They Sound Real But They're Not: AI Rock Band Surprises 1 Million Spotify Fans

An AI-generated band, The Velvet Sundown, is topping charts—with most listeners unaware it's entirely artificial.

From music and lyrics to visuals and band members, everything was created using AI.

Marketed as a nostalgic rock group inspired by the 1960s and ’70s, The Velvet Sundown quickly gained traction on streaming platforms.

Their debut album 'Floating on Echoes', released on June 5, pushed them past one million monthly Spotify listeners. The lead track “Dust on the Wind” alone has over 1.2 million streams and topped Sweden’s Viral 50 chart.

The band’s humanlike aesthetic—a sepia-toned photo of four smiling musicians—led many to believe they were real.

But as the AI origins became public, reactions ranged from awe to unease. Some hailed it as a creative experiment, while others questioned the ethics and authenticity of AI in music.