Jimmy Iovine says “fame has replaced great” in today’s music
Jimmy Iovine, an American entrepreneur and founder of Interscope Records, has explained that “fame has replaced great” in today’s music.
In an interview with Consequence of Sound, the mega-mogul opened up about today’s music world and the use of AI. After being asked about his views on the use of AI in songwriting and production, Iovine said: “I’m not saying it’s good or bad, but I think AI is going to be massive in songwriting on many levels. One, on a very basic level, if somebody is stuck and you want to experiment and get an idea. Two, is that not everyone, but too many people today are making records for TikTok.”
He continued: “They used to make records for radio, but now it’s TikTok. That’s why all these pop records sound exactly the same. So if you’re making records like that, making records with this formula, then you’re going to start seeing big hits written and recorded with AI.”
Iovine went on to clarify that he said “big hits” rather that “great hits” due to the use of a formula. He then shared his observation on the state of music today and explained that with streaming, AI, social media, and other new technological shifts, “fame has replaced great.”
“Artists are making so much money in so many different places, which is fantastic, but after they have a hit record, they can earn a lot of money on Instagram and all this stuff,” He said. “I feel that a lot of people, a lot of artists, not all, but a lot of artists are taking their foot off the gas in the record making category. And that’s affecting the quality of the work. And I think you’re seeing that in a lot of different genres right now.”
He then went on to share some of his favourite artists at the moment. “There’re always great artists that come along, like Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish,” Iovine said, adding the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Yachty, Inhaler, Playboi Carti, and Turnstile. “They caught my attention,” he said of the Baltimore rock band, adding: “I like what they’re doing. I think they got the right spirit and the right attitude.”
Iovine joins the growing number of artists who have spoken about the use of AI in recent months, with the topic dividing artists in recent months. Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher openly praised an AI-generated Oasis album as sounding “mega” and Grimes confirmed that she permits fans to use her voice in their own AI projects.
Meanwhile, others aren’t so supportive of the concept, with Nick Cave labelling it “a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human”, and later stating that he wanted AI platforms like ChatGPT to “fuck off and leave songwriting alone”.
The post Jimmy Iovine says “fame has replaced great” in today’s music appeared first on NME.
Anagricel Duran
NME
