The Velvet Sundown, an innovative AI-generated retro rock band that emerged unexpectedly in June, has achieved a remarkable feat often elusive to many traditional bands: capturing global media attention that translates into substantial streaming success on platforms like Spotify and others. This unique band has successfully harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to create music that resonates with a broad audience, showcasing the evolving landscape of the music industry.

In the week ending July 3, The Velvet Sundown’s impressive catalog, consisting of 26 tracks across two albums, garnered an astounding 2.59 million streams worldwide, as reported by Luminate. This marks an incredible 399% increase from the previous week’s performance. This surge in streaming numbers followed an avalanche of media coverage from music trade publications, prominent newspapers, and popular YouTube channels, all captivated by the intriguing concept and the ethical discussions surrounding an artificial band that diverts attention—and potentially royalties—from real-life musicians.

Despite more than two weeks of intense media attention, the excitement surrounding The Velvet Sundown continues to thrive. The band has been highlighted in major media outlets, including BBC.com and a comprehensive article in The Atlantic. In a time when viral fame typically fades quickly, the sustained interest from both media and the public is truly impressive. Just six weeks prior, the band had no streams, but now it boasts a remarkable 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, a significant jump from the approximately 300,000 listeners following a viral Reddit post on June 24. To leverage this momentum, The Velvet Sundown is set to release another album on Monday, July 14.

The notoriety associated with being an AI-driven band has resulted in tangible success. By Tuesday, July 8, the spotlight had propelled The Velvet Sundown’s hit track “Dust in the Wind” to the top position on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart—a key metric of recent popularity and social engagement—in the U.K., Ireland, Israel, Iceland, and Sweden, as well as top 10 placements in Australia, Canada, Denmark, and several other nations. Additionally, “Dust in the Wind” achieved impressive rankings on iTunes, landing at No. 3 in Switzerland, No. 9 in Poland, No. 14 in Austria, No. 20 in Canada, and No. 23 in Sweden, according to data from Chartmetric.

The Velvet Sundown embodies the future of the music industry in 2025, where garnering online attention—whether positive or negative—enables an artist to cut through the noise and attract listeners. In today’s music landscape, notoriety—being recognized for controversial actions—is not necessarily detrimental; it can be leveraged as a powerful marketing tool.

While some listeners may be put off by The Velvet Sundown’s artificial origins, others may find a reason to stick around, according to Phillip Lybrand, the mastermind behind another AI-generated band, Hoverborg. Lybrand’s album The Good Stuff, a vibrant collection of catchy pop-punk tracks, was crafted using his lyrics but generated entirely through the AI platform Udio. This album received early positive feedback, and revealing its AI origins actually enhanced its appeal. “Since I disclosed that it was AI-generated, I’ve sold more digital copies on Bandcamp, as well as physical CDs and vinyl, and only one person has requested a refund,” Lybrand shared.

Amid a landscape flooded with AI-generated content—Deezer estimates that 18% of its daily uploads are AI-driven—the success of The Velvet Sundown is particularly noteworthy. The visuals accompanying the band’s albums exhibit captivating, surrealistic artwork that effectively captures the essence of a psychedelic folk-rock ensemble. Importantly, the songs showcase a level of skill and artistry often missing from hastily produced AI music, as noted by author and audio engineer Bobby Owsinski: “Creating such content requires both significant talent and a considerable investment of time.”

Controversies have also propelled real-life music groups like Kneecap and Bob Vylan into the spotlight recently. Kneecap, a hip-hop trio hailing from Northern Ireland, drew attention in April for its anti-Israel remarks during a performance at Coachella. The fallout from this incident led to further media coverage, including Kneecap’s split from its agency, Independent Artist Group, and the indictment of band member Mo Charra (born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) on terrorism charges in the U.K. for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert in London. Charra was released on bail on June 18, although the controversy continued to evolve.

Both Kneecap and Bob Vylan faced backlash following their performances at Glastonbury in late June. Kneecap’s Charra publicly supported Palestine and criticized U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer—using strong language—for suggesting that the Irish group should be barred from performing at the annual event in Somerset, England. Meanwhile, Bob Vylan’s lead singer, Pascal Robinson-Fraser, who performs as Bobby Vylan, led a chant that included the phrase “death, death to the IDF,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces, which triggered a significant response. As these performances were aired live on the BBC, both Kneecap and Bob Vylan now find themselves under a criminal investigation.

The uproar following Kneecap’s Coachella performance has undeniably impacted the success metrics in the music industry. From the week prior to Coachella to the week after Glastonbury, Kneecap’s weekly global on-demand streams more than doubled. This influx of new listeners appears to be lasting, as Chartmetric data from the last month indicates that Kneecap’s follower growth on Spotify has outpaced its monthly listener growth, suggesting that those who recently discovered the group are more than just casual fans. In a similar vein, Bob Vylan experienced a staggering nearly 13-fold increase in weekly streams following Glastonbury.

In the realm of music, achieving fame through political statements can actually bolster commercial success. Bands like Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine have thrived on controversy as part of their brand identity. In today’s digital age, however, the internet amplifies and immortalizes every statement made by artists. “Musicians must be prepared to face the consequences of what they release into the world,” emphasizes Johnny Cloherty, CEO of Genni, a social media creator network. In the case of The Velvet Sundown, the fact that this viral band was generated using AI technology will not be forgotten. The lingering question remains: will this reality affect how audiences perceive their music in the long run?