If you’ve been paying attention to the music world lately, you’ve probably noticed something unusual: artists who don’t sing, don’t play instruments, and have never set foot in a studio… yet their songs are racking up millions of streams.

How? Two letters: AI.

Meet Oliver McCann, better known as imoliver. He’s not your typical musician. In fact, he admits he has zero traditional musical skills. What he does have is access to AI tools like Suno and Udio – and the creativity to turn text prompts into songs across genres, from indie-pop to country-rap. One of those songs recently blew up, earning him over 3 million streams and even a record deal.

And he’s not the only one. Entire projects, like the viral AI band Velvet Sundown, are gaining fans even though everything – the songs, lyrics, even the album covers – were produced by AI. Streaming platforms are also filling up with AI tracks. Deezer estimates nearly 20% of new uploads are AI-made.

So what’s really going on here?

A Music Industry at a Crossroads

On one side, AI is opening doors. Anyone with a laptop can now experiment with sounds, beats, and melodies without needing expensive equipment or formal training. That’s pretty exciting – it means more voices and more diversity in music.

On the other side, major record labels aren’t thrilled. Sony, Universal, and Warner have already sued AI platforms for allegedly training on copyrighted songs. Some artists feel AI cheapens their work, while others worry it’ll strip away the very soul of music.

But not everyone is against it. Big names like Timbaland and will.i.am see AI as a creative partner, not a threat. History shows us this pattern before: remember the outrage when drum machines, AutoTune, or synthesizers first showed up? Today, they’re essentials. Could AI be the next one to join that list?

Is AI Music “Real” Music?

One big criticism is that AI songs often sound shallow or predictable – especially the lyrics. However, I must admit that it hard to tell these days as AI keeps getting better and better at this.

But here’s the catch: making good AI music still takes work. Imoliver says he often goes through 100 different versions of a song before finding the right one. Another AI artist, Scott Smith of Pulse Empire, spends up to nine hours refining tracks.

In other words, AI might generate the sound, but it still takes human vision, patience, and taste to make something meaningful.

The Bigger Picture

Think about it – music has always been shaped by technology. From cassette tapes to CDs, from Napster to Spotify, every shift has stirred controversy before becoming the norm. Experts believe AI is heading down the same road.

And honestly? We may just be scratching the surface. Imagine a future where the next global hit doesn’t come from a superstar but from someone experimenting in their bedroom with nothing more than a laptop and a text prompt.

What This Means for Us at Paruto Music

Here’s the truth: at Paruto Music, we believe the soul of music will always come from people. From stories, from passion, from the fire inside every artist who has something to say. That’s why through Paruto Music Sessions, we keep spotlighting artists whose songs carry a message for their generation.

At the same time, we’re not ignoring the shift – we are actively integrating AI into our own music-making processes. From experimenting with AI-assisted sound design to using AI tools that speed up production workflows, we see technology as a way to enhance creativity, not replace it.

In fact, I have created several songs and instrumental soundtracks (see example here) that have been performed live and released online with help from AI. We continue to experiment and use AI to help generate early instrumental layers and demo ideas. This has given us a head start in many instances, allowing us to quickly test different directions before focusing on the final arrangement on a song. The result? More time spent on creativity and expression, and less time stuck in the technical back-and-forth of production.

For your listening pleasure, we created several musical albums across various genres (latin, jazz, afrobeat/amapiano, etc) using purely AI. Enjoy!

For us, the future of music isn’t about choosing between humans and AI. It’s about working with the best of both – using AI to unlock new possibilities while keeping the heart, soul, and authenticity of music at the center.

So whether a song comes from a guitar riff, a studio beat, or an AI-generated soundscape – what matters most is the story it tells and the impact it makes.

And that’s what we’ll always stand for. Cheers to a future filled with AI collaboration!