Mac DeMarco has criticised AI-generated music, saying the industry was “in a weird place.”
- READ MORE: Mac DeMarco hits his mellow patch: “There was a long time that I was pretending to be something that I wasn’t”
The Canadian singer-songwriter is currently preparing to release his sixth studio album, ‘Guitar’, on August 22 via Mac’s Record Label. You can pre-order it here.
In a new interview with The Independent, he’s reflected on the changes in the music industry throughout his career – specifically the rise of AI.
“We’re in a funny zone right now where AI is coming in and getting good at things, fast,” he told the publication. “Things start feeling paint-by-numbers sometimes. When you have AI bands coming around, and people listening to music without even realising it’s AI-generated, we’re in a weird place.”
Though DeMarco doesn’t refer to any specific instance, it follows reports that a seemingly AI-generated band called The Velvet Sundown had managed to rack up hundreds of thousands of monthly Spotify listeners in a very short period.
“I hear about people using AI to even write lyrics a lot nowadays, which is a bit like… give me a fucking break,” he continued. “I think it’s about intention. If people want to climb the mountain, I guess you use the tools you can to get up there. I don’t know what you’re gonna find when you get up there, but hopefully you’re happy.”
DeMarco went on to discuss how his own album exists in this context, saying: “There’s a satisfaction I have with this kind of thing, because of how pure and real it feels to me.
“It’s supremely of me,” he continued. “The most important part of art is the human element, I think. Be it good or bad, that’s what I want to hear.”
It comes during a period of controversy for AI technology in the music industry, with a recent study sharing the stark warning that people working in music are likely to lose a quarter of their income to Artificial Intelligence over the next four years.
Deezer also reported that around 10,000 AI-generated tracks are submitted to the platform daily – making up around 10 per cent of all its music uploads, and it has also emerged that AI-generated songs are reportedly being uploaded to dead musicians’ profiles on Spotify.
Meanwhile, Elton John, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney, Florence Welch, Kate Bush and Robbie Williams are among those who this year called on the UK government to change copyright laws amid the threat from AI.
Elsewhere, SZA has hit out at AI users for being “codependent on a machine”.
‘Guitar’ will be the follow-up to 2023’s ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’ and the compilation ‘One Wayne G‘. So far, he’s released the nostalgic single ‘Home’.
The album was written and recorded in November 2024 at DeMarco’s Los Angeles home. “I think ‘Guitar’ is as close to a true representation of where I’m at in my life today as I can manage to put to paper,” he’s said of the record. “I’m happy to share this music, and look forward to playing these songs as many places as I’m able.”
Elsewhere, he will be touring around the UK and Europe in November, in between strings of North American dates. You can see a full schedule here, find UK tickets here and US and European tickets here
Elsewhere, DeMarco recently featured on a benefit album for those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires alongside King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The War On Drugs, and My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James.
