Will Creative Jobs in the Music Industry Survive AI? šŸ¤”

· By Will Harken

Will Creative Jobs in the Music Industry Survive AI? šŸ¤”

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player...

Letā€™s be realā€”AI is shaking things up in the music scene. But hereā€™s the kicker: thereā€™s still a spot for human creativity. Sure, making a living might be tougher now, but hopefully, artists will eventually earn when their work gets a spotlight in new content.

Even if that doesnā€™t come to pass, creative souls should hang in there. Hereā€™s the scoop...

Outline

The Current State of Music

Surprise, surpriseā€”most popular music these days isnā€™t exactly groundbreaking.

Music Is Pretty Much on Repeat

Letā€™s face itā€”thereā€™s little motivation to be truly creative.

ā€œCreativeā€ here means doing something fresh, not the same olā€™ stuff weā€™ve heard a million times.

Itā€™s a labor of love, and often, people wonā€™t invest in your experimental creations.

Why? Because most folks want to hear whatā€™s familiar.

Image of a guitar player

If youā€™re in it for popularity and cash, youā€™ll probably just grab a trap template and have someone mumble catchy lines over it.

Even better? Just remix something.

People crave the same thing over and over. Think about those dads who say, "Music hasnā€™t been the same since the Beatles." In their minds, "If it doesnā€™t sound like the Beatles, why bother?"

AĀ New Hope

Maybe AI will help folks appreciate original work.

AI could open eyes to the beauty of unique and experimental sounds.

But for now, everyone seems to want covers and rehashed hits.

šŸ‘‰šŸ‘‰ My main gig is the lyric swap. Itā€™s proof that many prefer tweaking a popular tune rather than diving into something brand new.

Itā€™s just how it is.

Humans vs AI in Creativity

Now, letā€™s ponder the human brain. Itā€™s wild and often random. AI music from tools like Suno and Udio might sound slick, but is it really creative? Probably not.

Why? Because computers follow a set path. You might not see the steps the AI took to generate music, but itā€™s all tied to a seed value that churns out similar results every time. šŸ¤–

This is not the way people create.

Humans have moods, dreams, and unpredictable thoughtsā€”something AI hasnā€™t quite figured out yet.

Creativity & Hallucination

AI canā€™t experience substances. Yet, ā€œhallucinationā€ refers to the weird outputs that sometimes pop up in AI work.

From IBM:

AI hallucination is when a large language model (LLM) perceives patterns or objects that don't exist, creating nonsensical or inaccurate outputs.

AI pros want to eliminate those oddities because the results can feel useless. But remember, many creative human ideas can seem unusable at first, too.

The hard part isnā€™t dreaming up ideas; itā€™s refining them into something the world wants. In music, mixing and producing can strip away the original magic that artists put in.

Image of an AI brain

What your brain looks like on LSD according to Midjourney

The Role of Hallucination

Speaking of hallucinogens, do they fuel creativity? Quick answer: Yes, but theyā€™re not essential.

Before anyone gets mad, thereā€™s solid research pointing to how psilocybin (magic mushrooms) can improve mental well-being.

One of the funniest comments I saw on a Reddit music production thread went like this:

A person asked: ā€œIf I had $5k to kickstart my music career, what should I buy?ā€

Top response: ā€œ$5k in LSD and a bunch of pirated software.ā€

Funny Reddit comment on LSD and music production

Sure, substances can help clear mental blocks, but too much can just have you binge-watching Netflix while time slips away... or worse.

So, tread carefully.

Hereā€™s your friendly reminder: "Always follow local laws when it comes to substances. And check in with the right people before diving into anything creative."

Using substances for creativity can be hit or miss. But experimenting and pushing your limits? Thatā€™s the heart of being an artist.

Check this page if youā€™d rather leave the heavy lifting of creativity to someone else.

Future Vision: AI and Human Coexistence

AI will eventually produce unique tunes and even craft new genres. But it will always be limited to what algorithms define as popular.

You'll find plenty of background music for workouts, tutorials, or gaming that doesnā€™t need much creativity.

Sure, some listeners may resist this shift, but theyā€™ll likely be in the minority for a while.

Niche communities dedicated to pure, raw music without AI will probably pop up. And those groups might just support original artists financially.

Itā€™s Usually About The Money

Most artists who moan about AI are worried about their wallets.

FACT: True artistry is a tough roadā€”AI or not.

For many, being an artist means juggling innovation with what the audience actually wants.

Ultimately, itā€™s up to the artist to decide their path and the tools they want to wield!

For now, AI will be just another tool in the shed, maybe even forever.

AI might put creatives out of a job here and there, but diving deep into art always has its rewards. Itā€™s a journey worth taking.

Related Blog Posts: