Recent observations indicate that music enthusiasts are increasingly uneasy about AI-generated songs, as highlighted by a report from the music and entertainment research company Luminate. This unease is especially pronounced among younger listeners, specifically those from Generations Z and Alpha.
The study tracked changes from May to November 2025 regarding perceptions of AI in music creation, revealing a notable shift in overall sentiment from -13% to -20%.
“Overall, our findings indicate that consumers lean toward a negative view,” explains Audrey Schomer, a media analyst and research editor at Luminate and the author of the report titled “Generative AI in Entertainment 2026: Examining Changes in Industry Strategies, Legal Challenges & Consumer Attitudes.” “Essentially, this means that people are more likely to feel discomfort with AI’s role in music than to embrace it.”
The survey evaluated both partial AI involvement (such as writing lyrics or generating vocals) and completely AI-composed works. The latter garnered notably more negative reactions. Interestingly, about one-third of respondents expressed indifference toward AI music. Schomer points out that many individuals changed their views from positive to negative during the May to November period.
This report aligns with the growing prevalence of generative AI content on social media and streaming services. In the previous year, French streaming platform Deezer introduced an AI detection tool to monitor the volume of “synthetic content” uploaded. Recently, Deezer reported that approximately 44% of daily uploads consist of AI-generated music. However, listener engagement remains limited, as less than 3% of total streams involve AI tracks, and a majority of these streams are considered fraudulent, often attributed to bot activity. Deezer indicates that it demonetizes these streams.
In light of these developments, artists and advocates have voiced concerns about how the surge in AI music might impact fair compensation for real musicians. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music utilize a pro-rata payment model: artists receive a proportionate share of royalties based on their share of total streams. In February, numerous artists’ rights organizations worldwide released an open letter titled “Say No To Suno”—referring to a major AI music generator—arguing that AI content dilutes the royalty pools available to legitimate artists, whose music is often sampled.
Nevertheless, some AI projects, such as Xania Monet and Breaking Rust, have gained traction and even achieved recognition on the Billboard charts. Monet is a digital avatar created by Mississippi poet Telisha “Nikki” Jones, who employs Suno to transform her poetry into R&B music. As reported by Billboard, Monet secured a multimillion-dollar record deal with Hallwood Media last fall.
Such changes are causing concern among musicians. R&B artist SZA recently expressed to i-D that she feels “at war” with AI-generated content.
“This trend disproportionately affects Black music,” SZA noted. “Why am I hearing AI covers of Olivia Dean, who has just launched her career? She hasn’t even had the chance to gather streams. Furthermore, some AI productions of Black music are disturbing, often relying on trivial, stereotypical themes.”
While Luminate’s study did not explore the reasons behind shifting opinions on AI, Schomer suggests that artists advocating against AI may have an influence on public sentiment.
“If listeners feel a connection to certain artists involved in these rights campaigns, that growing awareness could lead young people to adopt a more negative stance toward AI music,” she asserts.
She also notes that as AI technology permeates everyday life, mental fatigue from overexposure to AI—often referred to as brain fry—could influence changing attitudes, particularly among younger generations who bear the anxieties of a rapidly evolving job market shaped by AI.
“Concerns regarding job prospects are rising, and I believe Gen Z is particularly affected by this narrative of dwindling job opportunities, especially for entry-level positions,” Schomer explains.
Regarding AI’s role in music creation, Luminate’s findings show particularly unfavorable opinions towards AI-generated songs that replicate the sound or style of established artists. Leading AI song generators, including Suno and Udio, have faced copyright lawsuits for using artists’ work without consent. Yet, some labels and publishers, including Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group, have proceeded to establish licensing agreements with these AI platforms to fairly compensate artists and songwriters who allow their voice, likeness, or style to be utilized in AI projects. Last month, Taylor Swift became the latest artist to file several trademark patents to safeguard her image and voice from unauthorized AI use.
Looking to the future, several music generators and streaming services, including Spotify, have expressed a desire to create interactive features for fans to remix and modify existing songs through AI. Given Luminate’s findings, which show that young users are particularly hesitant about AI-generated music imitating established artists, gaining audience trust for these new features may prove to be a significant challenge.
“If the most significant decline among young users pertains to this specific type of activity, and that’s what these services are proposing, it may create a challenging path for them to attract users and establish that this development is beneficial for the industry,” Schomer concludes.
Copyright 2026 NPR
