Can AI write songs better than Taylor Swift? the surprising results

Subscribe Search Search Sort by Relevance Title Date Subscribe ALBAWABA - AI challenges Taylor Swift's songwriting. Also Read Celine Dion speaks out against AI-Generated music using her voice For more than ten years, Taylor Swift has ruled the pop music industry due to her hit-after-hit albums and emotionally charged lyrics. However, as AI technology develops, the crucial question is whether AI can produce music that is as creative as Taylor Swift's. Five of Taylor Swift's most well-known songs were reverse-engineered into creative briefs by the sound testing company SoundOut in order to provide a response. These were then entered into Suno, an AI platform that used the instructions to create new tunes. In order to replicate Taylor's voice style, Jammable was used to further enhance the AI-generated recordings. To assess their attractiveness and emotional resonance, 200 listeners were blind-tested on Suno, Jammable, and Taylor tracks. Unexpectedly, two AI-generated songs did better in terms of audience appeal than Taylor's originals. Taylor's "So High School" had a 38% appeal rating, but "Forever Young" received a 71% rating. Likewise, "Winter's Embrace" outperformed "Evermore," which earned 19%, with an appeal rating of 65%. On average, though, Taylor's other three songs—"Anti-Hero" and "Cruel Summer" among them—performed 37% better than their AI equivalents. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Taylor Swift (Photo by KEVIN WINTER / Getty Images via AFP) These findings raise the question of whether listeners value the music or the performer more. According to a survey, 54% of listeners value the music more than the artist. This demonstrates how, if AI produces catchy songs, it might rival even the most renowned songwriters. AI showed promise in creating catchy tunes, but it struggled with emotional nuance. According to SoundOut's emotional accuracy measures, Taylor Swift's songs regularly portrayed a range of emotions, scoring more than 80%. AI, on the other hand, found it difficult to match these standards; for the song "Broken But Dancing," it achieved the greatest emotional accuracy score of 38%. The majority of AI-generated songs lacked the depth and subtlety necessary to genuinely engage listeners, scoring less than 10% in emotional accuracy. The AI compositions largely reflected simple feelings like "pure" or "peaceful," which were frequently unconnected to the desired brief. This discrepancy highlights how inadequate existing AI is at expressing the emotional nuance that characterizes Taylor's compositions. The potential of AI to produce popular songs begs the question of how music will develop in the future. Emotional authenticity is still a human strength, even though AI can create catchy music. Experts in the field think AI works best as an inspiration tool rather than as a substitute for artists. "AI can create music, but it lacks the emotional depth and complexity that only human experience can provide," says Chad Cook, president of SAM Creative. AI may help firms create acoustic branding more effectively and at a lower cost. However, ads that depend on a certain emotional resonance may find AI-generated music less effective due to its emotional inaccuracy. AI has demonstrated the ability to create catchy songs, sometimes even surpassing Taylor Swift. However, AI is still lacking in emotional richness and narrative. AI hasn't yet mastered the ability to craft complex narratives with real emotions, which is why Taylor's songs are so captivating. As generative AI develops further, it might soon complement human creativity and work alongside musicians. The answer to the question of whether AI can compose songs better than Taylor Swift is currently clear: it can't yet, but it's getting there. Zaid Qaissieh is a passionate English news and content writer with a knack for storytelling and an eye for detail. covering a range of Entertainment topics—from breaking global news and trending entertainment stories to insightful pieces—I bring a creative edge to every article. Zaid aims to engage, inform, and inspire readers, balancing well-researched content with a fresh, accessible voice. Subscribe Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content Subscribe Now Subscribe Sign up to get Al Bawaba's exclusive celeb scoops and entertainment news Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content Subscribe