Artificial intelligence is turning the music industry upside down. I first noticed this on YouTube. More and more channels were uploading songs that sounded like they were by professional bands—except that these bands had no history. No biographies, no interviews, no live performances. The album covers featured stylized, photorealistic figures: perfectly lit, aesthetically staged—and yet unmistakably artificial.

Whether it’s “Midnight Tears” byRoboBluesor Irish-infused folk byThe Celtic Tavern—the quality is surprising. The songs are catchy, technically well-produced, and true to their respective genres. A check with AI systems confirms the suspicion: behind such projects, there are often no musicians, but rather algorithms. Channels likeThe Celtic Tavernspecificallycater togenres like “Celtic Rock,” without any band ever having been in the studio together (this is where the image “AI or real” comes in).

A Rapidly Evolving Industry

The figures are both impressive and alarming:

• Early 2025:About 10,000 AI-generated songs were released daily on the French streaming service Deezer (approximately 10% of all uploads).
• November 2025:The number rose to over50,000 tracks per day.
•  These days, more than one in three new songs is AI-assisted or entirely generated by artificial intelligence.

But the transformation extends beyond the sheer volume of machine-generated tracks. Real bands and producers are also using programs like Suno, Udio, and Boomy—to brainstorm ideas, experiment with different styles, optimize lyrics, or for pre-production. “AI-powered” is thus becoming the new normal.

The clear line between "real" and "artificial" music is beginning to blur.

This raises new questions: What does this mean for musicians? Is there a threat of financial competition from mass production by machines? Will real artists lose visibility as playlists and recommendation algorithms are increasingly flooded with artificially generated tracks? And what will happen if record labels start generating their own music using AI in the future—and thus cease to support independent artists?

Playlists on YouTube can feature existing musicians or bands, as well as projects created entirely by AI.

In response to the criticism of AI-generated music, we should also ask: Is AI-generated music truly soulless? Or is this merely a temporary perception—similar to what we’ve seen during previous technological upheavals? Will new generations of creatives emerge who work with AI the way others work with musical instruments? Might this give rise to new forms of musical creativity?

The “Shadow Light Project”: An Experiment at the Intersection

Rather than simply observing this development passively, I launched theShadow Light Project. The goal is to shed light on the shadows and the light of AI music, to experiment with it, and in doing so, to reflect on what it triggers—both on a personal level and on a societal level. 

 "Shadow Light Project" also exists as a real YouTube channel. We make announcements there:

The Shadow Light Project at the intersection of humans and AI—a dialogue between satire and social seriousness.

THE PHILOSOPHY: Minimalist. Direct. Unfiltered. Texts drawn from personal observation and political discourse (supported by Gemini). Music performed by Suno Pro, curated as an integral part of the creative process.

THE GOAL: Not a perfect production, but a focus on the light and dark sides of our times.

Discover the experiment…

The "Shadow Light Project" channel can be found at:
www.youtube.com/@ShadowLightProject

On this website, theShadow Light Project Laboffers further insights:

• Audio samples:A curated selection of YouTube tracks by Shadow Light Project.
• Blog & Reflection:Comments on my daily work with AI, as well as exclusive music samples that haven't been posted on YouTube.
• Exchange:I welcome feedback from others and a dialogue about the future of music.