normal sound. Up until the album rollout, he has been a mostly forgotten name. While still being fairly popular with one of his songs, “Taste,” featuring Offset having 1 billion streams on Spotify. As well as “Rack City,” being one of the most popular party songs of a generation. Even going on to perform at Riverfest here in San Marcos in 2024. Even though his newest album only clocks in at 30 minutes with 10 tracks, many fans and

music critics alike did not take kindly to the use of AI inside his album. With many reviewers giving “$tarface,” a low score, including pitchfork who gave the album the lowest score on its website history at a 0.0 saying “its very existence has made the world a worse place.”

While many debate about if this album is really that bad or if the negative discourse is strictly from AI. A generation of music lovers are completely against the idea of AI being the base of a piece of music.

While many music lovers might also be against AI and take the same stance against Tyga and Dr. Dre. Many artists have been using AI in their music that seems to fly under the radar. In some cases, it’s even gone on to be praised.

Some extremely popular artists have used AI outside of music but have used it in marketing or other creative projects. Including Billie Eilish’s team who used AI to recomposite the background of her Hit me Hard and Soft Tour movie. As well as Olivia Rodrigo who reportedly used AI to promote a heart locket that she sold on her website.

Artists Tyla and Kesha both used AI in their music videos which are still up on YouTube to this day. This list includes jazz artist Laufey who was involved in a visa ad that was entirely AI generated. While many speculate the authenticity of these claims of AI use. Many social media users are ridiculing these artists even going on to call some of them hypocrites for their stance on AI.

While these past uses were only in ad rollouts or marketing schemes. Other artists have silently used AI in their music. This list includes Playboi Carti, who has faced massive accusations and reportedly used AI vocals in his long-anticipated album MUSIC. It’s reported he used AI in his verses specifically on the tracks “Rather Lie” and “Fine Sh!t”. These accusations made a fair number of fans denounce those songs and even the album. While Carti hasn’t officially confirmed or denied the use of AI. Known collaborator and controversial artist YE has been very vocal in his use of AI. Specifically, on his albums Vultures 2 where he used AI to make the tracks “530” and “Sky City”. Ye would also go on to confirm that AI was further used on his most recent album BULLY. While many music fans online are somewhat used to YE’s weird antics, many are denouncing his newest piece of work as inauthentic.

While the previous artists have all faced backlash, these last two have only been praised. JPEGMAFIA on his album I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU which was released in 2024. Incorporated AI into his beat for the song “Either on or off the drugs”. Where he used an AI rendition of a Future song throughout the mellow melodic beat. Many fans online praised the work even calling it one of the best beats the rapper/producer has ever made.

In the same vein during his beef with Kendrick Lamar. Rapper Drake used an AI voice changer on his diss track Taylor Made, which only lives now on YouTube and other social media platforms. In this track, Drake mocks Kendrick Lamar for his collaboration with pop artist Taylor Swift. Going on to make his voice sound like Tupac and Snoop Dogg further mocking Lamar in these two different voices. Following the tracks’ release many fans online praised the use of the voice changer. With some even praising Drake for being a genius in the mental manipulation of Lamar.

AI will most likely be a topic that is never agreed on. With fans, critics and skeptics alike not having a concrete view of how they treat AI. Artists will continue to push the limit on how much AI is used. The terrible reviews for the entirely AI album $tarface might be a clear indicator of what’s to come if they continue to do so.