Overview

• Spotify’s algorithms have propelled The Velvet Sundown to more than 850,000 listeners and added its tracks to the Discover Weekly playlist.
• Investigations by Musically and producer Rick Beato’s failed stem analysis, along with AI-flawed Instagram images, indicate the band is entirely synthetic.
• Spotify currently lacks AI-content labeling requirements, allowing the band’s unmarked tracks to spread unchecked while Deezer flags possible AI use.
• The Velvet Sundown released two albums in June and plans to drop a third in two weeks, showcasing rapid AI-driven production cycles.
• The surge of a fully AI-generated act raises questions about royalty distribution, artist authenticity and the music industry’s regulatory gaps.