Is this the future of music?

I told you yesterday that “Eddie Dalton” is not a human singer, but an AI created character.

“Eddie” — who seems like he’s a 70 year old blues singer — is really a computer generated product, from his song to his video to his persona..

This AI generated figure has three songs in the iTunes top 100 right now including one called “Another Day Old,” something he will never be.

The three songs have generated 13,000 in sales, and 525K streams. In the comments sections of the videos on You Tube, people are really enjoying the music and wonder about the backstory of the singer.

Almost no one realizes the whole thing is a fabrication.

Is there where we’re headed? I’d love to talk to the people at Crunchy Records who seem to have a whole line of invented music uploaded to YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes, but they have not returned any messages.

This weekend, Paul McCartney, almost 84, is playing three wildly sold out shows at the small Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. Then he’s releasing his 18th solo album. He may be the last human to accomplish these feats.

Exclusive: AI Generated Singer — Not a Real Person — “Eddie Dalton” Hits Number 1 on iTunes with Two More Hits in the Top 10

Developing…
UPDATE: Crunchy’s address is indeed in Greenville, SC. The person at the bottom of all this might be someone named Dallas Little. His/her email is care of their mother. No one answers phones or emails. I wish they’d return messages. This is quite a saga.

Who is Eddie Dalton?

He’s not a real person, for one. He’s AI generated.

But “Dalton” — a silky voiced R&B singer who sounds like Otis Redding and an amalgam of blues stars like BB King — has three hits in the iTunes top 10. One of them is number 1. One of his YouTube videos has ONE MILLION views.

“Eddie” may also be related to an AI country singer named “Dallas Little.” There are others, too, all suspected of being AI including (love this name) Cody Crotchburn, and Cade Winslow.

All of this computer generated material comes from a company called Crusty Tunes. Their copyright on their website says c2035! LOL.

Crusty describes themselves: “We believe technology is a tool for creative expansion, not something to be resisted. Crusty Records actively embraces emerging platforms and production methods to help artists move faster, reach wider audiences, and retain ownership. Progress isn’t the enemy – stagnation is. ”

But what does this mean for actual musicians, humans? And will Crusty try to get Grammy Awards? Based in Greenville, South Carolina, it looks like Crusty has been releasing AI music for the last couple of years. But “Eddie” is their first number 1. He also has 230,000 followers on Facebook!

“Days We Left Behind” is such a lovely, poignant song. Paul McCartney’s voice is wistful. He’s going to have fans singing along to this beautiful piece. “Days” might be the best song he’s written in 20 years.

Paul McCartney’s new producer is Andrew Watt, the star who’s made great records with the Rolling Stones, and Elton John and Brandi Carlile, among others.

The new album, “The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” hits us on May 29th.

Here’s a bit from the press release on Paul’s site, plus the track titles:

The Boys of Dungeon Lane was first brought into existence five years ago when Paul met producer Andrew Watt for a cup of tea and an exchange of ideas. While playing around on the guitar during the meeting, Paul happened upon a chord that even he didn’t recognise. Undeterred and driven by his experimental nature, Paul carried on changing one note, then another, until he had a three-chord sequence, which Watt suggested they should record.

This session yielded the album’s opening track, As You Lie There. Encouraged by his new producer, Paul would flesh out the new track, playing the majority of instruments – much in the spirit of his 1970 solo debut album, McCartney. So began the journey of what became Paul’s 18th studio album credited solely to Paul.

Paul’s packed schedule meant that the album was recorded in tight and efficient sessions between legs of global tour dates spanning five years and alternating between Los Angeles and Sussex. With no record label pressure and no deadline, the pair were able to make the album to their own timeline and satisfaction.

The Boys of Dungeon Lane is musically eclectic and sees Paul across an array of instruments and styles showcasing his broad musicality. There’s Wings style rock, Beatles style harmonies, McCartney style grooves, understated intimacy, melody driven storytelling, character songs.

Track list:

As You Lie There
⁠Lost Horizon
⁠Days We Left Behind
⁠Ripples in a Pond
⁠Mountain Top
⁠Down South
⁠We Two
⁠
⁠Come Inside
⁠Never Know
⁠Home to Us
⁠Life Can Be Hard
⁠First Star of the Night
⁠Salesman Saint
⁠Momma Gets By