An AI-generated vocal track featuring rapper Drake is making waves in the music industry.
Produced by an anonymous artist known as “Ghostwriter,” the track "Heart on My Sleeve" is in the running for a Grammy nomination, according to a recent report by The New York Times.
Earlier this year, the Recording Academy, the entity responsible for the Grammys, made a significant policy update. It announced that songs featuring AI-generated components would be eligible for awards. However, the nomination must specifically pertain to human-created music.
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Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Grammys, stated in a conversation with The New York Times:
As far as the creative side, it’s absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.
Mason Jr. further emphasized that for a track to be eligible, it must also have “general distribution,” including availability on streaming platforms.
Representatives from the Ghostwriter team confirmed the submission of "Heart on My Sleeve" for Best Rap Song and Song of the Year categories at the Grammys. The award in these categories is typically granted to the songwriter, who, in this case, is human.
However, there's a twist. Despite industry experts categorizing the song's AI components as a "legal gray area," the track was pulled from all major streaming services. It is worth noting that the reason behind the removal remains unclear.
Universal Music Group, one of the music industry’s most influential record labels, had sent emails to significant streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, asking them to block AI services from using copyrighted melodies and lyrics.
The Grammy eligibility of an AI-assisted track featuring vocals from Drake brings a new dimension to the ongoing dialogue about the intersection of technology and creativity. While the Recording Academy has opened its doors to AI-generated music, the issue is far from settled, especially given the complexities around copyrights and streaming services.
