Introduction:
In the early 2000s, I joined a rap group called The Freeloadas. We named ourselves that because, well, we were broke. The name was a reflection of our lifestyle—bouncing from place to place, eating fish sticks when someone was kind enough to cook for us. We were all about going against the excesses of the platinum rap culture at the time, but somehow, we didn’t lean into it enough.
Then, in 2012, Macklemore’s 'Thrift Shop' dropped like an atom bomb. That song was everything we stood for—anti-materialism, living cheap, and still making it work. I’ve been thinking about it ever since, wishing I had thought of it first. We had 12 years to write that song, and it was like it was born for us, but we missed our turn at bat.
So, if I could go back in time and release it before he did, would it have blown up the same way? Or was Macklemore’s success a mix of timing, marketing, and a little luck? And now, with AI capable of creating music, is the real issue even finding great songs, or is it just about getting people to listen?
Section 1: AI’s Role in Music Creation
We thought AI was coming to fold our laundry and free us up for lives of leisure and creativity, but instead, AI is coming for the creative jobs, leaving us more time to… (you guessed it) fold the laundry.
The real question is: Do we still get to play a creative role, or are we left marketing ourselves while AI gets the spotlight? In The Entropy Code, AI is at the core of creating hits, but even with AI making bangers, would hits be enough to break through today’s noise?
Section 2: A Thought Experiment – Layla
Let’s explore this with a thought experiment. Take 'Layla'—a song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon that became a timeless classic. People love it because it tells a heart-wrenching story of heartbreak, with that unforgettable riff that just gets under your skin. It’s the kind of song that stays in the cultural lexicon because it resonates on multiple levels.
But what if 'Layla' had been written and performed by someone unknown? A guy playing open mic nights at a local bar, trying to get anyone to listen. Would it still be the iconic hit we know today? Or would it have been lost in the sea of talented, undiscovered artists?
That’s the real question here—does the quality of the song matter more, or is success about being in the right place with the right backing?
Conclusion:
So, where does that leave us? If AI tools like those in The Entropy Code were available in real life, would they be useful for creating hits? Or would they face the same resistance we see today, like when Drake was ridiculed for using AI-generated voices of Tupac and Snoop Dogg?
The truth is, it’s not just about creating great music—it’s about getting the right eyes and ears on it. As someone who still believes in the power of a great song, I hope the art of music will continue to thrive, even in an industry obsessed with fame, followers, and algorithms.
But who knows—maybe we’ll need to time travel to make it happen.
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