What the Beatles Could Learn from Artificial Intelligence

For a long time, many people associated Artificial Intelligence with movie and TV generated images of human-robot hybrids that were bent on taking over the world. Contrary to this apocalyptic scenario, AI technology is being used for a wide range of applications. Things like web searches, cars, online shopping, machine translations, smart home devices, and now even the music industry all use AI.

This slow integration into the music business has many musicians wondering how much it will affect their careers. So if the current stars are worried, it’s difficult to imagine how a music legend like The Beatles would react to this type of innovation.

What if AI was already very prevalent during their time? How do you think it would be used by the band or by any other artist?

How does artificial intelligence apply to music?

Well, the current tech is designed to create musical pieces that are intended for humans to execute. This music writing software is taking on the job of composers and even lyricists.

This then leads us to the question: Will listeners be able to distinguish between AI composed music from the work of human musicians? Although there are many who see Machine Learning music software in a bad light, there are also those who cannot dispute how AI & ML abilities have potential. It would not be all too impossible to see the likes of Paul McCartney or John Lennon enjoying the benefits of smart music software to create masterpieces like “Hey Jude” or fun and funky “Here Comes the Sun” and many other hits.

Whether you want to admit it or not, AI software for music has become a valuable tool in boosting creativity. Yet, there is no denying that the system can become a nuisance to hardworking people in the music biz. After all, artificially intelligent systems are capable of mimicking the style and sound of an actual human musician.

Would Artificial Intelligence change the way a band like The Beatles makes and distributes their music?

Absolutely! Picture this: the band is constantly on tour, and their record label is pressuring them to produce new music. The thing is, music, melodies, and words do not always come easy. It is a collaborative effort that requires the full attention of the composers.

Given how both McCartney and Lennon were the band’s main composers, having an AI system on hand would have drastically influenced how they created their songs. It also would have affected the kind of music they would release and even the type of audience they would continue to attract.

From a business standpoint, artists, both old and new, benefit from Artificial Intelligence used on sites like YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, etc. Spotify alone gets over 20,000 new song uploads daily. AI is needed to handle this immense volume of content. Data fed by users helps Machine Learning tools distribute music based on a user’s musical taste and interest. Without it, a classic song like “Hey Jude” could get buried and forgotten amongst the millions of songs in the site’s music library.

AI software for creating music may take longer to be fully integrated into the industry. However, the technology that relies on algorithms is here to stay.