Is This What We Want? - AI Protest album

[leesmapman]

https://www.isthiswhatwewant.com/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_This_What_We_Want%3F

Is This What We Want? is a 2025 album by various artists. It consists of silence, recorded in recording studios. It was released in protest at the potential impact of artificial technology on music.[1] The message "The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies" is spelt by the name of the tracks.[1][2]

The musician's charity Help Musicians will be the recipient of profits from the album.[1]

Artists involved

1,000 artists are credited as co-writers on the album. The album consists of 12 tracks, with each track uncredited.[1] It is believed that Kate Bush is one of the artists of the tracks. Other artists include Damon Albarn, Tori Amos, Annie Lennox, The Pet Shop Boys, Billy Ocean, The Clash and Hans Zimmer.[1]

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... -copyright

[ea39]

Ah, interesting. I read about this this morning, and wondered if PSB might be involved. Probably not an album I'll be racing to buy, but fully support the premise.

[markus]

All the dinosaurs are trembling, young artists may be already experimenting with AI's possibilities.

[Gabby]

Lots of names, but unless I missed it I didn't see anywhere official (ie in the press not strictly OS) yet where PSB have been mentioned as being a part of this.

Also I think Neil is on record as being somewhat embracing of AI in music, so this might seem a bit counter intuitive, unless he's decided maybe it's not such a great idea.

[greenmile]

Lots of names, but unless I missed it I didn't see anywhere official (ie in the press not strictly OS) yet where PSB have been mentioned as being a part of this.

Also I think Neil is on record as being somewhat embracing of AI in music, so this might seem a bit counter intuitive, unless he's decided maybe it's not such a great idea.

They are mentioned in the full list of artists on the project’s web site.

[Gabby]

Lots of names, but unless I missed it I didn't see anywhere official (ie in the press not strictly OS) yet where PSB have been mentioned as being a part of this.

Also I think Neil is on record as being somewhat embracing of AI in music, so this might seem a bit counter intuitive, unless he's decided maybe it's not such a great idea.

They are mentioned in the full list of artists on the project’s web site.

Gotcha! Wouldn't hurt for everyone to have a link to that:

https://www.isthiswhatwewant.com/

[leesmapman]

Added to the original post, thanks

[DopeFiend]

Pretty bizarre.
Definitely up there with PSB obscurities.
I do wonder what segment of what track is what artist.
I'd also like to know more about how this was made. 1000 artists? At 47 minutes long that means 28 seconds per artist but listening to the album it doesn't sound like it changes from different environments that rapidly.
I don't get the correlation of silence with AI-assisted music creation.
A bit of a head scratcher. But in terms of making a statement I guess it serves a purpose.

It's sort of interesting to see this at the same time as Neil & Chris attending a demonstration about the war in Ukraine. It seems this is really their activism period, or is shaping up to be.

[Spittingcat]

They have always spoken out.

[TallThinMan]

I don't get the correlation of silence with AI-assisted music creation.

Through the absence of any actual music on the album the artists are drawing attention to the fact that large language models are being trained on their music without permission.

[TallThinMan]

From the website:

The album consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, representing the impact we expect the government’s proposals would have on musicians’ livelihoods.

[NotInvisible]

All the dinosaurs are trembling, young artists may be already experimenting with AI's possibilities.

Yes, AI is a great tool for those who lack the talent to compose.

[markus]

All the dinosaurs are trembling, young artists may be already experimenting with AI's possibilities.

Yes, AI is a great tool for those who lack the talent to compose.

When the VHS players hit the market claim was the film industry would suffer "people wont go to movies anymore" Then came the internet piracy, some artists and record companies again fought against technology.

You can't stop evolution, you have to ride the wave to not let it sweep you away.

[TwizzleUK]

My guess is this album has been endorsed by 1,000 artists, rather than it featuring them all.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

1,000 artists are credited as co-writers on the album.

John Cage, perhaps?

Retro.