The ears no longer hear what they think they hear. As algorithms learn to compose, interpret and emulate human emotions, music loses its familiar cues. This discreet shift is not just a technological curiosity. It is already transforming our daily lives as listeners. AI-generated music appears on platforms, in playlists, sometimes even in the rankings, without anyone really noticing.
An outdated human ear
The boundary between human creation and digital imitation is disappearing at high speed. A study conducted by Ipsos among 9,000 people in eight countries, relayed by CBS News, reveals a striking reality. 97% of participants were unable to differentiate two pieces generated by artificial intelligence from a piece composed by a human. To carry out this test, respondents listened to three extracts (two produced by AI, one by a human artist) without knowing their origin. The result stunned researchers, listeners… and music professionals.
A survey conducted for Deezer reveals just how much the human ear can be fooled by current music technology. Indeed, codes, emotions and even imperfections are imitated so well that they seem human. More than half of those surveyed admitted discomfort upon discovering their error in judgment. In the past, not knowing the interpreter worried anyone. Now, this uncertainty raises real artistic, economic and even moral questions.
How AI-generated music is taking over platforms
Since the start of 2025, the share of content entirely generated by AI has continued to grow on streaming platforms. On Deezer, songs produced by algorithms already represented 10% of daily listenings in January. Ten months later, they are close to 35%, or nearly 40,000 titles per day according to data revealed by the company. This growth is not only quantitative. Some of these titles are reaching unexpected levels of popularity.
The example of the fictional group The Velvet Sundown, revealed in June on Spotify, clearly illustrates this shift. The public fell in love with their songs without suspecting for a single second that no member of the group existed. It wasn't until the following month that the deception was revealed, well after their flagship title surpassed three million plays. More recently, the song “Walk My Walk” from the Breaking Rust project, featuring an AI-generated male voice, reached number one on Billboard's digital country chart (a historic first).
Faced with these phenomena, the platforms are organizing themselves as best they can. Spotify, for example, announced that it wanted to encourage artists and labels to adopt a voluntary code of transparency on the use of AI. But only Deezer, to date, systematically labels songs generated entirely by algorithms.
Labeling, the only barrier still visible?
In a context of growing confusion between human and synthetic productions, the majority of listeners are demanding more clarity. According to Reuters, 80% of respondents want songs created by artificial intelligence to be clearly marked. Better still, almost three quarters want to be informed when this type of content is recommended to them. And 40% say they would ignore them if they knew their origin.
These expectations show a need for benchmarks. The new model shakes up the rules linked to income, rights and recognition. Deezer has therefore already started to react. The platform removes these songs from editorial playlists and adjusts its recommendations. At the same time, it strengthens the detection of fraudulent tapping. The objective remains to avoid excesses linked to automatic monetization. Alexis Lanternier, CEO of Deezer, insists on this point. According to him, human creativity deserves to be protected. He recognizes, however, that distinguishing human works remains a complex challenge.
The case of the group The Velvet Sundown or the recent disputes surrounding the reproduction of lyrics by AIs like ChatGPT, which was recently sanctioned by a German court, demonstrate that the safeguards remain fragile. The industry is moving towards a crest where technological innovation rubs shoulders with the risk of a progressive erasure of the human mark in music.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
