Beatles song recreated with the help of artificial intelligence wins Grammy
The Beatles have won their eighth Grammy Award, this time with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Their 2023 song "Now and Then" became the first song created with the help of AI to earn a Grammy nomination, Billboard reported. On Sunday, it was named best rock song, beating out competitors such as Green Day, Pearl Jam, The Black Keys, Idles and St. Vincent.
February 05, 2025 13:32
The beginning of the work - late 1960s
"Now and Then" was born in the late 1960s, from a demo version recorded by John Lennon shortly before his death.
Later, in the mid-1990s, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison added their own parts to the recording, with the aim of including the song in the project "The Beatles Anthology".
However, due to the technological limitations of the time, which did not allow separating J. Lennon's vocals and piano from the original lo-fi demo version, the work was never released.
It wasn’t until 2021 that McCartney and Starr, with the help of director Peter Jackson and his sound team, were able to complete the song.
Using machine learning technology—an AI technique developed by Jackson and the sound team to isolate and clean up different elements of a recording—J. Lennon’s vocals were restored to clarity.
This AI technology is different from generative AI, which can mimic a performer’s style and voice. However, confusion surrounding AI terminology has led to controversial discussions and mixed reactions online and within the music industry since the song’s release.
In the music industry, AI is seen as both a threat and an opportunity
The song’s nomination at the Grammy Awards has been met with mixed reviews. Some have praised it as a groundbreaking use of new technology in the arts, while others have expressed concerns that it could set a dangerous precedent for the creative industry.
Some people have argued that this is unfair and that the use of AI should not be normalized in the music industry. Others have begun to predict that from now on, songs created with AI will only increase.
However, there have been opinions that this is not a song created by AI, since it was written and sung by members of The Beatles.
This debate reflects a broader tension over the role of AI in music, where the technology is seen as both an opportunity and a threat to artistic creation.
