←back to thread

Ghost artists on Spotify

(harpers.org)
556 points greenie_beans | 2 comments | 19 Dec 24 14:12 UTC | HN request time: 0.4s | source
Show context
GuB-42 ◴[20 Dec 24 12:19 UTC] No.42470485[source]▶
I am the only one to be a bit upset by the term "fake artist"?

While AI is evoked, this is not what is talked about here. The article mentions Epidemic Sound, and looking at their page, it "doesn’t currently use generative AI to create music".

It means that we are talking about real people here, there is nothing fake about them and their work, what they do takes skill and effort. That they focus on quantity over quality and are under-recognized does not make them "fake". Otherwise, I bet most of us would be called "fake engineers".

replies(3): >>42470829 #>>42471068 #>>42473382 #
sickcodebruh ◴[20 Dec 24 13:16 UTC] No.42470829[source]▶
They are given fake names and identities in the platform in a deliberate intent to mislead the audience, deprive the real author of credit, and hide the real source of the work the major record labels. “Fake artist” is a generous term.
replies(3): >>42473205 #>>42478637 #>>42480187 #
pxoe ◴[21 Dec 24 09:50 UTC] No.42478637[source]▶
what is an artist name, alias, etc. if not a fake name? should people be forced to put their government id name on display to be deemed real artists?

there are some genres in which making up artist names, even just for a one-off release, is almost the point and part of the fun of making music. should artists be forced to release music under one name exclusively as well?

replies(1): >>42479246 #
1. diggan ◴[21 Dec 24 12:17 UTC] No.42479246[source]▶
Indeed, ghost writing/producing being so popular in the ecosystem that if a "Real-name mandate" happened over-night, much of the industry would be in shambles as people realize most superstars don't write and/or produce their own music.
replies(1): >>42479876 #
2. pxoe ◴[21 Dec 24 14:27 UTC] No.42479876[source]▶
they can look up credits of any given song right now and realize that literally everybody involved in music making has some sort of made up name, be they a singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, or whomever. like, spotify has a credits button. it's not really a revelation.