Future Music Shift

The Algorithm's Melody: A Future Where Music Has No Human Heart

Recently, I attended a classical concert that was already composed by AI, a reflection of the accelerating influence of artificial intelligence on music creation. A recent study by CISAC highlights the growing risks posed by generative AI to human creators, emphasizing how AI-driven content could threaten traditional creative livelihoods, disrupt established royalty systems, and fundamentally alter the landscape of music production. The study warns that the rise of AI-generated music could diminish opportunities for human artists to be fairly compensated and may lead to a homogenization of creative output, making it harder for unique, human voices to break through.

Let's imagine the future.

The year is 2028. You slip on your earbuds, the soft chime notifying you that "NuTune" is active. The music begins instantly—a blend of pulsating synths, gentle guitar strums, and a rhythmic bass line. You’re jogging today, and somehow, the sound molds itself to the beat of your feet on the pavement, synchronizing with the slight chill in the autumn air. It’s not a playlist, nor is it anything you’ve heard before. The sound is alive, breathing, responding to each of your movements, your heart rate, even the tilt of your head.

You remember the old days—when Spotify reigned, when listening to music meant hearing an artist’s crafted expressions, their heart poured into lyrics and melodies. That connection feels distant now, a relic of a time when music was made for people rather than with them. The artists—their stories, their battles, their emotions—all absorbed by the algorithms that once used to simply recommend but now generate everything on the go. No more singer-songwriters pouring themselves into studio recordings. No royalties sent to an artist fighting to make a living. No name behind a melody, just a fluid composition owned by one faceless, colossal entity.

The company behind it—"NuTune"—collects all the revenue now. The model is cheap, affordable, almost irresistible. Why pay to own an album when NuTune’s software will create a perfect, personalized soundtrack to every moment of your life? A soundtrack that evolves with you, changes with your mood, learns to predict the songs you didn't know you needed until the moment they play. People have bought into it, surrendering the idea of paying artists directly in exchange for immediacy and convenience. Music as a service, not as an art.

Somewhere across town, there are people who resist. They’re considered niche—connoisseurs—who sit in basements surrounded by vinyl records, physical memories of a time when songs were historical markers of love, heartbreak, revolution, or pure fun. They’re the ones who still seek out concerts by aging musicians, who spend hours searching for "lost tracks" online. They hold listening parties where they play The Beatles or Radiohead—artifacts from a bygone era.

As you run, the music shifts again, anticipating your tiredness and slowing the beat, bringing in a gentle piano loop with subtle rain sounds. It’s perfect. So perfect it’s almost unsettling—you wonder what it means to enjoy something when there’s no one on the other side creating it for you. No struggling artist, no moment of inspiration, no story. Just code. Just you and the algorithm’s best guess at your heart.

You close your eyes for a second, the thought slipping away with the fading beat, replaced by something softer—soothing you back into the rhythm of your breath.

What do you think about this future? Does it excite you, or does it make you feel uneasy? I’d love to hear your thoughts—are we gaining something, or losing more than we realize?