Canadian artists fear extinction as AI-generated bands gain traction on streaming platforms. Union urges Ottawa to act before creators are pushed out for good.
Canadian Musicians Fear AI May Disrupt Entire Industry
As artificial intelligence-generated “bands” climb the charts, Canadian musicians and industry leaders are warning that the very future of the music business is at stake. With AI soaking up streaming royalties and exploiting unregulated loopholes, artists are calling on the federal government for urgent action.
AI Bands Go Viral, Musicians Struggle to Compete
This summer, controversy erupted when The Velvet Sundown, an AI-generated act, hit 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Critics say the project uses artificial intelligence to simulate human creativity—without sharing profits or giving credit to real musicians. This rise in synthetic music has led to concern over the shrinking space—and shrinking income—for human creators.
Artists Respond with Protest Tracks and Public Criticism
In response, Florida-based musician Kristian Heironimus, who performs as Velvet Meadow, released a garage-rock “diss track” mocking The Velvet Sundown. His lyrics, urging AI to “pick a real guitar,” reflect growing frustration among musicians who feel they are being replaced by machines. Canadian and American artists alike are finding inventive ways to reclaim their audience, but many say the odds are stacked against them.
Union Demands Ottawa Step In With Policy Protections
The American Federation of Musicians, representing 70,000 professionals in Canada and the U.S., has called for consent-based AI training models and royalties for artists whose work is used. “Without federal regulation, we risk losing an entire generation of creators,” said Allistair Elliott, Director of Canadian Affairs for the union. Despite ongoing talks, the Department of Canadian Heritage has yet to respond publicly.
Copyright Law Trails Behind Technology, Experts Warn
Legal scholars say Canada’s intellectual property laws are ill-equipped for the AI era. “We’ve been going in circles for two years,” said Mira Sundara Rajan, a former Canada Research Chair in IP Law. She argues that scraping music to train AI doesn’t meet “fair dealing” standards in Canada and calls for new laws tailored to the digital age.
Music Platforms Remain Largely Unregulated
Streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music currently do not label AI-generated content, making it difficult for users—and regulators—to distinguish between human and machine-made music. France-based platform Deezer recently disclosed that 18% of its uploads are fully AI-generated, adding to the urgency of the issue.
Industry Fears Artists Will Be Last to Benefit
Musicians like New York’s Hadji Gaviota are skeptical that change will come soon—or that artists will truly benefit. “Artists getting a fair deal is usually the last part of anything,” he said, referencing lawsuits now underway against AI music startups Suno and Udio for copyright violations. Even with attribution tools being developed, compensation may amount to “fractions of pennies.”
Growing Divide Between Innovation and Ethics
As AI evolves faster than legislation, the debate grows more urgent. While industry giants push for innovation, artists and legal experts alike say creativity and compensation cannot be sacrificed for convenience. Unless Canada enacts protections soon, musicians fear AI will silence not just individual careers—but the human soul of music itself.
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