Music, copyright, and A.I. — a cocktail for success and suspicion

Pianist Salo was a longtime member of a Seattle post-rock band called “Joy Wants Eternity.” Their music was instrumental -- and all of it was made close to ten years ago. The band went their separate and amicable ways in 2015. 

So, imagine Salo’s surprise when just this year, Joy Wants Eternity was listed as a collaborator on a new project: an album from a musician called the “Illusory Explainer. An album they didn’t actually collaborate on.

Both the band and their fans were confused. If the group didn’t help make the music, then who did? 

It’s something podcast producer Roddy Nikpour has been looking into. He detailed the possible use of generative music A.I. in a recent story for KEXP. 

Guests:

• Roddy Nikpour, assistant teaching professor at Arizona State University and a podcast producer for KEXP. 

Related Links:

• Find Nikpour's story on Joy Wants Eternity here: AI-Generated Music Is Siphoning Streams from Artists in Seattle and Beyond