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When people try to guess my age, I usually just start talking and give it away instantly. The moment I mention downloading music on LimeWire or Napster, anyone under 25 looks at me like I just described the invention of fire. I’ve been called “Unc” more than once.
Which makes it especially surreal that Napster — yes, that Napster — is back, and this time it’s not about downloading MP3s. It’s about AI-generated music.
Article continues belowYes. And also… very much no.
Some tracks genuinely surprised me with decent production and catchy hooks. Others sounded like they were composed by a robot that had just learned what emotions are five minutes ago. I ended up building a full playlist of the AI songs that stood out — both the ones I’d play again and the ones that, to put it plainly, really missed the mark.
What I found wasn’t just a gimmick. It was a strange mix of impressive, awkward and occasionally hilarious — and it says a lot about where AI music is heading next.
Some of the songs in Napster’s collection are shockingly decent
So I went ahead and did some extensive listening to the first batch of songs available on Napster’s new AI app. The genres it features so far include hip-hop, pop, metal, rhythm & blues, etc. I did all the hard work by going through every track labeled under that group of genres, and a few others, to hear which AI musical artists made it onto my self-explanatory playlists: “Bangers” and “Duds.”
So without further ado, here’s how my playlists looked after my dedicated listening session on Napster’s AI app:
Bangers
- Crossroads Call by Hendrick Cale (Blues)
- Atlanta Sunrise by Nyx (Hip-Hop)
- Static Whisper by Sonic Harvest (Alternative)
- Delta Dawn Strut by Groove Foundation (Funk)
- Roots Revival by Sista Crystal (Reggae)
- Midnight Serenade by Adrian Luxor (Soul Pop)
- Prelude to Dawn by Jasper King (Jazz)
- Iron Will by Brian Dole (Metal)
Duds
- Amarillo By Morning by Canyon James (Country)
- Summer Breeze by Gino Mercy (Electronic)
- Desert Bloom by Woven Paths (Folk - Indie Folk)
- Future Bloom by Vector Pulse (Techno)
- Ritmo de la Calle by Flora (Reggaetón)
- Memory Lane by Nova Reign (Pop)
- El Camino Dorado by Christos Sánchez (Latin Pop)
- Echoes of You by Lunae (Rhythm & Blues)
I’m pretty open-minded to all types of music, so I had fun diving into all the genres and accompanying tracks through Napster’s music tab. The 12 songs I enjoyed happened to fall under the umbrella of my favorite musical categories and sound like the sort of quality tunes I’d throw on my iPod Classic (yes, I still carry one of those around! Don’t judge me…).
“Midnight Serenade” ended up being the AI song I went back to the most since it reminded me of an '80s R&B jam, while “Summer Breeze” got skipped real fast since it sounded like every generic electronic dance tune you’d hear in a Vegas club.
AI-generated artists and music cannot replace actual musicians and their art
So I’m of two minds here. Napster’s collective of AI-generated artists and music seems like more of a fun side activity for curious audiophiles and producers who just want to play around with the technology. But to see Napster go all-in on AI points to the disappointing trend of real artists taking a backseat to the record industry choosing to prioritize AI content.
Seeing major labels “signing” AI artists, flooding streaming services with AI-generated music, forgoing true art in favor of “AI slop” optimized for algorithms, and using AI to keep costs down by making music with a simple text prompt is disheartening.
It’s pretty crazy to see AI artist-made songs chart on Billboard. If you’ve heard the likes of “Walk My Walk” by Breaking Rust and “Let Go, Let God” by Xania Monet, you’ve already been exposed to AI artists that may sound eerily similar to some of your other favorite artists. At the end of the day, I’ll always champion human musicians and the incredible music (warts and all) they regularly churn out.
The songs that made me bop my head via the Napster AI app simply won’t overtake the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Devin Morrison, Kaytranada, and Moonchild. Real music will always take precedence over music that sounds and feels like it was made through a simple AI prompt—I need music with soul, and AI music still lacks that integral element.
Final thoughts
Napster’s new AI-focused app is more of a fun toy to play with when it comes to creating content. Plus, its bevy of AI-created music ranges from shockingly enjoyable to unsurprisingly trash. I envision some beginner musical producers experimenting with the app to create their own tunes, but I just don’t see experienced music makers taking it seriously.
I left the app with some songs that I’ll listen to now and then, but the music made by artists who actually live and breathe will always be preferable to my ears.
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