"This doesn't align with our values or our submission requirements": The Velvet Sundown have been banned from the Future Sound Awards, which celebrate "the responsible use of AI in music"

Fake AI band Velvet Sundown have been banned from the Future Sound Awards, the self-styled ‘Grammys for AI music’.

The ‘band’ was described in a statement to MusicRadar as "a multidisciplinary artistic project blending music, analog aesthetics, and speculative storytelling." This was after they had accrued hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners on Spotify after appearing in several prominent playlists.

However, the Fanvue World AI Creator Awards, the operation behind the Future Sound Awards, has taken a dim view of Frelon and co’s prank. A spokesperson has put out a statement making their feelings about Velvet Sundown clear.

"The Future Sound Awards was launched to demonstrate the ethical use of AI tools in music - and celebrate the millions of creators using these tools. After noticing a registration through our awards platform from “The Velvet Sundown” we have since proactively taken the step to ban the band from entering the awards.”

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It continues: “Our belief and the mission of the awards is to promote the responsible use of AI in music - not displace artists which The Velvet Sundown is based on. This doesn't align with our values or our submission requirements which are operated through our partner, TwoShot, and their industry-leading licensing technology to protect artists.”

This, of course, begs the very pertinent question: what constitutes “responsible” use of AI? Would Timbaland's 'artificial artist' TaTa be eligible for the awards? Do all the nominees have to be open about the existing music that was fed into the AI to train their models?

It's not exactly clear at this stage, but we do know that the Future Sound Awards claim that their prizes are there to “celebrate creators around the world doing ‘cool stuff’ with AI.” It hardly needs to be said the definition of ‘cool’ is infinitely elastic.

Deadline for entries into this year’s Future Sound Awards closes on August 5 and nominations will be announced on August 11.