52% of music artists/producers/DJs said they would lie about this.
In a world filled with AI 🤖, be a...
Can the entire essence of a year be captured with just one word? Every year the team at Merriam-Webster takes on the task of selecting the word of the year.
What is the criteria for choosing the word of the year?
The tradition of selecting the word of the year started in 2003, and is a reflection and summation of events that happened throughout the year in passing. In an algorithm-powered society filled with hashtags, trends, and fake news, this year posed a challenge for the team.
The 2023 Word of the Year by Merriam-Webster is "authentic."
According to the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, the word authentic is defined as true to one's own personality, spirit, or character; not false or imitation.
It's a term we're thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever. It is important in every part of life, from personal authenticity to brand authenticity, from news to education. Authenticity is the foundation of how we should navigate in the world.
The world is in a crisis of authenticity.
Authenticity is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days, almost to the point where it loses all meaning.
“Live in such a way that if someone should speak badly of you, no one would believe it.” -Zig Ziglar
Authenticity isn't against innovation, technology should amplify an artist's creativity, not replace it. This shift in the means of production has given rise to the popularity of technology based music.
Authenticity in Music
In this streaming economy and while tech continues to evolve, authenticity in music is more valuable than ever. Music is about artists and creators being real and connecting with listeners beyond the algorithm, auto-tune, and synths.
Authenticity in music refers to the ability of an artist to express their true self, emotions, and experiences through their music. Remaining authentic means staying true to your craft, vision, and artistry while not conforming external pressures or trends.
Musical authenticity is crucial because it connects us to other people through art. It connects us:
To ourselves through music that speaks directly to our hearts and minds.
To other people by sharing our experiences through the same songs.
To something greater than ourselves through the fact that artists put so much effort into it.
Music comes from the heart and soul, not from AI or something computer-generated.
It doesn’t penetrate the soul more or less because of an algorithm on TikTok.
To be authentic is to be raw and aware of all the pieces that make up who we are at our core—even the parts we may not like. It requires the ability to adapt to the people and circumstances around us, and to constantly grow, learn and improve.
No one can do everything well or be all things to all people all the time. But if you pay attention, it’s easy to tell when someone is doing their best to be sincere and stay true to themselves.
As music consumers, we have the power to champion authenticity. By supporting artists who stay genuine, we help keep music diverse and rich. Authenticity matters.
I am so f*cking tired of hearing about AI.
Now it’s seeping into my music.
A survey conducted by Pirate Studios showed that more than half of artists incorporating AI into their music creation prefer not to disclose that they do.
Out of the 1,141 artists who participated in the survey:
25% had experimented with AI.
46% are willing to use AI in the future.
52% would keep their AI use a secret.
53% expressed concerns about how their audience might perceive the use of AI i music.
When asked about the most useful stage of the music-making process for AI, respondents identified songwriting and composition as the leading category, followed by research and inspiration. Beat and rhythm creation, mastering, and arrangement were all evenly rated.
Another survey conducted by Ditto Music showed that 60% of respondents were already incorporating AI into their music-making processes.
Is AI a threat to music creators or do we have to just deal with it?
Reply to this email and let me know how you’re feeling about authenticity in music? Do you use AI for your music or anything else?