The band behind the 1995 alternative rock hit “Good” is encouraging fans to use AI to write their next single.
Better Than Ezra vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin recently announced a contest where fans can “write” a song with him or the band’s bassist, Tom Drummond. However, they are not exactly writing the tune side-by-side with the actual musicians themselves.
Better Than Ezra AI Songwriting Contest Overview
Better Than Ezra is running the contest in partnership with SoundBreak, a platform that allows users to “write songs with the official AI versions of your favorite artists and songwriters.” In addition to the Better Than Ezra band members, SoundBreak’s somewhat limited lineup includes Michael Fitzpatrick from Fitz and the Tantrums and songwriter Sam Hollander, who has collaborated with artists like Blink-182, Billy Idol, and Def Leppard.
In his contest announcement, Griffin informs fans they must use SoundBreak and select one of the Better Than Ezra band members to enter. He and Drummond will choose a winner on May 15 before heading into the studio.
“We’re going to record it and it’s going to be the next Better Than Ezra single,” he added.
How Does SoundBreak Function?
SoundBreak users are directed to choose an artist and then add a “vibe,” lyric, or verse. The platform takes it from there to create a song in the style of the selected artist.
soundbreak
Once your song is finished, you can add it to SoundBreak’s streaming player and have it distributed to third-party platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and TikTok. The top-tier paid plan for SoundBreak allows users to send up to 100 songs a month to third-party services for $29 a month.
Users who opt for the highest paid tier are also allowed to collect royalties from any song plays, which are shared with the artist they selected at the beginning of the creation process.
What Has Happened to Better Than Ezra?
Louisiana’s Better Than Ezra released their sophomore album, Deluxe, on Elektra Records in 1995. The album’s first single, “Good,” became an alternative rock radio staple later that year.
Better Than Ezra, ‘Good’
While they never replicated the success they had with “Good,” Better Than Ezra has continued to release new music over the years. Their ninth studio album, Super Magick, was released in 2024.
Here is a look back at some more one-hit wonders from the 1990s.
The Second Best Songs of ’90s One-Hit Wonders
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Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
The Third Best Song of 10 1990s Two-Hit Wonders
They escaped one-hit wonder status, but after their second radio hit there was a drop-off.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
