"Velvet Sundown": Successful Spotify Band Turns Out to Be AI Music

What seems real doesn't have to be real – the case of "Velvet Sundown" demonstrates this impressively.

The alleged band "Velvet Sundown" caused a sensation in June 2025: Suddenly, two albums appeared on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music – from a group that was previously nowhere to be found on the internet. Within a short time, the songs recorded more than 500,000 monthly listeners and landed on numerous playlists. However, doubts about the origin of the music quickly grew.

Spokesperson Admits Use of AI

It is now clear: The songs of the band were predominantly created using Artificial Intelligence – specifically through the tool "Suno." A spokesperson, who calls himself Andrew Frelon, told the US magazine "Rolling Stone" that the entire project was an "art hoax," an intentionally staged art deception. On social media, the group had previously vehemently denied allegations regarding AI usage. Now Frelon admits: "It's marketing. It's trolling." The attention for "Velvet Sundown" shows how effective digital stagings can be – whether real or artificial.

Mysterious Hype on Spotify

How the AI band gained its popularity so quickly remains unclear. Many playlists on which the songs appeared reportedly come from only a few accounts. Frelon was evasive about this. Spotify itself has not yet imposed any restrictions on AI-generated music – according to experts, it is no longer crucial for the streaming service whether real people or algorithms are behind the songs.

Discussion About Authenticity in the Music Industry

Music experts agree: The case of "Velvet Sundown" shows how easily a hype can be triggered with AI and targeted marketing. An A&R manager says: "It's only a matter of time before AI lands a real hit." The debate about Artificial Intelligence in music is likely to gain further momentum.

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.