Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated • Hacker News Board

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#231

Post by coldtea » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:09 PM UTC

strangegecko wrote: post #47

I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by…

>I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by anyone but myself.

That's true of 99% of very polished finished work too. Amazing bands and artists in Spotify with sub 1000 streams/month.

>None of these problems are "new", but I feel like AI is making this question of "why do it" or "what is worth doing" even more urgent. Kind of wondering how others are affected by all this, if at all.

Absolutely. One big concern is that even if you do it and you're proud of it, many will think it's AI anyway.

Plus the over-inflation of AI generated shit. It could all die in a fire.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#232

Post by some-guy » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:10 PM UTC

basisword wrote: post #163

some-guy wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of people thought the same thing with everything going from analog -> digital. Or heck, even learning an instrument when MIDI was first introduced. Even before generative AI, there is a long-going debate in audio circles around simulated guitar amplifiers. The truth is, the simulations of them have gotten so insanely good that now one could simply purchase an all-in-one pedalboard and have basically all of guit…

>> one could simply purchase an all-in-one pedalboard and have basically all of guitar history at your toes And this is actually a problem. Great art usually comes from constraints, real or artificial. These things are a lot of fun to tinker with (a really fun hobby) but one amp, one guitar, and a small number of effects pedals will probably lead to you actually make more and better stuff.

This was definitely true for me, which is why I write everything acoustically and ensure the song is "good" before going in my later age. If I want a specific effect, I then google what pedals were used in a particular song or artist, then I try to recreate the chain, and then tinker with that on top.

Ultimately I spent so much of my time worrying about "what crazy expensive equipment should I buy" when I was younger and more into this stuff, and I should have simply just played my shitty instruments and recorded on my shitty equipment. That's on me, but I also find it empowering as an artist that I can clean up my recording in the way that replaces my need for expensive equipment while maintaining (in my humble opinion) a sense of authenticity of my performance. I agree there may be too many knobs, but finding the knobs that I want has never been easier and I would rather live in the now than in the past.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#233

Post by coldtea » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:11 PM UTC

101008 wrote: post #177

wartywhoa23 wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're not wasting your time, my friend. But you've got to be very certain and honest as to why you want to learn that. If your goal is being heard and appreciated, well, you better reconsider. If you're doing it for your own pleasure and pure love of art, absolutely do go on, without any expectations. It may or may not take off, but the samurai must not care.

Agree 100% with this and I also think the default mindset of "being heard and appreciated / make some money out of this" is very recent and only from the last (or two) decade(s). In the past learning a skill and do something was mostly for pleasure, and something that would stay in your inner circle of friends. Maybe one of your friends would tell his other group of friends but that would be it. Now internet gave us…

>I also think the default mindset of "being heard and appreciated / make some money out of this" is very recent and only from the last (or two) decade(s).

Artists wanted to "be heard and appreciated" since they started banging rocks together for rhythm and painting on cave walls...

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#234

Post by coldtea » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:12 PM UTC

Lucasoato wrote: post #153

strangegecko wrote: post #47

I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by…

I’ve asked an artist if they should be worried about the newest generative AI capabilities. This is his (translated) response: > Artists? Pencil laborers, more like.. I am in favor of using AI in visuals. It will eliminate a lot of mere decorators, and won’t even slightly affect the artists. I hope AI as a technology has the same effect on the world of ART as the invention of photography had: it got rid of a lot of e…

Wishful thinking.

What it will do is it will spoil it for 99% of small time artists that still managed to make a living out of it. It will drown audience with slop and make them not care for new releases even more.

That "artists" idea is that the Monet's will survive, but art is not a rat race where just the Monets need apply. A healthy art scene needs all kinds of creators, at different levels, and needs to be able to sustain a decent above-average quality chunk of them. Not just the Monets.

Not to mention it seems like the pretentious artist in the discussion sees themselves as some outlier Monet type that will be fine.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#235

Post by awfulneutral » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:16 PM UTC

user1847272 wrote: post #190

101008 wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree 100% with this and I also think the default mindset of "being heard and appreciated / make some money out of this" is very recent and only from the last (or two) decade(s). In the past learning a skill and do something was mostly for pleasure, and something that would stay in your inner circle of friends. Maybe one of your friends would tell his other group of friends but that would be it. Now internet gave us…

> make some money out of this The OP never said this. You and a few other commenters seem to think being heard == being an influencer that’s in it for the money. > and something that would stay in your inner circle of friends. Maybe one of your friends would tell his other group of friends but that would be it. That’s what being heard and appreciated is.

Yeah. People act like it's a sin to want some notice or respect when you've worked and achieved something, like you should be some zen-like creature that is purely intrinsically motivated. It is not wrong to want some notice or respect from your peers once in a while.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#236

Post by traeregan » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:17 PM UTC

tmountain wrote: post #220

cyclopeanutopia wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please share your bandcamp page!

https://huggyboy.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-wilds

I'm only halfway through listening but this is a rad album! Thank you for sharing.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#237

Post by rune-dev » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:21 PM UTC

StilesCrisis wrote: post #135

strangegecko wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For me it is beyond trying to make money or become famous, To clarify, when I speak of "approval", I'm not imagining a successful career or financial success. It's much more basic, i.e. having a few people tell me they genuinely like something I created would do that. > it is simply to enjoy the journey and the creativity that comes with creating music. It's unfortunately not simple for me (again, context of long t…

Uh, have you tried rhythm games? You can scratch the same music-exploration itch with a much lower time commitment and get the same thrill of accomplishment as you improve. There is also a built-in crowd of other players at any skill level that you can share your achievements with. It's not the same glassy-eyed state as you'd get with normal video games, TV, or doom scrolling at all. You will need to focus and clear…

Nothing against rhythm games.

But actually creating music or playing an instrument is much more rewarding. The time commitment is part of it, the journey is the destination and all that.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#238

Post by anoojb » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:23 PM UTC

tmountain wrote: post #203

strangegecko wrote: post #47

I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by…

I’ve been involved in one music project or another (bands, albums, solo projects, etc) for the past 25 years. During the pandemic, a friend and I decided to make a record together. We labored over it for almost two years and finally “released it” on bandcamp to very little fanfare. A few friends and family had nice things to say, and one random stranger reached out with positive feedback. I get a monthly stream repor…

I've been asking myself this question in the last year:

> Why do I want to make music?

I picked a basic DJ controller and a midi controller bundled with Ableton. I'm a novice, but I love listening to music and dissecting what makes a good performance. I crave that feeling of getting chills when I find something new that moves me in new ways. This set was a pretty recent example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfF8jzBVWvM

That being said, the world is increasingly crowded with "good enough" music.

I resolved early on that I was never going to make a money doing this, which simplified things greatly. There's a primal part of our brain that craves adoration. I do wish for others to adore my music. Even if it's a handful of people. I do wish to perform publicly one day, even if it's at a park for passersby.

Mostly I just want something to move my brain in different ways. I want to create something beautiful.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#239

Post by strangegecko » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:25 PM UTC

neonstatic wrote: post #141

strangegecko wrote: post #47

I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by…

> I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). If you enjoy the process and its outcomes, then it's not a waste of time. If you are forcing yourself to do it or have another motivation for it that is not rooted in genuine interest, then yes…

I need to force myself to do almost everything. Simply saying it's a waste of time because of that isn't practical unless I give up on life entirely.

In practice, it's not binary. I'm interested because I want to make music similar to that which I like listening to.

Sometimes I get enjoyment out of it, but sometimes I lose interest maybe because I'm facing a frustration.

My question of wasting time is connected to "can I even create something worth listening to". If nothing I could make is worth listening to, then I guess I would feel the process of creation is pointless.

I've heard others write about how what they produce is worth listening to, to them. I think that is enough, but I also think I lack confidence in my own judgement. Almost like I need someone else to confirm my validity. I have recognized that as a result of emotional neglect, but I haven't figured out how to fix it.

Re: Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated

#240

Post by Tanoc » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 9:32 PM UTC

strangegecko wrote: post #47

I'm trying to learn music production with a DAW, sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time. Part of my reason for trying this was reading how creative endeavors can be therapeutic (I'm dealing with burnout/depression/cptsd). I'm at the stage where sometimes I make something that sounds good (to me) but I know it requires work (in the "not fun" sense) to finish it and even then, it will likely never be appreciated by…

Art is a form of communication. You turn to the arts when the other methods to communicate something either do not feel as if they fit, or feel that they will not encompass the idea you wish to convey. Art is a dialogue with other people, not a commodity. The point is to help yourself understand what you want to say, not to say something that is valuable in way that can be exchanged for goods.

So do not become discouraged by the machine generated sounds. They are only sounds, not a message.