Could you distinguish between a song created by artificial intelligence and one made by human musicians? According to groundbreaking new research, the overwhelming majority of music listeners cannot tell the difference.
The Listening Test That Stumped Thousands
A comprehensive survey conducted by French streaming platform Deezer alongside research firm Ipsos revealed startling results about our ability to detect computer-generated music. The study involved 9,000 participants across eight countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, and Japan.
When asked to identify whether tracks were created by AI or human artists, 97% of listeners failed to correctly distinguish between them. This remarkable finding demonstrates how sophisticated AI music generation has become, with synthetic compositions now virtually indistinguishable from those created by human musicians to the average ear.
Streaming Platforms Under Scrutiny
The research comes as AI-generated music rapidly enters the mainstream, with most streaming services failing to indicate when listeners are hearing computer-created tracks. This lack of transparency extends to royalty payments, leaving music fans unaware whether their streams are supporting human artists or AI systems.
Deezer stands alone as the only mainstream platform that proactively labels AI-generated music, while other major services like Spotify continue to stream synthetic tracks without identification. The platform reports being flooded with approximately 50,000 AI-generated tracks daily, representing 34% of their total new submissions.
The case of Xania Monet highlights this emerging issue. As the first AI-generated artist to break into the US Billboard charts, her top song has amassed over six million streams on Spotify. Yet her profile gives no indication that she isn't a real person, presenting listeners with a completely fictional pop superstar.
Public Demand for Transparency and Protection
The survey revealed strong public sentiment regarding AI music disclosure and its impact on human creators. 73% of respondents believe streaming platforms should clearly indicate when they're recommending AI-generated music, while 70% view fully AI-created tracks as a threat to musicians' livelihoods.
More than half of those surveyed (52%) expressed that completely AI-generated songs should not be included in mainstream music charts, reflecting concerns about fair competition and artistic integrity.
American singer-songwriter Amber Mark responded to the findings, stating she feels 'comforted to know that people care about music and value real songs over AI generated content'. She emphasised that the public's desire for safeguards sends a strong message to the industry that action is needed.
Mark added: 'I'm also happy to see that so many are on the artists' side when it comes to making sure that AI-models can't train on music without the consent of the creators.'
The AI Music Revolution
The accessibility of AI music creation has exploded recently, with apps like Suno and Udio making it surprisingly easy to generate professional-sounding tracks in any genre. While AI image and video generators have captured public attention, music creation has developed more quietly in the background.
This stealth advancement may explain why streaming platforms have avoided implementing the same labelling requirements that users demand for visual content on platforms like Instagram.
Spotify has acknowledged the need for greater transparency but argues that implementing a binary tagging system presents challenges, as some legitimate artists incorporate AI tools into their creative process. However, critics maintain that this position enables situations where listeners unknowingly stream music from entirely fictional artists.
The track 'Ashes on the Carousel' by The Velvet Sundown, used in the survey, was entirely AI-generated. The 'band' previously attracted controversy by accumulating millions of plays on Spotify while their profile claimed they consisted of real musicians. In contrast, 'Pretty Woman' by Juicy Lucy featured in the same test was completely human-made.
As AI music continues its march into the mainstream, the industry faces urgent questions about copyright, artist compensation, and listener transparency that can no longer be ignored.
