Top 10 AI Generated Songs
#10: “Illiac Suite” (a.k.a. “String Quartet No.4) (1957)
Lejaren Hiller, Leonard Isaacson & the Illiac Computer
It’s not exactly the kind of song that will light up the club. But we still have to recognition this breakthrough in A.I. composition. This string quartet piece was the work of two composers and professors at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, who wrote it with the help of a computer. After the computer created a score, it was performed by a real-life string quartet. Even just listening to an excerpt of the four-movement piece, it’s beyond impressive what the machine pulled off. With its arrangement of rapid, piercing strings, it sounds like a true precursor of the iconic “Psycho” theme. Who knew A.I.-generated music has been around longer than the Beatles?
#9: “Not Easy” (2016)
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Alex Da Kid feat. X Ambassadors, Elle King, & Wiz Khalifa
While “Not Easy” was the first single released under superstar producer Alex Da Kid’s own name, he had some quality collaborators by his side, such as X Ambassadors, Elle King, Wiz Khalifa, and IBM Watson? The superintelligent computer system, best known for its dominating performance on “Jeopardy!” proved its songwriting prowess with “Not Easy.” Watson analyzed lyrical and compositional patterns of current pop music. Then, Alex Da Kid used Watson’s notes and brought along some famous friends for a touching ballad about lost love. Though made with the help of a computer, it’s still undeniably human thanks to its passionate performances and resonant message. It’s not easy to create a moving song. But this shows there’s more than one way to do it.
#8: “Savages” (2023)
AllttA
One of the biggest developments - and controversies - regarding A.I. generated music is how good it’s gotten at emulating popular artists. There’s the track “Heart On My Sleeve,” which sparked major conversation for how much it sounded like an actual collaboration between Drake and The Weeknd. This track is from duo AllttA, made up of American rapper Mr. J Medeiros and French producer 20Syl. You might hear a familiar voice trading lines with Medeiros, that of legendary rapper Jay-Z. Hov didn’t contribute to this song. But A.I. was able to emulate his voice well enough to sound like the genuine article. Tracks like this represent a watershed moment for A.I. in music, and there’s no telling where it might go next.
#7: “Not Mine” (2017)
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Miquela
A.I. has lent to the rise of virtual musical stars, some of whom are treated like living, breathing celebrities. Among these is Miquela, a 19-year-old Instagram model based in California, sort of. She was actually born (figuratively) in 2016, the creation of Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou, co-founders of startup Brud. Like many social media influencers, Miquela tried her hand at music. And her first attempt is better than most. The mix of melodic, manipulated vocals, defiant lyrics, and spacey production make it the perfect addition to a modern R&B playlist. This wasn’t a fluke, either, as Miquela has stayed releasing music, including with prominent artists like Teyana Taylor.
#6: “Break Free” (2017)
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Taryn Southern
Taryn Southern is an actual person and not a computer creation. But she's made major waves in the world of A.I. music. In 2017, Southern, whose past experience includes a brief stint on “American Idol” and multiple TV guest spots, released “Break Free,” a vibrant piece of electropop made with the help of A.I. compositional program Amper. Though the backing track might be machine-made, the emotive vocals and headstrong lyrics are all Southern, who shows the power of working with technology, rather than against it. The following year, she dropped the first album made entirely with A.I., appropriately titled “I AM AI.”
#5: “Deliverance Rides” (2020)
Kirt Connor
Internet creator Kirt Connor has drawn many to his YouTube channel with songs written and performed in the style of legendary bands, including Nirvana, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin. However, his crowning achievement might be this one, a remarkably good replica of metal gods Metallica. While the lyrics were written by A.I., Connor himself handled performance and production. And if you can do a James Hetfield impression better than his, we want to hear it. Like the best Metallica songs, “Deliverance Rides” will have you headbanging and playing air guitar right along with it. We would love an official studio version recorded by the band.
#4: “Hallo Spaceboy” (1995)
David Bowie
David Bowie was known throughout his career for his experimentation and shifts in style. And this was arguably one of his most daring ventures. For 1995’s ambitious album “Outside,”, Bowie went truly outside the box, writing lyrics with the help of a program called Verbasizer. “Hallo Spaceboy,” which was later remixed with synth-pop icons the Pet Shop Boys, reads like a Bowie song, with its cosmic imagery and romantic themes.But knowing it was written, at least in part, with the help of A.I., gives it a new dimension. If there’s one word to describe David Bowie, it’s “forward-thinking.”
#3: “Daddy’s Car” (2016)
Sony CSL Research Lab
Sometimes, music is described as sounding like it was “made in a lab.” In this case, it’s true. This research laboratory, found by tech giant Sony, showed how well one of the most famous bands could be emulated through the right machine learning. “Daddy’s Car” is described as being “in the style of the Beatles.” And it truly sounds like the Fab Four have all someone come back together to make a song that sounds familiar and brand new at once. There’s also an unmissable Beach Boys sound as well, making this perhaps the best 60s pop team-up that never happened. Listening to “Daddy’s Car” is like going backward and forward in time simultaneously.
#2: “Drowned in the Sun” (2021)
Lost Tapes of the 27 Club
The lives of multiple iconic artists were tragically cut short at the age of 27, giving us the term “the 27 Club.” To pay tribute to these artists and help spread meaningful awareness of mental health, Over the Bridge, a Toronto-based non-profit created "Lost Tapes of the 27 Club." This track garnered plenty of press in 2021 for how much it sounded like a genuine Nirvana song. With its distorted guitar, blasting drums, and raw vocals, courtesy of Nirvana cover band frontman Eric Hogan, “Drowned in the Sun” is a scorcher that would fit seamlessly alongside the likes of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Heart-Shaped Box” in a Nirvana playlist. Though there’s no replacing the actual Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, we can’t deny how noteworthy this is.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Oblivious,” Yona (2018)
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“On the Edge,” AIVA and Brad Frey (2018)
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“Godmother,” Holly Herndon & Jlin (feat. Spawn) (2018)
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#1: “World is Mine” (2009)
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Supercell feat. Hatsune Miku
Remember what we said about A.I. artists becoming celebrities? Well, none are better examples than Hatsune Miku, the artificial ambassador of synthesizer program Vocaloid. This “virtual idol” has gotten such a following, she performs “live” despite being, well, not exactly real. However, her impact is most definitely real. And that’s best demonstrated by this song, one of many made with Japanese band Supercell. Everything about “World is Mine” is bursting with energy, most notably from Hatsune Miku herself. And she’s assisted by a backing track that provides plenty of momentum for her sweet, soaring vocals. On this track, the world is truly hers, A.I. or not.
