The Beatles’ new song “Now and Then” is also their last. Made using archival recordings and AI, the release has fans torn on how to feel.
We’re living in the future of the music industry. With AI taking over every facet of our lives, from painting to music recording, life is basically a Black Mirror episode.
With the likes of Fake Drake going viral, the musical landscape as we know it is changing at an exponential rate. Artists are beholden to anonymous users online who are able to use art for any kind of content.
As scary as all this is, there are some benefits. It’s easier to get stems (a song’s basic components) to create a song from scratch, for example. The implications here open up creativity and even streamline the process. That’s certainly the case for The Beatles.
The Beatles’ “Now and Then” goes viral
The iconic band behind such hits as “Here Comes the Sun” and “Let It Be” finds new vitality with “Now and Then,” a demo originally written in 1970.
Reportedly, the song’s original form contained plenty of static and TV noises in the background. Unsurprisingly, it became difficult to parse out the vocals from everything else — until now.
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It is wistful and lilting and has a sweet melancholy that few singers held as well as Lennon could. The words are poignant even though they were a demo version of what he may have done. I love the strings and overlaid harmonies. It feels very fitting as a last song.
— Cheshire Counsellor (@SeddonDavid) November 2, 2023
Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, John Lennon’s voice has been lifted and refurbished from the demo. It’s as gentle, haunting, and evocative as you might expect. But it’s getting quite a wide range of reactions.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s a very pleasant track and the legacy is unsullied , but masterpiece this is not.
— David Whelan (@LennonMurder) November 2, 2023
Because it’s the internet, fans are decidedly split on the song’s quality. Many are rallying behind the song, agreeing that it’s a “masterpiece” and one of their greatest achievements. Others, however, are shrugging it off as a pedestrian attempt.
It’s ok. I think they did the best they could with a lesser Lennon song. Well done and glad it exists but not memorable.
— ☮️ (@MusialFan73) November 2, 2023
Upon first listen, it’s quite evident why “Now and Then” has gone viral on Twitter/X. It’s an exquisite and moving setpiece that captures the sheer brilliance of the band. Conversely, due to its use of AI, it has rubbed some long-time Beatles fans the wrong way.
It might not reach the heights of their most well-known works, but it certainly leaves a mark.
