Reviving the Beatles: Paul McCartney Harnesses AI to Create a New Song

AI-generated music has become a captivating and controversial subject, evoking strong reactions from artists. Some artists vehemently oppose any association with AI-generated music, while others, like Grimes, wholeheartedly embrace it. Now, joining the ranks of AI music proponents is none other than Paul McCartney, who has embarked on his own AI music creation journey. McCartney has recently crafted a “new” Beatles song using artificial intelligence, which is slated for release later this year.

This unique composition features the vocals of John Lennon, extracted from an old demo recording. According to a report by the Guardian, the vocals are likely sourced from “Now and Then,” a recording made by Lennon in his New York City living room just prior to his untimely demise in 1978. McCartney revealed to the BBC that his inspiration for this endeavour came from Peter Jackson’s documentary “Get Back.” The documentary employed a customized AI system to separate the vocals of the different Beatles members from the background noise, resulting in a remarkably high-fidelity reproduction.

Interestingly, back in 1995, the surviving members of the Beatles made an attempt to record this particular track. However, George Harrison expressed objections midway through the process due to the subpar quality of the Lennon vocals. Thanks to the advancements in AI-powered track separation and clean-up techniques, the vocals have now been restored to a level where McCartney believes they can be seamlessly integrated as if they were freshly recorded specifically for this purpose.

While McCartney maintains a level of scepticism, he does not outright dismiss the idea of AI generating music that closely mimics the original recordings of John Lennon. In his conversation with the BBC documentary, he described it as “kind of scary but exciting, because it’s the future.” McCartney has had the opportunity to listen to AI-generated versions of Lennon singing his own songs, which has sparked his curiosity about the future implications of this technology. “We’ll just have to see where that leads,” he added, leaving room for further exploration and discovery.

In conclusion, AI-generated music continues to intrigue and provoke discussion within the artistic community. With Paul McCartney’s foray into AI music creation and his utilization of AI to revive John Lennon’s vocals, the possibilities and implications of this technology are expanding. As the future unfolds, the fusion of AI and music holds promise and uncertainty, ultimately leading us on a path of continued exploration and creative innovation.